Kayak vs Humpback: Heart-Stopping Video Shows Whale's Surprise Attack

Bahia el Aguila (The Uttam Hindu): A 24-year-old man, Adrian Simancas, was kayaking with his father, Dell, in Bahia El Aguila, Chile, when an unexpected encounter with a humpback whale turned into a terrifying experience. The whale engulfed Adrian’s yellow kayak before miraculously spitting him out moments later. A dramatic video of the incident, filmed by Dell from his own kayak, shows Adrian being swallowed by the giant mammal, only to be released unharmed shortly after. The footage quickly went viral on social media. The close call happened on Saturday near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan, located in Chile's southern Patagonia region. In the video, Dell initially mistakes the approaching whale for “pretty waves,” unaware of the danger ahead. Once Adrian is swallowed, Dell can be heard reassuring his son, urging him to "stay calm" as the situation unfolds. Adrian described the moment in detail, recalling how he felt a slimy texture on his face before spotting dark blue and white colors approaching from behind. The next thing he knew, he was pulled underwater, convinced that he was being swallowed whole. He feared for his life in that moment, but soon after, he felt his life vest pulling him back to the surface. Within seconds, he was back above water and began to realize what had just happened.

As Adrian floated back to the surface, his thoughts turned to his father’s safety and the uncertainty of reaching shore in time, worried that they might develop hypothermia. Fortunately, both father and son made it to shore safely after the ordeal. When asked if they would go kayaking again after this close call, both Adrian and Dell answered without hesitation, “Of course.” This is not the first such incident involving humpback whales. A similar encounter occurred in November 2020 off the coast of California, when two kayakers were nearly swallowed by a humpback whale while observing the whales feeding. The whale surfaced beneath their kayak, capsizing it and briefly swallowing them before they managed to escape unharmed.