--- title: Humpback Whale Breaches On Top of Kayakers description: See how dangerous kayaking can be when a breaching humpback whale nearly crushes two kayakers canonical: https://time.com/4035011/whale-crushes-kayakers/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-09-15T18:57:37.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:48:07.952Z og:title: This Humpback Whale Almost Crushed Kayakers og:description: "That was heavy" og:url: https://time.com/4035011/whale-crushes-kayakers/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: This Humpback Whale Almost Crushed Kayakers twitter:description: "That was heavy" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # This Humpback Whale Almost Crushed Kayakers > Sponsored content. 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Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ## Video: NOAA Announces Investigation Into Unexplained Whale Deaths [Watch (HLS stream): NOAA Announces Investigation Into Unexplained Whale Deaths](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/TqYrGmhv.m3u8) (1:14)  _Published 2015-08-23. NOAA has classified the deaths of 30 individual whales an “unusual mortality event.” Scientists say toxic algae could be to blame._  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Sep 15, 2015 6:57 PM UTC  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Sep 15, 2015 6:57 PM UTC Two kayakers in a tandem kayak were nearly killed when a breaching humpback whale landed on top of them. Video footage of the Saturday incident was captured by a passenger on a nearby Sanctuary Cruises whale tour just outside Monterey Bay’s Moss Landing Harbor. Capt. Michael Sack of Sanctuary Cruises witnessed the event. “A large aggregation of humpbacks (were) feeding,” Sack told local news station [KSBW](http://www.ksbw.com/news/humpback-whale-breaches-on-kayakers-in-moss-landing/35251096). “There were also a lot of kayakers right in the middle of it all. The next thing we knew, this thing launched right on top of these two kayakers. It was very scary to watch.” The two were not directly hit by the massive animal, but were knocked out of their kayak and underwater. They were able to make it safely back to shore with the help of fellow kayakers. “Kayaking with whales can be extremely dangerous,” Sack said. “This was one of the more dangerous situations that I’ve seen out here. I’m not sure if at this point these two know how lucky they were.” It was entertaining to watch the whales swimming around the kayakers right up until the incident occurred, according to the video’s description. “It’s all fun and games until someone gets jumped on,” Sack wrote. “That was heavy.” ## Transcript Whales in Alaska are dying at an alarmingly odd rate. Thirty individuals have washed up on Alaskan beaches in recent months. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has opened an official investigation and classified the deaths as an unusual mortality event. Involving unexpected stranding and significant die- off. 14 humpbacks, 11 fin whales, one grey whale and four unidentified whales have died, which NOAA says is three times the annual average rate. What's worse is scientists don't know why. In the case of the fin whales, one of the scientists said, part of the mystery is why just fin whales? Why not their prey? Why are there not other consumers in the system showing up in mass die- off mode? A spokesperson for NOAA told The Guardian at this point, it looks like the recent and harmful algal bloom could be to blame. But there's still not enough evidence to support that yet. This year's bloom of toxic algae is the worst in more than a decade, according to NOAA scientists. They suspect it could be linked to unusually warm temperatures in the northern Pacific Ocean. In the case of the whales, NOAA will post data from investigation to its unusual mortality event website once it becomes available. 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