Fisherman spots rare pair of North Atlantic right whales with calves near Hilton Head

HILTON HEAD, S.C. (WTOC) - A local fisherman captured video of an extremely rare sighting last Friday when he spotted two North Atlantic Right Whales with their calves near Hilton Head.

Ryan Brogan said he was heading out to fish when he saw something he had never seen before in the water. He described seeing one of the whale’s flippers in the air, almost as if it was waving to them.

Brogan stopped to capture the moment on video. He said he then saw another whale in the distance.

He sent the video to NOAA several days later. The agency identified the whales as Champagne and Uca.

“When I spoke with a gentleman at NOAA, he told me I should buy a lottery ticket because to see two mothers with calves that close together was almost unheard of,” Brogan said. “I just think it was an extremely lucky chance. And one of those things that happens maybe once in a lifetime and really took it in and just absorbed the moment. It was terrific.”

The North Atlantic Right Whale is an endangered species with fewer than 400 living. NOAA encourages anyone who spots one to report it through the Whale Alert app.