Fishing boat’s close encounter with gray whales

A couple of fishermen on a small boat off the coast of Dana Point, Calif., had a (very) close encounter with several enormous gray whales.

One whale surfaced just a few feet away from the 15-foot boat, spraying water and waving its tale in the ocean breeze. According to ABC-6, one of the 50-foot whales actually rubbed up against the boat's engine.

While the encounter is amazing to watch, the World Wildlife Fund explains that gray whales are known for being friendly. "They have an unusual tendency to approach whale-watching boats and even let whale-watchers touch them and scratch their tongues," the WWF says.