- Robert Addie, a New Hampshire resident, was celebrating his 59th birthday with his 3 daughters.
- He had also just come back from a humanitarian aid trip in Ukraine.
- Seeing the whales breach the water with his daughters was like a welcome home gift, Addie told AP.
It was a magical moment, Robert Addie said.
Addie, a New Hampshire resident, was celebrating his 59th birthday, ending it with an annual fishing trip with his three grown daughters and son-in-law, the father told The Washington Post.
It was the first time in years since he had his kids all together. On top of that, the father had just come back from a humanitarian aid trip from Ukraine, where he came under heavy artillery fire.
As the family was sailing off the coast of Cape Cod, Addie experienced what he called "a gift from God": Three humpback whales breaching the surface of the water in unison.
"I. Fucking. Got it. On video," Addie can be heard saying in disbelief.
Marine researchers believe breaching is a form of communication, according to Ocean Conservancy. But it's unclear how often humpback whales are spotted breaching together as they did in Addie's video.
Laura Howes, New England Aquarium Whale Watch's director of research and education, told The Post that it was a "once-in-a-lifetime sight."
Addie told Associated Press that he has seen "thousands of whales" when he worked as a commercial fisherman. But never like this.
"Somebody said it was a representation of the joy I had, having all of my three daughters in town for my birthday," the father told the outlet. "And it was a welcome home."