PLYMOUTH – A whale struck a fishing boat off the coast of Plymouth on Sunday in an area where whales have been spotted several times in the past week.

A spectator captured photos of the whale as it breached with several fishing boats nearby. The whale appears to strike one of the boats, causing the bow to dip down into the water.

Two people on the boat braced themselves as the boat tipped forward and back.

Whales feeding and breaching in the area have brought residents and tourists to the area in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the marine animals.

Most of the whales sighted have been humpback whales, which can measure up to 55 feet and weigh 40 tons, according to the Whale  and Dolphin Conservation, a nonprofit group dedicated to the conservation of whales.

Photos from other sightings show the whales "lunge feeding," the group said, which is when the whales corral bait fish and lunge through to engulf a mouthful of fish and water.

More:'I got the picture!': Another breaching whale photographed off Plymouth coast

Wildlife photographer Suzanne O'Shea said she had heard about the recent whale sightings. She said she grabbed her camera and headed for the coast Tuesday evening and again at daybreak on Wednesday morning.

She was there when a whale put on a show for a group of people onboard a small boat.

"When it breached, you just click and hope you get that picture," O'Shea said. "I didn't check right away because then you don't if they're going to breach again. So I checked a little while later. And I was like, 'Oh, my God, I got the picture!'"

More:Whale & Dolphin Conservation weighs in on local whale sightings

One week ago, a paddleboarder had a close encounter with a whale off Manomet.

"The thing comes out of the water, thing is like 25 feet in the air, there’s fish flying out of its mouth," paddleboarder Michael Manfredi said. "It’s just amazing, it’s incredible. It’s just one of those moments you’ll never forget."

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation said boaters should give whales a buffer zone of at least 100 feet.

“We love the enthusiasm that local residents are showing for these whales off our coast and want people to enjoy them while they are here, but it’s important that they do it safely. The whales are moving sporadically while trying to catch fish, so boat operators in the area should be proactive and make sure they are at least five boat lengths away," said Monica Pepe, Whale and Dolphin Conservation's Safe Boating Policy Manager.