Seal rides a whale - caught on video

The webpage dedicated to our famous viral video

Filmed in 2015 during a whale watching tour on the Baja Peninsula of Mexico.

Meet the seal that rode the whale

Here is where I come clean: the seal is not a seal at all, but actually a sea lion. The video below shows how cute and tiny this guy is! You can also see in the video that he seems quite tired. We can speculate that by riding the whale he was just trying to take a rest.

What kind of whales are these?

This was a gray whale. These marine mammals migrate between Alaska and the lagoons of Mexico where they breed and nurse their young. Check out the video of our whale watching tour below which shows the whales coming right up along side our boat and letting us touch them. These whales are completely wild! It was one of the most amazing experience of our lives.

Where can I go to touch whales in the wild?

During the months of December to April the whales are nursing and breading in the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. The map below shows the three main places to see them: Laguna Ojo de Liebre, San Ignacio and Magdalena. Whale watching tours are incredibly easy to arrange, last about half a day and for one of the most amazing things you will EVER do, it's a bargain at only $50US per person.

A seal riding a whale wasn't the only crazy thing that happened on the tour was it?

No! My wife was almost slapped in the face by a whale and we saw a huge whale penis! Both of these events have their own dedicated pages which you can find in the sidebar.

Penguins in Antarctica

Of 17 species of penguins found in the world, only 6 are found in Antarctica. Of those 6 species, only 2 are found as far south as the McMurdo Sound where Scott Base and McMurdo Station are located: The adelie penguin and the Emperor Penguin.

Adelie Penguins

Penguins are the most anthropomorphic of all birds - and Adelies in my opinion are cutest and most comical of penguins! They are relatively small penguins averaging 70cm (27.5in) high and weighing 5kg (11pounds). These penguins are quite curious and will come right up beside you to see what you are doing. My video below was filmed at the edge of the sea ice while I was with scientists studying killer whales.

Emperor Penguins

Emperor penguins are the largest and most "majestic" of penguins. They average 1.15 meters (44in) and 30kg (66pounds) in weight. The emperor penguins are currently listed as near threatened by the IUCN, and is currently under consideration for inclusion under the US Endangered Species Act. The main risks of to this species is declining food availability due to the effects of climate change and industrial fisheries.

I recorded the video below while out on the Antarctic sea ice in McMurdo Sound. In the first frame you can see Mt Erebus in the background. In the second frame you have the Trans-Antarctic Mountain Range which includes Mt Discovery. The third frame shows the Barne Glacier, and in the last you can see the Ross Island Peninsula with Tent Island to the right.

This Page is still under construction. For more videos and information on penguins please visit the links below. Thank you!

How do Penguins Stand Up?

Penguins have long bodies and short stumpy legs. How do they get back up after falling over?

How do Penguins Mate?

Catch a sneak peek at how the birds do it