Scuba divers on a holiday expedition at Shaw's Cove off Laguna Beach, Calif., enjoyed a unique perspective of a juvenile Pacific gray whale that approached the divers as they explored the ocean floor. The cetacean appears to have been curious about the bubble-blowing divers, who captured rare amateur video footage of a gray whale swimming freely beneath the surface (posted below).


About 20,000 Pacific gray whales, also referred to as California gray whales, migrate each fall and winter from Arctic feeding grounds to lagoons along Baja California, where calving and nursing occurs.

The migration supports a robust commercial whale-watching industry off Southern California and the day after Christmas traditionally marks the official beginning of the season. If you look closely at the footage you can see barnacles and lice--the telltale markings of a gray whale--on the young whale's head.

Some reports referred to the whale in the video as a baby or calf, but Southern California researcher Alisa Schulman-Janiger said it was more likely a juvenile, because of its size and extensive barnacle coverage, that is capable of caring for itself.