Moment duo on boat have close encounter with minke whales in Falmouth captured on camera

Two men have described their close encounter with Minke whales as an ‘absolute privilege’.

Friends Daniel Holmes and Chris Povey were on their boat near Falmouth when they captured footage of a minke whale nearby.

The pair say they could not believe their luck when a pod of whales followed them to feed on a shoal of bait fish.

Video footage shows the moment they spotted the minkes, off the Cornwall coast.

Daniel has described his encounter as an “absolute privilege”, saying: "It was on my bucket list and I can now tick that one off.

"There was a massive shoal of bait fish that they were feeding on and the birds as well."

Minke can be identified as black or dark grey, with a streamlined body, pointed head and curved dorsal fin.

The smallest of the baleen whale species, they can reach up to around 10 metres in length, weighing up to 10 tonnes

Compared to other species of large whales, their population status is considered stable.

Some minkes, like those spotted, have been found to take advantage of bait fish by lunge feeding from below.

They are usually hard to spot as they are solitary creatures, but can be found travelling in small groups when there’s an abundance of food.

• Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know