Humpback whale high fives diver as they swim together in incredible photographs
Sydney snapper David Edgar was on an expedition in Tonga, in the South Pacific, when he photographed the intimate interaction
ASTONISHING photographs have captured the intimate moment a humpback whale high fived a diver in a playful underwater exchange.
The majestic giant was also snapped extending it flipper and rising out of the ocean to peek at the explorer's boat.
Sydney photographer David Edgar was on an expedition in Tonga, located in the South Pacific, when he snapped the interaction with the mammal.
Daivid said: “The photos came from a two to three-hour encounter with an extremely playful adolescent male.
“The whale came right up to the boat and would spyhop – which is swimming vertically and sticking his head out of the water to look at us.
“A group of us got into the water and, within moments, the curious whale was circling around us and swimming right underneath us to get a good look.
“He did this for about half an hour as our group bunched together tightly in the water, basically staying in the exact same spot.”
The inquisitive whale amazed David with its willingness to interact.
The photographer added: “He’d gently place his pectoral fin out in front of us, and just leave it hanging there as he swam around us.”
Despite weighing up to 40 tonnes and growing as long as 60ft, Humpback whales are remarkably agile.
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They are known for their underwater wailing - song-like sequences of howls and cries that can be picked up from far away under the ocean.
David said of the encounter: “At one point he swam away and collected a group of his whale friends to come over and look at us too.
“They swam by and took a look – but ultimately they weren’t as interested in us as he was.”
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