"Ultra rare" and endangered sperm whale pod spotted off California coast in "once a year" opportunity

Those who were out on the water off Orange County, California, recently may have seen an "ultra rare" and "seriously awesome" sighting. A local boating crew has reported seeing a small pod of sperm whales, an endangered species that the crew says is rarely seen in the area off Laguna Beach. 

Crew members with Newport Coastal Adventure first reported the whales on June 4, saying they saw three of the animals feeding. 

"This is something that might happen once a year if you are lucky," the company wrote on Facebook. "Our top notch crew did a great job spotting and tracking these rare creatures into the sunset allowing 3 boat loads of passengers to experience a 'bucket list' sighting."