Giant fin whale surfaces inches from Quebec tour boat [Video]

Some Canadians will go their whole lives without witnessing a fin whale in its natural habitat, but a French tourist captured an incredible, up-close video of one on his first visit.

Eric Mouellic and his family were whale-watching near Tadoussac, Quebec, at the junction of the Saguenay and St. Lawrence rivers, when the whale surfaced next to their boat.

“We were really lucky,” Mouellic told CBC News. “Within 15 minutes of our departure, we saw porpoises, seals, belugas, and several [fin] whales.”

He and the rest of the boaters were also lucky they made it back to shore alive. One of the fin whales, which are known as the world’s second largest mammal, nearly struck the boat when it came out of the water.

Although the encounter did make Mouellic nervous, he managed to keep his camera steady as the giant, dark grey creature inched closer and exposed its pleated underbelly.

In the video, there’s a mix …