In a real-life accident like in “Finding Nemo,” a humpback whale almost swallows two kayakers off the California coast. The kayakers swallowed, spat out, and walked away from this extraordinary encounter with a tale they’ll never forget.
Read the crazy story below and watch the video on this humpback whale and human encounter!
An Unforgettable Moment Caught on Camera:
Two kayakers experienced an event of a lifetime: being nearly swallowed by a humpback whale. Julie McSorley and Liz Cottriel were enjoying a day of whale watching off the coast of Avila Beach, California, when a massive humpback suddenly engulfed their kayak.
Miraculously, both women escaped the encounter unharmed, and the kayakers and nearby witnesses captured the surreal moment on video.
Almost Like Dory and Marlin
Much like our kayakers, the duo; Dory and Marlin in Finding Nemo, experiences a moment of fear and uncertainty inside the cavernous mouth of the whale. However, in a twist of humor and fantasy, the whale communicates with Dory and, in a great act of cetacean generosity, expels them safely out of its blowhole, propelling them closer to their destination.
While much less whimsical, the real-life encounter of McSorley and Cottriel carries the same message: the ocean and its inhabitants are full of surprising moments that remind us of our peaceful place in the vast ecosystem. So, whether on screen or in the waters off Avila Beach, these experiences stress the importance of respect and care when interacting with our marine cohabitants.
Understanding the Humpback
The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a member of the Baleen family and has a distinctive body shape, long pectoral fins, and the ‘humps’ on its head from which it gets its name. Adults can range from 14–17 meters long and weigh 40 metric tons. These gentle giants have for unique surface behaviors, including breaching, and males produce complex songs that can last from 4 to 33 minutes.
Humpbacks exist in oceans and seas worldwide, migrating up to 16,000 km yearly. They feed in polar waters, dining primarily on krill and small fish, and migrate to tropical or subtropical waters to breed and give birth.
However, these majestic creatures have faced significant challenges. once hunted to the brink of extinction, the humpback whale population has partially recovered from a low of around 5,000 in the 1960s to approximately 135,000 today.
They continue to face threats from entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships, and noise pollution.
