Awe as Marine Biologist Films 'Best' Whale Sighting in 18 Years

A video of a "magical" humpback whale sighting in California has mesmerized viewers on TikTok.

On October 2, Sarah Munro-Kennedy from Monterey Bay Whale Watch recorded the footage, which she later posted on her TikTok account @imjustagull. The clip, posted on November 9, has since amassed 1.3 million views.

Munro-Kennedy, one of the marine biologists who lead the company's whale watching tours, has worked with whales since 2018. She told Newsweek: "Seeing them feed in person is like nothing else in the world. It's exhilarating and never gets old."

The viral video begins with Munro-Kennedy asking repeatedly, "Where are they?" The camera pans back and forth searching for the whales. Small fish leap out of the water, indicating the potential presence of the large mammals, and a seal swims nearby.

Screenshots from a video of a whale sighting in Monterey Bay, California. Sarah Munro-Kennedy, the marine biologist at Monterey Bay Whale Watch who captured the footage, has worked with whales since 2018. Sarah Munro-Kennedy with Monterey Bay Whale Watch

"All the fish went crazy. The last time they did that, the whale popped up right next to it," the marine biologist says in the video, setting the stage for the dramatic event. Moments later, she exclaims, "Here we go," and a humpback whale lunges out of the water with its mouth open, gulping down a school of fish.

"No freaking way," Munro-Kennedy says, while onlookers aboard the boat cheer.

In the video's caption, she wrote, "I've worked at sea for 18 years and today (10/2/24) was probably the best day of humpback whale watching I've ever had!"

Munro-Kennedy told Newsweek: "These majestic, 50-foot-long animals come lunging out of the water with hundreds of 6-inch-long sardines flying everywhere. To think that something so massive feeds on something so small is quite incredible."

According to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, humpback whales are commonly seen in the region during the summer and fall, as they feast on krill and small fish, such as anchovies and sardines. These whales, capable of consuming up to 3,000 pounds of food per day, often return to the same feeding spots, making sightings like Munro-Kennedy's somewhat predictable but no less thrilling.

"Humpback whales are the favorite of whale watchers, as they frequently perform aerial displays," such as breaching—jumping out of the water—or slapping the surface with their pectoral fins, tails or heads, the sanctuary's website said. These whales are considered endangered, making each sighting all the more valuable.

'Once in a Lifetime Experience'

While the viral TikTok video showcases a single whale, Munro-Kennedy said she observed 66 humpback whales around her boat, all feeding on anchovies for more than three hours. In the video's caption, she described the scene as "absolute insanity."

"I know that there were 66 whales because we have interns on the boat with us who are collecting daily observational data—counting all of the whales and taking identification photos of each whale that we see," she told Newsweek. "This is not the first time I've seen this many whales, but it is the first time I got such great video footage of it."

The marine biologist said she didn't feel scared of the whales, adding, "I know that our vessel is safe and that the whales are only interested in the food, not us."

She said September and October were when the densest populations of humpback whales visited the Monterey Bay area, their feeding grounds, and feasted on bait fish.

As the humpbacks have begun their migration south, the area sees feeding behavior in less dense groups, the marine biologist said.

Viewers on TikTok were astonished by the footage, with one commenting, "THAT'S SO COOL." Another added, "Holy cow that was cool."

Others shared their experiences and hopes of witnessing such an event.

"This would be a dream come true," one wrote, while another said: "I was out there that day!! Absolutely incredible!"

"We saw this a couple of years ago in Santa Cruz," a commenter added. "That whole bay is absolutely magical!"

Another said: "I was whale watching there that day too. Absolutely breathtaking. Once in a lifetime experience."

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