July 13th 2024.
Tom Waddington, a ski coach from the UK, had embarked on a solo rowing journey across the Atlantic Ocean all the way from Canada to the United Kingdom. His goal was to raise funds for the mental health charity Mind, and he had been documenting his trip on his Instagram account.
However, earlier this week, Waddington had an unexpected encounter during his journey. As he was rowing, he suddenly found himself in the company of a large school of pilot whales. He was amazed and thrilled by this special treat, but also a bit concerned that they might hit his boat's rudder.
Unfortunately, his concerns became a reality when one of the pods, which he estimated to be around 1,000 strong, slammed into the side of his boat. Waddington was worried that this might damage his rudder and hinder his journey, but luckily, the rudder remained intact and he was able to continue.
Reflecting on the encounter afterwards, Waddington shared that the whales were just playing and swimming under his boat, and he was enjoying taking videos of them. However, the situation suddenly turned from a peaceful David Attenborough-esque moment to a scary one, as the whales started to ram into his boat like Moby Dick.
Despite the initial excitement, Waddington's spirits were dampened by the rain-filled morning. But the whales' company lifted his mood until they became a little too close for comfort. After trying to scare them off by shouting and splashing his oars, Waddington eventually decided to change his course a bit in hopes that they would leave him alone.
He even called his team on land for advice, and they suggested he try not to engage with the whales and let them lose interest on their own. After about two hours, the whales finally swam off, leaving Waddington with a burst of "whale-fueled adrenaline" for the remainder of his journey.
In the end, Waddington was left with an incredible and unforgettable experience, as well as a safe and dry boat. He shared the story and a video of the encounter on his Instagram account, and it quickly gained attention from news outlets like Metro. Waddington's journey continues, and we can't wait to see what other adventures he encounters along the way.
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