Massive sea creature puts on show off California coast. See the ‘acrobatic’ one

Boaters got the chance to spot sea creatures off the California coast during their “spectacular adventure,” and onlookers are calling the moment a “powerful display of strength and energy.”

On July 3, the “bay was alive,” giving onlookers the chance to spot “one of the largest species of whales”: a fin whale, according to a Facebook post by the Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

Fin whales are the second-largest whale species on the planet and have a “distinctive coloration — black or dark brownish-gray on the back and sides and white on the underside,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

That wasn’t the highlight of the day, though. Later, an “energetic and acrobatic” humpback whale decided to put on a show for boaters, the group said.

The “entertained” onlookers saw the whale breach countless times over the course of two hours, the group said.

Before losing count, the group said the whale soared from the water 150 times.

Humpbacks usually display this behavior as a means of communicating with other whales as the sound of them slapping their bodies against the water can be “heard for miles,” according to The Marine Mammal Center.

Even after boaters headed back to the harbor, they received reports that the gymnast was still leaping from the water, the group said.

Users rushed to the comments to share their thoughts on the photos with one person saying, “AMAZING!”

“Wow! Some beautiful pictures,” another wrote.

“So awesome!” someone said.

Monterey is about a 120-mile drive south from San Francisco.

This story was originally published July 4, 2025 at 10:41 AM with the headline "Massive sea creature puts on show off California coast. See the ‘acrobatic’ one."