This is what you see when a psychotic humpback whale stalks you:
Head-on view of a testosterone-crazed humpback whale
This is one of four escorts that was with Kowai (18th ID-ed calf of the season) and mother a few days ago.
Normally, escorts pursuing a female humpback would devote all of their attention to, well…getting the female. This silly cetacean, however, seems either to have lost the point, or was so worked up that anything (or anyone) would do.
Instead of swimming after the female (like any well-adjusted boy Megaptera would do), it swam directly at Takaji and me, dividing its attention between the two of us…making pinpoint turns in some instances (as pictured here) to alter heading when we changed directions in a futile attempt to ditch our misguided stalker.
The escort never really threatened us per se, but it was somewhat unnerving to be pursued by a full-grown, hormone-fueled (read: "horny") male humpback whale in such a persistent manner, especially when it had a "Come hither daaarling!" look in its eyes.
In retrospect, it had to have been Takaji who was the object of the confused whale's obsession. He does, after all, have a certain animal magnetism.