A humpback whale flipped a one-man canoe about a quarter-mile offshore of Keauhou Tuesday afternoon, the Hawaii County Fire Department said.

The occupant of the canoe, a 60-year-old man, was rescued by a Captain Zodiac tour boat after he signaled for help with a paddle, firefighters aid.

Witnesses at the Outrigger Kanaloa at Kona resort saw the whale flip the canoe over at about 2:16 p.m.

The paddler suffered a scratch from the jagged edge of the broken canoe and did not need medical attention, firefighters said.