A lucky group of ocean lovers got the surprise of a lifetime when a huge sperm whale swam into their live video broadcast.

"What the heck is that?!," a crewmember exclaims. "OH WOW. We have a sperm whale."

The incredible whale footage was filmed yesterday (April 14) by the Nautilus Live expedition, which is exploring the Gulf of Mexico's seafloor methane seeps. The whale suddenly appeared while scientists were watching methane bubbles and sampling seawater with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), called Hercules.

The researchers laughed with delight as the curious sperm whale gracefully maneuvered around Hercules, never once bumping the 11-foot-long (3.3 meters) ROV or rubbing its cables. The whale circled Hercules for several minutes. [Whale Album: Giants of the Deep]

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