i was on a jet ski guiding a group on a bigger boat around the shoreline so the group could go snorkeling at various points of interest. i had gotten way ahead of them when i came upon a whale, suspended upside down in the water as they do sometimes. i waited near the whale while the boat caught up. the noise of the big boat startled the whale and it began to swim away, we chased after it, it came in very close to shore. i jumped off the jet ski and ran in toward the shore, in an effort to steer the whale back to sea. the whale turned just in front of me and as it turned it's side ran against my leg. it's skin was smooth and cooler than the water.