Witnessing the elegant dance of nature, Australian YouTuber and TikTok star Brodie Moss had an extraordinary encounter with a humpback whale appearing to perform a rare ‘headstand’ in the waters off the Australian coast. Approaching the enigmatic sight in his transparent kayak, Moss captured the mesmerizing moment on camera.
As Moss got closer and closer to the motionless tail protruding from the water, he couldn’t help but express his astonishment, exclaiming, “What the hell is going on?” In an attempt to unveil the breathtaking scene hidden beneath the surface, Moss dipped his handheld camera under the water, revealing the massive body of the whale with its offspring nestled against its chest. This phenomenon, known as ‘tail sailing,’ has seldom been captured on film, leaving scientists with a certain level of mystery surrounding its purpose.
Humpback whales, part of the baleen whale species, are recognized for their distinct body shape. Typically measuring between 39 and 52 feet in length and weighing around 36 metric tons, these majestic creatures are renowned for their elaborate courtship songs and displays. Male humpbacks create intricate songs lasting 10 to 20 minutes, which they repeat for hours on end. With a migratory pattern that involves traveling between polar feeding grounds in the summer and tropical or subtropical breeding grounds in the winter, humpbacks engage in vocalization as a form of communication.
In the video, Moss can be heard expressing his racing heartbeat as he finds himself mere yards away from the magnificent creature. “I think that’s a whale tail – it’s just come up and stuck its tail up, and it’s just not going anywhere,” he says in excitement. This surreal encounter left Moss in awe, describing it as the craziest thing he has ever experienced. Additionally, Moss captures the smaller humpback whale, likely the offspring, circling around the enormous creature during its peculiar ‘headstand’ display.
While the exact location of this encounter remains unclear, Moss is associated with the YBS Youngbloods YouTube channel based in Exmouth, Western Australia. Initially believing that the transparent kayak was causing the whale’s abnormal behavior, Moss later explains that what he witnessed is a remarkable illustration of ‘tail sailing.’ This phenomenon, rarely observed by humans, involves whales lifting their tails above the water for extended periods.
The reasons behind tail sailing are still unknown, but marine biologists propose various theories. It may serve as a means for whales to rest, nurse their young, or simply find respite while keeping cool. On Reddit, nature enthusiasts amusingly compare it to sticking your feet out of bed when they’re too hot but in reverse. Others suggest it could be an exhilarating experience for whales, with one comment suggesting it’s like the sensation of sticking your hand outside a car window and feeling the rush of wind on your fingertips. With limited documentation, tail sailing has also been observed in southern right whales, though it is less prevalent among humpbacks, which boast an impressive lifespan of 80 to 90 years.
This peculiar behavior is not unique, as a previous sighting of a ‘tail-sailing’ humpback whale occurred off the coast of Maui, Hawaii, in 2016, with a calf swimming around it. These majestic creatures, officially known as Megaptera novaeangliae, can grow to be 39 to 52 feet in length and weigh approximately 36 metric tons. Male humpbacks are renowned for their elaborate songs, while both males and females utilize vocalizations in their communication.
In addition to the humpback whale, other baleen whales, including the blue whale and fin whale, belong to the filter-feeding category. These whales possess a filtering system consisting of baleen plates instead of teeth, which they use to collect their preferred nourishment, such as krill, plankton, and small fish. In contrast, toothed whales, like beaked whales and sperm whales, bite or swallow their food whole.
In 2021, researchers discovered a new species of baleen whale in the Gulf of Mexico, known as Rice’s whale. Unfortunately, there are fewer than 100 of these rare creatures remaining. Baleen whales, including humpbacks, minke whales, fin whales, and blue whales, predominantly feed on small aquatic creatures like zooplankton and small fish, which they encounter in vast swarms throughout the ocean. The baleen plates in their mouths act as filters, enabling them to sift and trap their prey while separating them from the seawater. Made of keratin, the same protein found in our fingernails and hair, baleen in bowhead whales can grow up to 13 inches (four meters) long. These remarkable beings exhibit visible throat grooves that allow their mouths and throats to expand as they engulf mouthfuls of seawater and food.
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