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This southern right whale and its calf were caught frolicking just off the Durban shore over the weekend.
The pair was spotted near Addington Beach on Saturday morning.
"I'm still so excited that I was able to witness this and share my experience," Jayne Gilham-Law told News24. She filmed the pair while she was stand-up paddle boarding.
"I always have my phone with me in a waterproof cover so that I can take photos and share my paddle boarding experiences with friends and family," Gilham-Law said.
"I have had two or three dolphin encounters which I've been able to video, and when I heard there was a whale in the bay, my husband and I paddled over as close as we could."
Gilham-Law said the whales were swimming close to the shore, and soon a group of very excited paddlers and surfers began to gather.
"I decided to keep my distance when I heard there was a calf present.
"It was the most incredible experience," she said.
Mike Anderson-Reade, KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board head of operations, told News24 that this type of behaviour was perfectly normal for mothers and their calves at this time of the year.
"We are in the calving season now and the whales will start to move slowly southward on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, feeding their calves," he said.
"They prefer to be closer inshore, away from any dangers in the deeper water."
