2 months ago
An unsuspecting windsurfer collided pinch a grey whale connected nan San Francisco Bay successful a startling and uncommon brushwood captured connected video.
The footage shows nan infinitesimal nan surfer is forcefully thrown from his committee arsenic a grey whale breaches disconnected nan California coast, plunging him into nan water.
The man, identified arsenic Eric Kramer by aggregate news outlets, had been sailing adjacent San Francisco erstwhile nan whale surfaced successful his path.
“It was a ‘whale’ of a day,” he wrote connected societal media. “Please beryllium cautious and respect wildlife, I had reduced my velocity greatly bc I had seen a mates whales successful nan area but connected my past tally backmost it conscionable popped up correct successful beforehand of me. Glad we are some ok.”
Gray whales person been spotted successful nan area since January, which is earlier than accustomed this year. In March, an big female grey whale was recovered dormant successful nan San Francisco Bay, apt killed by a vessel, marking nan first recorded decease of 2026 according to SF Gate.
In caller days, biologists person recovered 3 much dormant whales successful different locations, though their causes of decease stay undetermined. The erstwhile twelvemonth saw a troubling number of deaths, pinch 21 grey whales washing ashore successful nan Bay Area, nan highest fig successful 25 years.
Population estimates person dropped to their lowest levels since nan early 1970s, and person halved since 2016, from astir 27,000 that twelvemonth to little than 13,000 successful 2025.
Currently astir six grey whales are successful nan San Francisco Bay, according to ABC7, stopping during their migration northbound from Baja California successful Mexico to their feeding grounds successful nan Arctic.
Many grey whales now show signs of mediocre nutrition, and reproduction rates person dropped significantly. During nan 2025 migration, only 85 mother-calf pairs were recorded moving past cardinal California by nan National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), nan lowest number connected record. Scientists judge that shifting food availability successful nan Arctic, apt linked to nan ambiance crisis, is simply a cardinal factor.
The grey whales disconnected Baja California are good known for their curious behavior toward boats, contempt being hunted drastically during nan 20th century. Under national regulations group must now support a region of astatine slightest 100 yards from whales.
