The four-year-old female, called Murph, flipped in front of a boat full of watchers in California

Jodi Frediani, 74, from Santa Cruz, California captured the interaction during a whale watching trip CREDIT: Jodi Frediani/ CATERS NEWS

Extraordinary photographs have captured the moment a whale flew scarily close to a boat full of whale watchers, as it greeted them with a spectacular wave of its tale.

The four-year-old female humpback whale, called Murph, made the jump in Monterey Bay, California.

Murph the whale flips its tale in front of a boat full of people CREDIT: Jodi Frediani/ CATERS NEWS

Two whales had been feeding on anchovies before the display CREDIT: Jodi Frediani/ CATERS NEWS

Jodi Frediani, 74, from Santa Cruz, California, was lucky enough to witness the moment and quickly grabbed her camera.

After spotting a small group of humpback whales feeding on anchovies, two of the whales quickly passed close by Ms Frediani’s boat.

The humpback is known for its distinctive knobby head CREDIT: Jodi Frediani/ CATERS NEWS

Murph then flipped her tail in front of those looking on.

The humpback is known for its distinctive head and the unique tail displays as seen in the photos.

The mammals visit the Monterey Bay from late April through early December and move to warmer waters off Mexico during the winters.