Nature at its best: Humpback whale surges from the sea off the UK
A HUMPBACK whale surges from the sea off the UK in a display normally seen in far-flung Alaska.
A humpback whale surges from the sea off the UK
Photographer Brydon Thomason was so close to the 36-tonne giant of the Shetlands that he could even smell its fishy breath.
Brydon, 40, who owns a wildlife tour company, watched the whale emerge in an explosion of spray.
Then it lifted its tail out of the water before gliding gracefully into the deep.
He said: "Seeing it swimming around the boat was awesome, I was totally blown away.
Photographer Brydon Thomason was so close to the 36-tonne giant of the Shetlands
Brydon watched the whale emerge in an explosion of spray
Then it lifted its tail out of the water before gliding gracefully into the deep
Brydon said he could even smell its fishy breath from how close he was
"I have seen humpback whales in exotic and far-flung places like Hawaii and Antarctica, but I have never seen them like this.
"It was remarkable to have it right by the boat, just 15 metres away from me.
"But when we were downwind we could smell its breath when it blew - it's a rather unpleasant stench to say the least."