Humpback whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Port St. Johns, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Nikon F100, Provia 400, Nikon 80 - 400 VR

We cruised alongside this humpback and its two companions down the Eastern Cape coastline for the better part of an entire day. Another pod of two whales - probably males - shadowed this pod the entire day two, occasionally approaching close, which led to brief episodes of tail lobbing until the two

As these whales became more accustomed to our RIB, they approached closer and closer, occasionally swimming right up to our boat before diving beneath it, or else surfacing just in front of or behind us. This was only true when we were the only boat in the area. When another RIB was in the area, the whales kept a greater distance.