Children Scream With Delight as Whale Leaps From Water Over and Over

Schoolchildren screamed with joy after spotting a humpback whale breaching multiple times on their way back from a school trip to the British island of Sark in the English Channel on Monday, July 1.

Chris Fancourt, a teacher at St Lawrence Primary School in Jersey, captured this video of second graders cheering with delight each time the whale breached.

In the footage, one child can be heard exclaiming that the whale is “doing a performance,” with others attempting to countdown until the next breach.

“I was the teacher accompanying them back to Jersey after a day on the island sightseeing and doing compass work,” Fancourt said. “Halfway across, the boat slowed right down after spotting a humpback whale. We then watched in awe seeing the whale up close.”

According to news reports, Donna Gicquel de Gruchy, from British Divers Marine Life Rescue Channel Islands, said the humpback whale appeared to be a young one, adding that it was a “very lucky and rare sighting.” Credit: Chris Fancourt / St Lawrence School via Storyful

Video transcript

No, wait.

Tell me.

Yeah, I do.

Wow.

You the boat on the boat.

You see, you're doing a performance, I say.

Right?

One.

I see you guys, please.

Scared of the adult?

The what?

Yeah.

So make a F. I There's a little whale fight under it.

There's a world wide under.

Oh, Mr B, There's a whale fighter.

No.