A FATHER and son came face-to-face with a group of humpback whales off the coast of Ireland this week.
Footage of Terry and Tomás Deane’s incredible encounter with the whales was shared online by RTÉ.
The meeting came some 15 miles northwest of Brandon, just off the coast of Kerry.
"We had gone out on the longest day of the year with the intention of finding whales,” Terry told RTÉ.
"We were observing three animals feeding for about an hour, but then they came over to the boat to check us out."
The incredible moment Terry’s 14-year-old son came into contact with one of the whales was captured on camera by his awestruck father.
The magical moment when a 14-year-old boy came face to face with a humpback whale off the Co Kerry coast 🐋 pic.twitter.com/g6Yr0MP3zr
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) July 16, 2019
"Tomás was at the end of the rib filming underwater footage with a GoPro camera,” Terry explained. “But suddenly one of the humpbacks spyhopped out of the water. There he was just towering over him. It was unreal. We were shaking, not with fear, but in awe."
It made for an incredible encounter, serving as yet another reminder of the incredible beauty and striking natural life that can be found all around the island of Ireland.
Whales and dolphins are regularly spotted along the Irish coast.
All the more reason to explore the striking coastline and marine secrets that live beneath those striking blue waves.
