This was almost a modern day Moby Dick story!
Two whale watchers in California got a little more than they bargained for when their kayak was capsized by a breaching humpback whale.
In this crazy footage, the kayak is launched into the air as the whale breaches the surface, mouth opened wide.
Julie McSorley and her friend Liz Cottriel, both of San Luis Obispo, were kayaking off the coast of Avila Beach, watching whales about 30 feet from them, when they were surprised by the encounter, according to FOX26 News.
Local KSBY-TV journalist Melissa Newman shared two videos from bystanders who were filming at the time:
McSorley told FOX26 that she saw a large school of fish known as a bait ball approaching when she saw the whale coming toward her.
“I thought, ’Oh no! It’s too close,” said McSorley, who was recording on her cellphone.
“All of a sudden, I lifted up, and I was in the water.”
Cottriel said she thought the whale was going to crush her.
“I’m thinking to myself, ’I’m going to push. Like, I’m going to push a whale out of the way! It was the weirdest thought. I’m thinking, ‘I’m dead. I’m dead.’ I thought it was going to land on me,” she said. “Next thing I know, I’m underwater.”
Although the videos look like McSorley went inside of the whale’s mouth — she personally did not. The Kayak did go inside the whale’s mouth, but when the kayak was initially thrusted out of the water, that force sent McSorley flying into the water.
So crazy!