A MAN was stunned when he received a “high-five” from a 30-ton humpback whale.

The remarkable footage was filmed off Lahaina Harbor, Hawaii, in February this year and has now been shared online.

It shows the North Pacific humpback’s huge pectoral fin rising out of the water next to a boatload of cheering whale-watchers.

The 40-feet-long (12-meter-long) creature had been swimming just four feet away from the boat for around half an hour, said whale-watch manager Toni Colombo, who filmed the video.

The footage shows the fin moving closer, as several people on the boat raise their hands and the humpback appears to high-five the man sitting at one end of the boat.

Toni, who is a manager at Ultimate Whale Watch and Snorkel and is from Maui, said, “On this day, dozens were slapping their tails and spouting.

“No sooner had Captain Joel Kenney turned off our engines when this curious humpback began making its way slowly and gracefully toward us.”

When a whale swims within a close distance to a boat, it is colloquially referred to as “whale mugging.”

Toni added, “The humpback whale lifted its pec fin and started showing off for us, seemingly aiming to high-five a guest who was surprised at the graceful maneuver, but the guests knew not to touch the whale.

“We were all so amazed by this encounter and once again the gentleness and body awareness of these giant creatures.

“Each year over 10,000 humpbacks move to the shallow and warm waters of the Maui Nui Basin, making it prime for awesome aerial performances such as these.

“This incredible experience reminds us how alive the ocean is, and how everything we do impacts it and the creatures that live there.

“Any chance you have to reduce single-use plastics, recycle, and use reef-safe sun cream, please take the time to do it. These big guys need all the help they can get.” (SD-Agencies)