Daily Mail, By DAILY MAIL REPORTER, 20th October 2010
A humpback whale breaching is one of the most spectacular displays of raw power seen in the natural world.
But to see a mother and her calf leaping together is even more dramatic.
British tourist Ian Keenleyside was lucky enough to get these amazing picture in Moreton Bay, just off the coast of Brisbane in Australia.
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| All together now, 123 and... leap! A humpback whale mother and her calf leaping together is an incredibly moving sight, as these pictures show |
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| Dramatic: A humpback whale breaching is a dramatic display of raw power. The name humpback comes from the motion it makes as the whale arches its back out of the water in preparation for a dive |
Ian said: 'I was with a friend on his boat when we noticed a pod of whales quite close to us. They seemed completely relaxed about us being there and at one point they came really close, just 20 metres away.
'We spotted the mother and calf and then they breached. It was most incredible thing as these huge animals soared out of the water and then came crashing down.
'It's not uncommon to see breaching whales but I've never seen a mother and calf doing it together.
'I felt extremely privileged to encounter such dramatic wildlife behaviour so close. Our small boat was was rocking from the wake of the whales and seeing a 40 tonne mother and her calf leaping through the air will remain with me for the rest of my life.'
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| Tall order: An adult humpback whale usually ranges between 12-16 m long and weighs approximately 36 tonnes, making its leap even more amazing |
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| 'Our small boat was was rocking': British tourist Ian Keenleyside took the pictures in Moreton Bay, just off the coast of Brisbane in Australia |
