VIDEO: Huge Humpback Whale Leaps Totally Out of the Sea in South Africa

Scuba diver Craig Capehart has captured an incredible video of a rare moment when a 40 ton humpback whale actually leaps TOTALLY out of the water, in South Africa.

Craig and three other scuba divers were in a rubber duck offshore of Mbotyi in Pondoland, in the Eastern Cape, when they started filming some whales breaching.

The divers were actually on a mission – on a freezing cold winter’s day – to find sardines during South Africa’s famous Sardine Run, and the predators they attract.

On his YouTube page, Craig says: “Entertaining us while we wait are migrating humpback whales. Some are mothers with calves. Some are males traveling in small groups.

“This day, there were few sardine sightings but the whales seemed to be everywhere! An unexpected bonus!”

The adult whale which leapt entirely out of the water first slapped both its left and right fins on the water.

The video has gone totally viral – already viewed on YouTube by over 1.6-million people.

“It seems that never before has a recording been made of an adult humpback whale leaping entirely out of the water! A very rare event, indeed.

“Dolphins and even Great White Sharks have been seen flying out of the water, but this is a first for an adult humpback whale!” says Craig.

40 Ton Humpback Whale Leaps Entirely Out of the Water! A Video by Craig Capehart

View stunning aerial photos of the Southern Right Whales back in South Africa this week.