Would it ever be possible for a human to come into contact with a wild whale?

Question

I'm not talking about whale hunters, who go searching for them.

but ive been wondering this for a long time.

EXAMPLE: (hypothetical)

A family decided to take their boat wayyyy out into the ocean. The mom decides she wants to go swimming.

She goes kind of far away from the boat.

Would it EVER be possible for her to come into contact with a whale, unintentionally?

Like, a whale just spurt up.

Excuse me if this sounds stupid, but I honestly have no clue.

Answer 1

My wife and I love whales.  We've been "in" the water with wild whales many times.  California Grey Whales, Pilot Whales, and Humpback Whales.  The Humpbacks are our favorites.

You need have no fear of them at all.  They will NOT hurt you.  Most whales are "filter feeders" and feed mostly on Krill, which is a small shrimp-like animal that swims in very large schools that the whales feed on.  

Whales are extremely intelligent, curious, beautiful animals that fulfill a need in our environment by helping to keep the oceans healthy, while they bring beauty and charm to our world and into our lives.

Whales can see very well, and they have sonar too, which will help them in avoiding any human swimmers.  When a whale is in the water with you, it KNOWS you are there.  Some are afraid of swimmers and divers and will avoid even coming close, while others are very curious and will watch you as you swim about.  

Get to know whales.  Learn about them and their behavior, and you WILL lose your fear and worry.  Even though some are bigger than a Greyhound Bus, they will NOT hurt you.

If you were not intentionally looking for whales, it IS possible for someone to be swimming about and have a whale nearby, but the chances are very slim, because the whale would know the person was there long before the person did, and would avoid contact.

Did you know that the largest animal that's ever lived on this planet is alive today.  It's the Blue Whale, and it feeds on some of the smallest creatures on the earth; plankton.  WHY would an animal like this be interested in you?  Think about it.

Answer 2

Of course it can. I had a friend that used to abalone dive and one time he was diving and had huge shadows pass over him as he was working. Not looking for whales, they just happened to pass by.

Answer 3

It's pretty common, actually.

Dolphins and whales will often swim along side of ships.  Marine biologists will often put on a wetsuit and swim  with them (depending on the species, of course).

Answer 4

Yes, your scenario is entirely possible.  In whale territory, whales rise to the surface all the time.  They are mammals, remember, and require air.

For the most part, they are gentle mammals and mean you no more harm than cows do.

I live in Gloucester MA and we have whale-watch boat cruises 20 times a day in summer.  Every one of those cruises guarantees its riders that they will see whales romping in the ocean, and they always do.

Answer 5

the scenario you are describing is actually very common, most of the time the whales are just as curious as you are. Also, her eis a small chance they might try to play with you, and well their lay might be very dangerous to you, a woman almost died one time because a pilot whale grabbed her hand and dragged her down deep, it wasn't a violent grab either, it was just strong and she couldn't escape.

I wouldn't advise staying in the water with a whale though. But you can interact with them once you get back on the boat. Some whales will get close so you can pet them. Some will just stick around the boat and just watch you. They are very intelligent animals. And with intelligence come curiosity.

Despite their huge size, whales are gentle creatures, the Pilot whales that  almost killed that girl are members of the dolphin family as are Orcas ( Killer whales) and False and Pygmy Killer hales as well. These would be the ones that would probably try to play with you. But the chances of them "attacking or even sticking around is not high.

The large baleen whales only eat tiny fish and shrimp, so , they only danger they are to you is they could crush you.

But remember cetaceans (whales and dolphins) are not actually what we consider dangerous to humans, we are far more of a danger to them.

Answer 6

A lot of people go whale-watching here in Australia. Here is the website of one whale-watching business. There are a few of them. They are only allowed to go within a certain distance of the whales and stop, but the whales will often go over to the boats.

Here's the website:

http://www.whalewatchingherveybay.com.au...