Kiteboarder crashes into humpback whale near Crissy Field

A kiteboarder in San Francisco Bay was coasting along when he hit a humpback whale. Or, depending on how you look at it, the whale hit him.

Andrei Grigoriev posted video of the encounter to his Facebook page. The whale seems to appear out of nowhere, sending Grigoriev and his kiteboard into the air before the kiteboarder regains his balance and looks over his shoulder at what just happened.

The collision happened on June 18 off Crissy Field Beach, according to Australia's 9News. Humpbacks have been repeatedly spotted in the area and hanging out underneath the Golden Gate Bridge over the past several weeks.

READ MORE: Boat collides with humpback whale in SF Bay

"I was going straight out from the beach when something touched my board from below," Grigoriev told 9News. "For another 15 seconds, I had a feeling there was something around me, until the whale jumped out of the water right in front of me."

Grigoriev said the collision was "completely accidental."

WATCH: Humpback breaches right in front of boat in San Francisco Bay

With whale sightings on the rise this year, many people have been getting too close to the marine mammals. On June 28, a boat was seen striking a humpback whale in San Francisco Bay.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) spokesperson Jim Milbury confirmed the agency is looking into that case.

However, policing these sort of wildlife encounters can be difficult. In some parts of the country, such as Puget Sound in Washington or off the coast of Hawaii, there are strict rules about how close people are allowed to get to orcas and humpbacks (200 yards and 100 yards, respectively). The California coast is regulated by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits feeding or harassing marine mammals.

PHOTOS: The most spectacular whale watching photos of spring 2017 (story continues below)

There have been some awesome moments captured of whales in the SF Bay Area and around the region. Click ahead to check them out. There have been some awesome moments captured of whales in the SF Bay Area and around the region. Click ahead to check them out. Image 1 of / 45 Caption Close Kiteboarder crashes into humpback whale near Crissy Field 1 / 45 Back to Gallery

What constitutes harassment can be hard to define, but according to NOAA's website, it means "any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance that has the potential to injure a marine mammal" or something that causes "disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering."

"People getting close to marine animals is not good for the animals and it's against federal law," Milbury said. "But more importantly, or as importantly, people can get hurt."

ALSO: Why we're seeing some of the best whale watching in history

The penalty for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act could include a fine of up to $11,000, up to one year in prison and forfeiture of the vessel involved. NOAA's law enforcement branch considers whether the act was intentional, unintentional or negligent when determining the punishment.