Maybe it was trying to communicate with its mama, or perhaps it was trying to get barnacles off its body.

Another theory – maybe it was just having fun.

Passengers aboard Newport Coastal Adventure got a thrill when a juvenile humpback whale started breaching right next to the boat Sunday, Nov. 30, the massive mammal propelling its body toward the sky.

“Because it was doing it so much, it could have just been having a good time, a juvenile whale just out having fun,” said wildlife photographer Mark Girardeau, recounting how the humpback breached more than 50 times to the thrill of passengers.

This summer was lackluster for whale sightings, with few blues showing up and the gray whale migration off to a slow start.

For the past month, humpbacks have had the spotlight on the sea.

The hu

See Full Page