>> he finds himself face-to-face with old big blue, a rare occurrence for even the most faithful whale watchers. >> you look at the donees and so many factors need to come together. the whale needs to be much approaching you and that's a long shot. you make your own luck. >> rick gets the shot he wants, but according to the national marine fishery service, vessels should get no closer than 100 yards or interrupt a whale's swim patterns. >> they seem to accept the paddle borders as part of their environment. a whale is the most important thing. >> after celebrating, rick posts the video online. immediately afterwards, he is informed by someone at the national oceanic and atmospheric administration that his experience will remain exactly