Baby humpback whale freed itself from fishing gear. See Chex Mix off CA coast

A baby humpback whale known for freeing itself from an entanglement has been spotted off the coast of California, officials said.

Chex Mix had been entangled in fishing gear for months during the summer, and after organizations weren’t able to free the calf, they “feared the worst,” according to a Nov. 3 Facebook post by the Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

Then, recently, Chex Mix and their mama, Checkmarks, were spotted in the area, showing that Chex Mix had freed themselves from the entanglement, the company said.

“The resilience of these whales is astounding, and we are so thrilled Chex Mix is alive and well!” the whale watching company said.

Chex Mix was spotted breaching off the coast, causing for a “friendly encounter,” the company said.

Humpbacks usually display this behavior as a means of communicating with other whales as the sound of them slapping their bodies against the water can be “heard for miles” underwater, according to The Marine Mammal Center.

Facebook users rushed to the comments to share their thoughts on the “great photos,” with one person saying, “Amazing.”

“Awesome,” another wrote.

Monterey is about a 120-mile drive south from San Francisco.

This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 6:07 PM with the headline "Baby humpback whale freed itself from fishing gear. See Chex Mix off CA coast."