Every now and again, humans catch amazing glimpses of nature that feel too pure for us to witness. From different animals gently interacting with each other to double rainbows, sometimes the earth surprises us.
Last month on June 21, Terry and Tomás Deane witnessed an amazing spectacle. While on their rib boat off the Co Kerry coast in Ireland, the father and son saw a pod of three humpback whales while the animals were feeding. The pair watched them for an hour before the whales swam over to inspect the boat. But the excitement didn't stop there.
While they were 15 miles northwest of Brandon, underwater footage - as well as Terry's recording of Tomás on his phone - shows one whale "spyhopping" out of the water to check things out. Spyhopping often happens with aquatic animals when they appear above water to better see what's around them.
Terry, who hails from Camp, took his son on the trip specifically to look for whales. He said the longest day of the year is perfect for the activity, and that they got their wish:
"We were observing three animals feeding for about an hour, but then they came over to the boat to check us out. Tomás was at the end of the rib filming underwater footage with a GoPro camera. But suddenly, one of the humpbacks spyhopped out of the water. There he was just towering over him. It was unreal. We were shaking, not with fear, but in awe."
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group said the video is amazing, and put a device in the area to monitor humpback whales, as they can frequent Irish waters.
Though not everyone has the ability to get out on open water and whale watch, remember to open your eyes to the natural beauty you do have access to all around you.
