Pod of whales swim alongside boat

A rare pod of false killer whales swam up along side a whale-watching cruise off of Newport Beach, California.

The 30 to 40 whales, known as pseudorca, came within inches of the boat's passengers.  Like the orca, these whales are actually a dolphin species.  The pod cruised up the California coastline, in search for food and socializing, as is typical in March. 

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the false killer whale is found globally in all tropical and subtropical oceans and generally in deep offshore waters. 

The whale’s entire body is black or dark gray, although lighter areas may occur on its underside, between the flippers or on the sides of the head.  Adult females reach lengths of 16 feet, while adult males are almost 20 feet long. In adulthood, large false killer whales can weigh up to 3,000 pounds.