Caught on camera: humpback whale lands on nearby boat

A shocking surprise for whale watchers in the historic Massachusetts town of Plymouth.

A humpback whale landed on the bow of a small boat, surprising those who saw the massive creature slam the 19-foot vessel.

Town officials say the boat operator reported no injuries and no major damage that affected the seaworthiness of the vessel following the Sunday morning incident.

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Humpback whales can grow up to 62-feet long and weight up to 53 tons.

They are popular with whale watchers because of their acrobatic displays – including spectacular breachings capable of launching their school bus-sized bodies entirely out of the water and slapping the surface with their pectoral fins or tails.

At the time of Sunday's incident, several boats were around the whale in Plymouth.

Video footage from the scene shows the animal launching its body out of the water and its head slamming onto the front of a nearby boat, tipping the rear of the vessel out of the water as it slid back into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Plymouth Harbormaster these kinds of incidents are rare, but they can still be dangerous for both boaters and whales.

The harbormaster recommends that boaters stay at least 100 yards away from humpback whales to minimize such incidents.