Whale Breach a Little Too Close for Comfort for Kayaker (and Dog)

A group of kayakers (as well as a seafaring dog) enjoyed, if a tad nervously, a close encounter with a number of breaching whales off the coast of Kiheh, Hawaii, on February 22.

Maui resident Kristina Lynn Jennings was traveling in a kayak with Kiheh local Dave Ponce, as well as Harley, the pet dog of another kayaker, when she recorded footage of whales breaching and slapping their tails in the water close to other vessels.

Soon enough though, some of the whales headed directly toward Jennings, Ponce and Harley’s kayak.

In the footage, a nervy Jennings can be heard saying, “I don’t want to be in the middle of that,” as she watches the breaching whales from a distance. Then, as one whale surfaces right in front of Jennings, she exclaims, “Dave, Dave, Dave, get me outta here, get me outta here,” while a whimper can be heard from Harley.

The whale soon leaves the kayak’s side, and having returned to dry land Jennings described the experience as “sort of terrifying at the time but funny and epic.” Credit: Kristina Lynn Jennings via Storyful