A group of friends on a whale-watching trip in Newport Beach got a surprise on Monday when a humpback whale breached just behind them as they posed for a photo.

Video taken by one of the passengers shows the whale leaping from the water near the Ocean Explorer, a vessel operated by Davey’s Locker Whale Watching. The group, visiting from Las Vegas, was preparing for a picture when the whale surfaced.

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Jessica Rodriguez, communications manager with Davey’s Locker, said the whale breached so close that some guests were splashed.

“It was a moment of pure joy and perfect timing, capturing the thrill of a once-in-a-lifetime encounter,” Rodriguez said in an email to NBC4.

Rodriguez said humpback whales have been feeding o

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