A 61-year-old woman from Bremerton, Wash., was injured yesterday when a whale surfaced next to a whale-watching boat and its pectoral fin hit the boat, Maui police reported.

The woman was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center with minor injuries, police said.

She was on a whale-watching expedition aboard the Hokulani, operated by the Center for Whale Studies, when a male humpback whale surfaced next to the starboard side about 1:25 p.m.

Its pectoral fin reportedly slammed into the boat, causing the woman to fall, police said.

The boat's railing on the starboard side was smashed and thin pieces of tissue, believed to be from the whale, were found on the boat's hull.

The captain reported having a permit that allows him to be in close proximity to whales, police said.