If you’ve ever been surfing, you know there’s a good chance you’ll see some kind of wildlife. Whether that’s a pelican floating nearby or a dolphin or two. However, one surfer in South Africa managed the perfect synchronized moment with a whale, as both got big air.
Brianna Cope recently shared this video:
In the clip, you see Cope hit a wave and spin while a whale breaches the coast at the same time. You can see Cope’s look of shock and amazement as she recognizes what just happened.
Cope is a professional surfer from Hawaii. Last year, she spent time in South Africa, where photographer Alex Hayes.
Cope commented on the video, saying, “Just me & a friend. Mother Nature is amazing. There are so many reasons why the ocean is my favorite place, and this is one of them.”
In another comment, she replied, saying the moment was “once in a lifetime, I think.”
Wildlife officials say whales breach like this to communicate with other whales in their pod. Researchers think a bigger splash sends a message further and can reach more whales. On average, whales like humpbacks must come to the surface every seven to 15 minutes.
