Sea creatures leap out of water off California coast. See the ‘bucket list’ moment
.jpg "Sea creatures were spotted leaping off the coast of California.")
A pod of sea creatures leaped through the air off the coast of California as “excited” boaters were lucky enough to see the action.
On Nov. 1, Monterey Bay Whale Watch captured pictures of northern right whale dolphins jumping out of the water, according to a Facebook post.
The group got to witness a “bucket list” moment with three species of dolphins and and 12 humpback whales, the post said.
Northern right whale dolphins are the only dolphin in the northern hemisphere that doesn’t have a dorsal fin, leaving passengers extra “happy” with the special sight, the company said.
Among the 20 northern right whale dolphins, viewers also saw 50 Risso’s dolphins and 10 Pacific white-sided dolphins, officials said.
The northern right whale dolphins usually travel in packs of 100 to 200 and are known to be “acrobatic” with leaps of over 20 feet, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
They have a lifespan of about 42 years and reach speeds of 16 mph with short bursts of 22 mph, according to the NOAA.
Monterey is about a 120-mile drive southeast of San Francisco.
This story was originally published November 4, 2024 at 1:27 PM with the headline "Sea creatures leap out of water off California coast. See the ‘bucket list’ moment."