Man Sees Strange Ring Of Bubbles Next To Ocean Dock And Turns On His Camera Just In Time

Mar 23, 2021 by apost team

The ocean holds deep and dark mysteries that are both exciting and daunting; while the deepest depths are now being explored with technology, we have barely scratched the surface of what creatures actually inhabit the ocean. One day, when we finally come to understand these mysteries, our curiosity will be addressed but until then, our exploring will be limited to only what we know now. 

However, sometimes even the things we have known about for a long time can find a way of surprising us. The ocean, after all, is a marvelous place that keeps on finding new ways to sweep us off our feet. One man from Alaska did not expect to see a certain creature that is known to only be in deep waters suddenly show up at the ocean dock in 2016! 

Knudson Cove is a small area in Alaska located in the state's southernmost section. As one of the least populated areas in North America, not much is reported about life in Alaska. Although the area is teeming with wildlife and natural wonders, there usually isn't a human there to witness these amazing spectacles.

In fact, only around 737,000 people live in Alaska and the majority of the population stay within the major cities. Every so often, there is stunning footage from Alaska that makes headlines throughout the United States. The man who filmed this footage, Captain Cy, from Knudson Cove Marina was just as excited as the people around him to witness this incredible moment. It is no wonder that the footage has attracted over 2 million people! 

The man who filmed this footage has still not released a full name or profile, but the Youtube description states that it was filmed by a person who goes by Captain Cy, who reportedly worked at Alaska Strike Zone Sportfishing in 2016 when he filmed the video. Cy was able to witness an event that most people pay hundreds to see and sometimes is an event rare enough that it isn't filmed at the right time either. Not only was he a witness to the event, but he was only an arms-length away from the action with a camera, which worked out well for everyone who got the chance to see this incredible footage. 

This short clip is less than half a minute long, but the content is absolutely incredible. At first, the viewers don't quite know what to expect. The camera first focuses on the large body of water, and Cy can be seen pointing towards some docked boats and saying, "He's right there now." The viewers get one more look at the boats as Cy tries to follow something in the water, and as he focuses back on the water, he says, "He's comin' up right here, dude." 

Before anything else happens, the water begins to vibrate, resembling what happens on the water surface when there is heavy rain— but without any rain, we are left wondering what could be causing such an interesting phenomenon of stage bubbling. From under the water, we can then see something large and green quickly approaching. This is what everybody around the area had gathered for. 

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Moments after the vibrating bubbles appear on the surface and pup, a massive Alaskan humpback whale breaches out of the water in a majestic way. The colossal whale is only a few feet from the deck and Cy. The mouth of the whale is wide open when it comes out of the water, and it catches the fishes that came jumping out of the bubbles. The viewers around Cy are left astounded at seeing a whale from so close, and frankly, so were we! It is a rare sight to see a humpback whale so close from an ocean dock.

The earlier bubbles in the video are actually a feeding technique called a "bubble net." Humpback whales send rings of bubbles to the surface. These oxygen bubbles trap and confuse their prey. After releasing the bubbles, whales simply have to rise with their mouths open and capture the fish that were trapped, as can be seen in the video below as well. Right as the whale's mouth opens, a large number of fish can be seen jumping out of the water. 

Interestingly, humpback whales only eat for half a year, spending the other six months on breeding grounds where they do not eat at all. So during their feeding season, they spend a whopping 20-22 hours per day just eating, which helps them bulk up enough fat to get through the breeding season without any food. Some areas that have been documented as feeding grounds for humpback whales are off the coast of Antarctica and Alaska. The group that had the chance for a rare sighting of a humpback whale so close to the land is quite lucky! 

However, not all humpback whales know how to "bubble-net" their prey. The behavior is most often seen in groups, and Discover Wildlife reports that the skill is learned and not actually instinctive in humpback whales as only some groups can do it and others cannot. This being said, humpback whales are also not social mammals and often prefer to travel alone, sometimes traveling for a few hours with two or three other whales before disbanding. 

Humpbacks also migrate to waters with high-latitude feeding areas such as the Gulf of Alaska or the Gulf of Maine during the winter and migrate to warmer and more tropical areas near the equator during the winter season, where they breed and give birth. 

The most recognizable feature of a humpback is its "singing" or haunting, evocative calls that can travel long distances through the ocean and last for hours. The noises they make can sound like moaning, howling or crying, and the exact function of their calls is not yet known. Some theorists believe that their "singing" is one of the ways a male impresses a female, while others theorize that it could act as a "sonar" technique to help the whales navigate their environment. 

However, even with so much knowledge about these magnificent creatures, a lot is still left to learn. The ocean truly is a place of wonder and excitement, and videos like this show us that nature can surprise us when we least expect it. We are glad that Captain Cy chose to film this event, as we get to see the beauty of the "bubble-net" feeding so clearly. 

What do you think of this incredible sight? Have you ever seen a whale up close in person? Tell us about your experiences, and pass this along to your friends and family to see what they think, too!