Photo screengrab courtesy of Mark Girardeau, Newport Coastal Adventure.
Two gray whales swam next to one another and appeared to give each other a hug off the coast of Newport Beach in Southern California. Gray whales annual migrate an estimated 19,300 km between Alaska where they feed and Mexico where they breed. The coastal route is the longest of migration of any mammal on Earth.
To see the video, visit here. To view first-hand these magnificent creatures, visit Newport Coastal Adventure here.