[imagesource: KMPH / Mandy Boyle]

Over the years, we’ve seen kayakers caught up in the midst of some very close encounters.

You may recall this drone video of a circling great white shark from last month, although my personal favourite is the infamous seal / octopus slap from back in 2018.

The latest kayakers to feature in the news are Julie McSorley and Liz Cottriel, who were floating off the coast of Avila Beach, California, on Monday.

They knew a pod of humpback whales was close, according to CNN, but not this close, and the pair ended up capsizing:

“I saw the big pool of fish, the big bait ball come up out of the water,” McSorley told CNN affiliate KMPH. “I saw the whale come up. I thought, ‘Oh, no! It’s too close.'”

…Footage from a witness nearby makes it appear as if the kayakers are being swallowed by the whale, but the two just tipped over.

“The whale was right here in my face, literally,” Cottriel [said].

Cottriel said she thought she was going to die at one stage, as the kayak was dragged underwater, but both women emerged unscathed and with a wild story to tell.

Watch from 15 seconds in below:

At the start of this video, you’ll see another angle of the moment the kayak is swooped up.

Then, from the 30-second mark, you’ll see footage from the kayak itself:

Slightly more dramatic than that Sea Point encounter, and all things considered, a pretty mellow reaction.

Perhaps kayakers in the area should give the whales a wider berth, given that they’re in their territory.

[source:cnn]