VIDEO: Sydney surfers criticised for swimming too close to huge whale

The Southern Right whale swam with the surfers at Freshwater Beach off the coast of Sydney.

These surfers off Freshwater Beach near Sydney, Australia had the amazing experience of swimming with this Southern Right whale but they have been criticised for going too close to the huge mammal.

In footage filmed from a local news helicopter, the whale can be seen swimming alongside the surfers about 500 metres from the shore. The surfer are just metres away from the whale - at one point, they have to paddle swiftly away when the mammal suddenly turns.