STB The Magical Encounter: Onlookers Mesmerized as a Humpback Whale Gracefully Leaps Mere Meters from a Fishing Boat. STB

This incredible video shows the moment a humpback whale jumped out of the water, narrowly missing a tiny angling boat.

The photographer who took pictures of the scene in Monterey Bay, California, US, joked he would have soiled himself had he been on the fishing vessel.

Footage of the spectacle shows a fisherman standing spellbound on the vessel, watching as the whale flies up into the air before plunging back down into the water.

Douglas Croft, who captured the moment alongside Kate Cummings, told reporters: “It was quite exciting!

Douglas Croft photographed the whale rising out of the water

(Image: Caters News Agency)

The photographer joked he would have soiled himself had he been on the fishing boat

(Image: Caters News Agency)

“Salmon season coincides with the time when humpbacks are returning to Monterey Bay to feed for the summer and there were hundreds of boats on the bay fishing.

“This whale had breached a couple of times before this and many times they’ll just keep doing it.

“I went below deck to shoot from a porthole close to the water line. That’s what gives this amazing perspective of looking up at the whale.

“That the breach was directly behind the fishing boat really shows the size.

“Since the boat is closer, it should look bigger, but the whale is huge! If I’d been the fisherman, I’d probably need some new underwear.”

The fisherman can be seen standing spellbound watching the whale fly through the air

(Image: Caters News Agency)

The whale narrowly missed the tiny boat (Image: Caters News Agency)

Kate said she had fun capturing the moment on video, which was filmed shortly after the whale was spotted emerging from the water further away on April 27.

She added: “Sometimes when whales breach multiple times, they’re also heading a specific direction when they’re underwater building momentum for the next breach.

“I figured the next breach would be around the fisherman because the whale was heading that way and sure enough! Though I didn’t expect the whale and the boat to line up so perfectly.”