When faced with certain death, you need bravery, determination, and plenty of luck.

You never know when your life is about to change forever. It can
happen any day, at any moment, and for some people, that life-
changing moment is a life-or-death situation. That was the case for
this therapist and her friend whose life was on the verge of death when
she bumped into a mighty giant animal: whale. Maybe it was quick
thinking, a strong survival instinct, or simply fate, but their survival
story is truly nothing short of a miracle.

I survived being swallowed by a whale

Julie McSorley, 56, physical therapist

I live with my husband, Tyrone McSorley, in San Luis Obispo, California, about three miles from
the beach. Every few years, the humpback whales come into the bay for a few days while they’re
migrating. November 2020 was one of those times, so we took out our yellow double kayak to watch
the wildlife. We paddled out the length of the pier and saw seals, dolphins, and about 20 whales
feeding on silverfish. We were in awe watching these graceful behemoths—each one about 50 feet
long—breach and spray through their blowholes. We laughed when they turned their side fins so that
it looked as if they were waving at us.

At the time, my friend Liz Cottriel was staying with us. The next day, I asked her if she wanted to go
out on the water to see them.

“No way,” said Liz, now 65. She was not an experienced kayaker and was terrified that the kayak would
overturn while we were surrounded by hungry whales. “There’s nothing to worry about,” I assured her.
“The craft is stable, and we can turn back anytime.” After some cajoling, she finally agreed to join me. I
didn’t want her to miss this magnificent experience and regret it later.

Liz and I got out on the water at 8:30 the following morning. There were already about 15 other
kayakers and paddleboarders in the bay. It was warm for November—about 65 degrees— so we
wore T-shirts and leggings. After a half-hour, we had our first whale sighting just past the pier: two
humpbacks swimming toward us. How amazing to be that close to a creature that size, I thought as
the whales dipped under the waterline.

When whales go down after breaching, they leave what looks like an oil slick on the water. I figured
if we paddled toward that spot, we’d be safe from the whales, since they’d just left. We followed
them at a distance—or what I thought was a distance. I later found out that it’s recommended to keep
300 feet away. We were more like 60 feet away.
 whale rising above water GUY SHIELD FOR READER'S DIGEST

Suddenly, we were being pelted. A tightly packed swarm of fish, known as a bait ball, started
jumping out of the water into our kayak. Their movement sounded like crackling glass all around us.

What should have been a comical moment was actually terrifying. Their actions meant they were
escaping the whales, which meant that we needed to get out of there too. But before we could paddle
to safety, our kayak was lifted out of the water about six feet, bracketed by massive jaws. Liz and I
slipped out of the kayak into the whale’s mouth. My body was engulfed except for my right arm and
paddle. Liz, meanwhile, was looking up directly at the whale’s upper jaw, which she later described
as a big white wall.

As the whale’s mouth closed, Liz thrust her arm up to block it from crushing her. I felt the creature
begin to dive and had no idea how deep we’d be dragged. Still, I didn’t panic. I just kept thinking;
I’ve got to fight this. I’ve got to breathe.

Whales have enormous mouths but tiny throats. Anything they can’t swallow, they spit right out.
That included us. As soon as the whale dipped under water, it ejected us, and we popped back up
onto the surface about a foot apart. The entire ordeal lasted only about 10 seconds.

A few kayakers paddled over. One was a retired firefighter, who asked us if we had all of our limbs.
“We thought you were dead!” he said.

We were not, of course. But I am much more aware of the power of nature and the ocean than I was
before. Liz was shaken up, likening the ordeal to a near-death experience, and she says her whale-
watching days are over. But even she had to laugh when she got home that afternoon and realized
she’d brought back a souvenir. When she pulled off her shirt, six silverfish flopped out.

—As told to Emily Landau

https://www.rd.com/article/incredible-survival-stories/