MGN Federal and state agencies have confirmed that a humpback whale was, indeed, swimming in the Gulf on Florida’s Panhandle. The News-Herald reports fisherman Bob Bennett was about 12 to 15 miles offshore on Feb. 15 when his fishing buddy asked, “what is that hump?” Bennett shut down his boat in time to see the whale dive back down, but didn’t see the humpback again after that. A Florida Fish and Wildlife officer took a photo of the giant whale the same day. Humpback whales are uncommon visitors to that part of the Gulf of Mexico. In the winter months, juvenile humpbacks will head to Florida and often stay near shore. Normally, they stay in the Atlantic ocean, but sometimes they will make a detour.