After failing to tickle the tastebuds of a hungry humpback, a Venezuelan kayaker is sharing his shocking story of how he was swallowed whole by a giant marine mammal who spat him out seconds later.<\/p>\n
Adri\u00e1n Simancas Jaimes was enjoying a father-son kayaking trip on February 8 when nature decided to throw in an unexpected twist.<\/p>\n
As the Venezuelans paddled through the icy waters of Chile\u2019s southernmost Patagonia region \u2013 through the chilly Strait of Magellan \u2013 a massive humpback whale suddenly surfaced \u2013 right beneath the 24-year-old\u2019s inflatable kayak.<\/p>\n
Gentle giants
\nAccording to the International Whaling Commission, humpbacks vary in size from 38 to 50 feet and weigh about 40 tons. The gentle giants primarily feed on krill, small shrimp-like crustaceans, or small fish, like anchovies, herring, sand lance, and sardines.<\/p>\n
\u201cHumpback whales are by nature mostly gentle and non-aggressive animals, so it is very unlikely for them to do any harm to a human. They are however very large and curious and will sometimes approach boats,\u201d writes BBC Wildlife.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is however extremely rare as humpbacks tend to be aware of their surroundings and avoid direct contact with boats and swimming humans.\u201d<\/p>\n
Curious whale
\nIn an extremely rare situation, one humpback \u2013 traveling through Chile\u2019s Strait of Magellan near the father and son kayakers \u2013 gave into his curiosity, a move that made him a viral sensation.<\/p>\n
Adri\u00e1n\u2019s father, Meydell, told CNN en Espa\u00f1ol he started recording the area around his son when he noticed \u201cpretty waves that seemed exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n
What he didn\u2019t realize at the time is that the \u201cpretty waves\u201d were created by a giant humpback whale, who is seen in the clip, rising from the depths of the choppy waters to lunge feed right near the unsuspecting kayaker.<\/p>\n
Lunge feeding
\nHumpback whales are known for their distinctive feeding technique called lunge feeding. They open their enormous mouths wide and surge forward, scooping up massive amounts of fish and water in one powerful motion.<\/p>\n