Video shows windsurfer colliding with gray whale on San Francisco Bay

SAN FRANCISCO -- A melodramatic collision betwixt a windsurfer and a grey whale was caught connected video and is present raising questions astir marine information successful the San Francisco Bay.

"It's surely concerning to spot a collision similar this, some from a quality wellness standpoint, successful presumption of we're precise blessed that this man was okay, but arsenic good for whale wellness successful the Bay astatine large," said Giancarlo Rulli, with the Marine Mammal Center.

Currently determination are six grey whales connected the San Francisco Bay. Federal instrumentality requires radical to support a 100-yard region from whales.

The Marine Mammal Center calls the San Francisco Bay a engaged and confined abstraction arsenic whales migrate northbound from Mexico. This year, grey whales came into the bay early.

"There's a batch of converging things happening successful the bay close now. You person a precocious fig of whales. Of course, there's high-speed ferries transporting thousands of radical regular to enactment each day. You person ample instrumentality ships regular coming into the bay to the larboard of Oakland," said Rulli.

Since 2016, Gray whales person mislaid much than 50% of their wide population.

Their proposal to windsurfers, boaters and anyone other successful the water: look retired for them.

"We say, if you spot a spout oregon spot a blow, spell slow. Because those are typically trademarks for grey whale presence, earlier they proceed a dive. So, the biggest happening is, if you spot immoderate of these, whether it's a spout, oregon whether they're mud plumes. Remove yourself from that situation. Keep yourself a harmless region away. If you're successful a boat," said Rulli.

Four grey whales person washed up dormant connected the San Francisco Bay this year.