Surfer Erik Kramers collided with a gray whale, causing it to fall into the water/Screengrab
A San Francisco kitesurfer had what he later described as a “whale of the day” after colliding with a gray whale mid-ride, an encounter captured in a now-deleted video that has since been widely circulated online. The incident occurred at Crissy Field, where Eric Kramer was gliding through the water when the whale suddenly breached straight into his path. With no time to react, the animal struck and was launched from its board, falling into the water. Footage of the moment, originally posted by Kramer but later deleted, shows a serene bay scene, a freighter moving steadily in the background, and beachgoers spread out along the shore, before a surfer speeds into frame.
Seconds later, the whale broke to the surface, and the impact sent it flying. The animal appears largely unfazed, and disappears under the water, while Kramer is left floating, shaken but apparently unharmed.
In a comment accompanying the clip, reported by the New York Post, Kramer wrote: “It was a ‘whale’ one day… Please be careful and respect wildlife. I reduced my speed significantly before I saw a couple of whales in the area but on my last return it just appeared right in front of me.”
Glad we’re doing well.” The footage, recorded on March 24, also shows the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in the distance in a separate angle that was shared online.
The video quickly sparked reactions, with some viewers questioning his decision to continue windsurfing despite seeing whales nearby. “I mean if you noticed them there why did you decide to sail,” one commenter wrote, while another added: “Well what happened to keeping 300 feet away from marine mammals?” Such encounters, although rare, are not unheard of in the Gulf. Gray whales migrate along the California coast every year, and sightings are becoming more frequent, although they are also worrying, with reports indicating that four of them have already been found dead in San Francisco Bay this year.
