Baby whale gets free ride in mother's slipstream

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Friday, January 18, 2019
Baby whale swims through mother's slipstream
Whale watchers were treated to quite a spectacle as a baby whale swam in its mother's slipstream off the coast of Dana Point, California.

DANA POINT, Calif. (WPVI) -- Whale watchers were treated to quite a spectacle as a baby gray whale swam in its mother's slipstream off the coast of Dana Point, California.

Gray whales can reach up to a length of 49 feet and can weigh up to 40 tons. They have a lifespan of 55 to 60 years.

Donna Kalez, the owner of Dana Wharf Whale Watch, stated that "the water around mom is moving at the same speed as the mom, so the calf virtually gets a 'free ride'."

The video was shot by Captain Frank Brennan with a drone.