Kayaker’s Harrowing Encounter: Swallowed and Spat Out by Humpback Whale in Chilean Patagonia

On February 8, 2025, Adrián Simancas and his father Dell began on a kayak trip at Bahía El Águila, which is near the San Isidro Lighthouse in Chilean Patagonia, across the Strait of Magellan. At first, the trip was calm but quickly turned into something terrible that they will both never forget.

The Unexpected Incident

As Adrián paddled his yellow inflatable kayak, a massive humpback whale surfaced unexpectedly, its mouth wide open. In a matter of seconds, both Adrián and his kayak were engulfed by the whale. Dell, just meters away, captured the astonishing moment on video, all the while urging his son to remain calm. “Stay calm, stay calm,” he was heard saying in Spanish.

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A Miraculous Escape

Inside the whale’s mouth, Adrián experienced sheer terror. “I thought I was dead. I thought it had eaten me, that it had swallowed me,” he recounted. Fortunately, within moments, the whale descended, releasing Adrián and his kayak back to the surface. When he came out of the water unhurt, his first concerns were about his father’s safety and the problems that the cold waves would cause. He said, “When I came up and started floating, I was scared that something could happen to my father too, that we wouldn’t reach the shore in time, or that I would get hypothermia.”

Reflections on the Experience

Even though it was hard, both the father and son made it back to land without getting hurt. Adrián thought about what happened and thought that the whale might have come close because it was curious or trying to communicate. He underlined the need for knowledge about and care for water life as one never knows how they would contact with it.

The Strait of Magellan: A Hub for Adventure

About 1,600 miles south of Santiago, the capital of Chile, is it People recognize the Strait of Magellan for its stunning beauty as well as for its hazardous activity. People who like to swim, surf, or take risks should be careful around the strong waves. In the seas around Chile, whales don’t usually attack people, which shows that animals have free will.

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A Viral Sensation

 

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Just like a wildfire, Dell’s great video clip got a lot of comments and questions on the site. People were shocked by Adrián’s close call, and some were scared about what could happen in the water.

One person said, “I have so many words he’s been inside a fish’s mouth.” “I wonder how he felt in that split second.” “Lol, what a life story to tell people, ‘I was once swallowed by a whale'” someone said.

This strange event shows how important it is to pay attention and be careful when you’re near the ocean. There are very small chances that a whale would eat a kayaker, but Adrián’s story shows how beautiful nature can be surprising.