Whale wallops South African yacht, snapping mast

[July 22, 2010]  CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) -- A yachter in South Africa says her trip off the country's picturesque southwestern coast was wrecked by an unexpected whack from a whale.

Paloma Werner said Wednesday the whale breached just feet (meters) from their boat in Cape Town's waters on Sunday. It whacked the yacht, snapping the mast in two. A local newspaper showed a photo, captured by a passenger on a nearby boat, of a massive black whale towering over the yacht. Werner says neither she nor her companion were hurt, and she saw the whale swimming around minutes after the collision. She says she feels lucky that the mast took the brunt of the blow.

The seas around Cape Town are teeming with whales and great white sharks during the winter months, which fall in the middle of the year.

[Associated Press]

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