There’s little doubt visitors to Monterey Bay hope to see fantastic sights while aboard a Sanctuary Cruises’ whale tour. The sight recently captured on camera by Larry Plants, however, is likely to have surpassed even the wildest of passenger expectations. Before his eyes, two kayakers were almost crushed to death by a huge humpback whale. Fortunately, both were wearing life vests and survived the dramatic incident unscathed.

Tom, a wildlife film director and one of the kayakers involved, even described the moment as “the most extraordinary thing to happen to me”. This recording has since become an instant online hit. Credit: Larry Plants