This is the moment a wildlife enthusiast’s dream came true as he encountered some of nature’s most amazing animals at close range in the Moray Firth.
A pair of humpback whales have grabbed the imagination of hundreds of Moray residents since first being spotted off the coast of Burghead at the weekend.
Steve Truluck first observed one of the majestic creatures from his home in the village on Friday.
The 43-year-old, who is a volunteer with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation charity, alerted his fellow members – who soon discovered that the whale was one of two.
They are believed to be mother and calf, with the older whale stretching 60ft and the younger one reaching 45ft.
Mr Truluck was offered a trip around the coast with the North 58 Sea Adventures group yesterday, to see if he could get a closer look at the whales.
And he was flabbergasted when the inquisitive mammals sidled up beside the vessel, and he experienced a brush with nature most people can only dream of.
His video of the moment has now been viewed thousands of times online.
Mr Truluck said: “I’ve never been able to get on a boat and see a whale before, and that has always niggled at me.
“But Simon Paterson, at North 58, offered to take his boats out of hibernation for the winter in exchange for some donations to charity.
“We were delighted when we managed to see the whales from afar, but then they came closer and one actually touched and went under the boat.
“It was amazing, and the response to them being here has blown me away.”
