Harrowing footage captured the moment a tour guide was thrown out of the water and into the air by a 30-tonne humpback whale.
The guide was among several staff members who led a “swim with whales” tour off the coast of Southport on the Gold Coast last week.
The group didn’t have far to travel before they encountered a pod of three whales, and several tourists and the guide jumped into the water.
Max Persyn and Jacqueline Payne were among the group who shared their excitement in a video posted on their YouTube Channel.
“The whales had been swimming steadily around us for about 20 minutes, getting closer and closer,” Payne told Daily Mail Australia.
All the tourists were tied to a rope that was connected to the boat.
“We didn’t expect them to get that close, but they were the most curious whales – our guide mentioned it’s pretty rare for them to be that curious,” Payne said.
As the group marveled at the sight of whales swimming around them, cries from the ship alerted them to look back.
“We heard the commotion and saw our guide was in the air above the whale’s tail,” Persyn said.
Last week, a whale threw a tour guide out of the ocean on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
A huge humpback whale was seen lifting the guide approximately one metre into the air.
Then the whale threw him into the ocean with its tail.
“It was a little scary because at the time we didn’t know why it happened,” Payne said.
‘From what I could see, everyone was very adrenalized and in shock at what happened.
“It was exciting when we realized that everyone was safe and that it was not an act of aggression.”
The tour staff then called all the tourists back to the boat.
Once everyone was out of the water, divers and staff high-fived and called the experience “an incredible encounter.”
The YouTubers were later told why the whale had thrown its guide into the air.
“The guide explained to us after the event that the whale’s tail was about to hit another swimmer, he pushed it and the rope we were holding brushed against the tail,” Payne said.
The chaotic images show the instructor on the tail of a humpback whale measuring approximately 15 metres.
Max Persyn and Jacqueline Payne said they had snorkelled with sea lions and dived with sharks, but never up close.
‘We assume that the whale wanted to drive away that unknown sensation, just as we might drive away a fly that lands on us.
“So, I guess the guide saw it coming but couldn’t do much.”
A staff member could be heard telling the tour group how lucky they all were to see the majestic animals up close.
“The whales get so interested in us and they come so close to us, obviously very close at the end, but most of the time they would just get to a point where they were just a few meters away from us,” one said in the clip.
The YouTubers said that in their years of recording adventures, this was one of the most memorable experiences.
“We’ve been snorkeling with sea lions and penguins, diving with sharks, but this is by far the closest an animal has ever been to us,” Payne said.
‘When you’re on their territory, the interaction is 100% on their terms, they can swim away if they don’t want to be near you or stay if they’re curious.’
