Underwater photographer captures close encounter with humpback whales

By Jamie Smith via SWNS

This serenity-inducing video shows a beautiful encounter with a trio of colossal humpback whales in the South Pacific ocean.

David Edgar, 32, and his wife Alice, 33, were diving in the crystal-clear waters near Tonga when they encountered the majestic creatures.

The couple followed a group of three humpback whales, a mother, her calf and a male escort.

Humpback adults can grow up to 52 feet long and weigh around 66,000 pounds. Their calves can weigh around 900 pounds and measure up to 15 feet long.

David, a professional underwater photographer, was able to capture this gorgeous video of the inquisitive calf dancing with his wife.

Humpback whales gather every winter to mate and give birth near Tonga – an archipelago of around 170 islands between Fiji and American Samoa.

They typically feed on shrimplike crustaceans called krill, and are known for their intricate courtship songs and rituals.

“It was one of those amazing days in the South Pacific where the water was perfectly flat and there was hardly a breath of wind," said David, from Sydney, Australia.

"We followed a group of three humpback whales who were swimming slowly around a shallow reef for about an hour.

“The video captures the moment where a young humpback calf swims toward Alice in a moment of mutual curiosity.

“The whales are often as curious of us as we are of them, which can make for some really amazing moments underwater.”