Largest animals on Earth spotted off California coast. See the ‘pleasant surprise’
Whale watchers had an "incredible and unexpected sighting" off the coast of California.
The viewers saw not just one, but two blue whales during the "pleasant surprise," according to an Oct. 17 Facebook post by the Monterey Bay Whale Watch .
The group's excursion was already "amazing" with humpback whales feeding, but the blue whales showed up to "top it all off," the group said.
Blue whales aren't normally seen in the area during this time of year, so the group made sure to snap a few photos of the duo, the post read.
Blue whales, known as the largest animal to ever live on Earth, mostly eat krill , using their baleen plates to strain huge amounts of ocean water, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Blue whales have a lifespan of 80 to 90 years and can grow up to 110-feet long while weighing upwards of 330,000 pounds, the NOAA said.
Monterey is about a 120-mile drive southeast of San Francisco.
