Some captured images show the moment a humpback whale jumped majestically from the ocean waving to a tourist boat. Maine tour guide Steven Benjamin captured a sight, off the coast of South Africa.

The 31-year-old, Steven Benjamin, who was documenting the migration of over 1,000 whales from the coast of South Africa to the warmer waters of Mozambique and Madagascar, saw as the whale flopped around in the ocean.

First he thought that the humpback's show had ended but after 20 minutes hiding deep under water it unexpectedly raised its whole body out of the water, enlarging a fin to onlookers before slamming back down, creating a huge splash.

The huge creature was clearly having a whale of a time as the marine tour guide observed from the safety of a boat off Port St John, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

Steven Benjamin blew away from the amazing display of strength and agility. He has never before managed to get so close to a humpback.

Steven Benjamin said that giant whales like this are frequently seen quickly from a distance but it is extremely uncommon to see it so closely to the boat and with the camera ready. He also said that he was surprised by seeing the whale as he had never seen such a huge whale in front of him.

"I got this shot out of sheer luck. We were focused on this whale whilst it was doing normal tail slapping and half head flops. It took a rest for 20 minutes and then without notice or warning, it did a single massive breach", said Steven Benjamin. He added that people do not believe that it is real image, everyone sees it twice.

The acrobatic animals can grow up to 50ft long, and have a status for throwing themselves out of water despite weighing up to 40 tons. During the 1960s, humpback whales were almost hunted to extinction. Ban on their hunting allowed their global population to reach about 80,000.