Watch massive sea creature play ‘peekaboo’ with stunned boaters off California

A massive sea creature created an “incredible” experience for boaters off the coast of California, onlookers said.

On April 20, boaters got the chance to play a game of “peekaboo” with a humpback whale, leading bystanders to believe the whale “stole the show” among the other 14 whales spotted, according to an Instagram post by the Santa Barbara Whale Watch.

The cautious gentle giant circled the boat at a distance before feeling comfortable enough to say “hello,” officials said.

The “giant whale head” popped out of the water numerous times, leaving one onlooker with nothing left to say but “wow,” the video in the post showed.

Commenters were in agreement that the experience made for a “perfect day,” with one person saying “absolutely magical.”

“Wow! How incredible,” another person wrote.

“What a great mugging,” someone else said.

The age of the whale sighted is unknown. Humpback whales reach maturity between 4 and 10 years old, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Calves stay near their mom for up to a year before weaning, with the mother being “protective” and “swimming closely and often touching them with their flippers,” according to NOAA.

Santa Barbara is about a 100-mile drive northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published April 21, 2025 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Watch massive sea creature play ‘peekaboo’ with stunned boaters off California."