humpback

More than 40 feet long and weighing up to 40 tons, adult humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are formidable giants. But their immensity doesn’t hinder their athleticism.

It’s an ocean-wide game of follow the leader, and the anchovies are #1.

Shawn Stamback was diving with a friend off the coast of Morro Bay when he noticed thousands of sardines rushing around him. Seconds later two humpback whales exploded out of the water, missing him and his diving buddy by a few feet. "I was right in the middle of the meatball," he said later.