Kayaker has close encounter with whale in Half Moon Bay
HALF MOON BAY (KTVU) - Earlier this week a kayaker had a very close encounter with a humpback whale.
The whale popped up and bumped into Eddy Willis’ kayak. The encounter occurred Sunday.
This comes after incredible video showed Viviana Guzman paddleboarding off the coast of Half Moon Bay when a whale came up right next to her, and bumped her paddleboard.
Guzman says the encounter happened at Miramar Beach on July 12th. She is a flutist and was playing the flute while on a paddleboard, when the young humpback whale bumped into her. Guzman says she was very surprised by the whale and was also surprised she managed to stay on her paddleboard.
According Melissa Schouest, Assistant Curator at the Aquarium of the Bay, this year with the El Nino and upwelling, all of the whale's food is closer to the shore, which means there have been more sightings along the Bay Area coast.
In an interview on KTVU Schouest reminded viewers to watch wildlife responsibility, by trying to stay about 100 yards away. "They Bay is their home, they live there and we need to respect it," she said.