A group of whale watchers hoped for a one-in-a-lifetime sight, but only to get epically played by the massive whale they were all waiting to capture on camera.
Thankfully, the hilarious moment was caught on tape by director and photographer, Eric J Smith and it has now gone viral!
The marine life enthusiasts were all patiently waiting in their boat with the cameras on, but they nearly missed the spectacular sight as the massive whale decided to trick them. The group was offshore Baja California in Mexico, waiting for a lifetime opportunity, but they were all looking the wrong way when the whale popped up its head behind them.
Luckily for them, however, they turned around just in time to get a glimpse of the whale before she dived back under into the depths of the ocean.
Incredible snaps, taken by director and photographer, Eric J Smith, from the encounter have now been shared, showing the sneaky whale poking out of the water and looking towards the excited group sitting on the boat.
“She slowly and silently stuck her head high above the water to look around,” the 49-year-old said. “When everyone turned around, she quickly sank below the surface.
“I was in another panga [boat] a few dozen feet away and caught the moment right before everyone realized she was so close. Whale photography involves a lot of luck, but the key is to always be on alert and ready.”
A group of whale watchers almost missed a once-in-a-lifetime moment when a cheeky whale popped its head through the waves as they looked in the opposite direction.