Giant whales surprise paddleboarders in Australia

A cinematographer in Australia has captured incredible footage of two huge Southern Right Whales swimming alongside paddleboarders.

The footage shows the whales gliding through the amazing glassy water in Esperance, Western Australia, and was posted by Jaimen Hudson.

Erin Cummings, believed to be one of the paddleboarders in the video footage, told ABC News she and her friend decided to take a paddleboard out to Wylie Bay near Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia and spotted a whale and its calf a long way down the beach.

“And then they sort of came in towards the beach… and just swam past us,” Cummings told ABC News.

Esperance has garnered a reputation for varied marine life over the years, with dolphins and seals regularly spotted. The region has also had its share of shark attacks, most recently this month when a 20-year-old woman was attacked while floating in an inflatable pool ring.

The awesome footage of the whales has been released by Jaimen Hudson, a quadriplegic filmmaker, as part of a documentary he has made about his life.