There’s no doubt we’re living in biblical times. We’ve been experiencing nonstop hurricanes, fires, and, in perhaps the most astonishing biblical story yet, the news of a kayaker who got swallowed and spit out by a whale. While getting swallowed by a whale isn’t common, it has happened more than once. Read on for a whale of a tale and what biblical message these incidents may represent.
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The most recent whale story is the 2025 story of a kayaker who a whale swallowed and immediately spit out. In 2021, the same thing happened to a man in Cape Cod, minus the kayak. The most famous incident is the biblical story of Jonah, who was swallowed by a great fish (often interpreted as a whale) and later vomited out after three days. While all of these stories seem incredulous, the father of the 2025 kayaker videoed the whole incident. However, the idea of a whale spitting a person out seems less strange, considering the whale diet mainly consists of small shrimp-like creatures called krill. A human and his boat wouldn’t be a delicious treat for a whale, but what is truly miraculous is that the people who have survived these frightening experiences were unharmed.
The 2025 tale is incredible. Adrian Simancas was kayaking in the Strait of Magellan in Bahía El Águila when a beast of a whale emerged from the water and quickly devoured the young man and his yellow kayak, according to a video captured by his father, Dell, who was trailing behind. Astonishing footage captured the moment the kayaker was swallowed whole by a humpback whale off Chilean Patagonia for a few seconds — before he was miraculously spit back out. Simanacas told the Associated Press that at first, he thought he had died, and then he experienced sheer terror, not knowing what to do. When he was released, he felt that maybe the whale approached him out of curiosity or to communicate something. When he was miraculously let go, his father helped calm him down, and they safely made it back to shore, completely unharmed.
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A humpback whale swallowed a 20-year-old man while he was packrafting with his father in Águila Bay, Punta Arenas, Chile, then spat him out a few seconds laterpic.twitter.com/g1HxkfUGR5
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) February 13, 2025
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There have been a few modern reports of people having close encounters with whales, but genuine accounts of someone being swallowed and spat out are scarce. Yet another notable incident occurred in June 2021, when a lobster diver named Michael Packard claimed a humpback whale off Cape Cod, Massachusetts coast briefly swallowed him. He said he was in the whale’s mouth for about 30 to 40 seconds before the whale surfaced and released him, which he described as a surreal experience. The experience seems to have changed his life. He’s now devoted to ocean conservation.
The story of Jonah and the whale, found in the Bible, tells of Jonah, a prophet commanded by God to go to the city of Nineveh and warn its people of their wickedness. Instead, Jonah tries to flee by boarding a ship. A great storm arises, and Jonah is thrown overboard to calm the sea. He is then swallowed by a large fish (often interpreted as a whale) and spends three days and nights in its belly. After repenting, Jonah is released when the fish spits him onto dry land. He ultimately fulfills God’s command and goes to Nineveh to deliver the message.
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In addition to these stories are tales of a few sailors who claimed to have survived being swallowed by whales. Unfortunately, such stories are not well-documented. Although these stories are unusual and not typical of whale behavior, they have happened. If we had experienced something like this, we would be forever changed. Although the story of Pinnochio is just a fictitious tale, it is interesting that Pinocchio and his father, Gepetto, both end up getting swallowed by a whale. That part of the story illustrates the father and son bond that leads to Pinocchio’s growth and transformation.
Between the real-life stories of survival, a childhood tale, and the Biblical story of Jonah, there is meaning that can be taken from these stories that we can all benefit from.
Being swallowed and spit out by a whale and emerging unharmed can have a few interpretations, such as transformation and renewal. Sometimes, one must go through an overwhelming experience to emerge renewed and changed.
Another interpretation can be taken straight from Jonah as a story of divine intervention. In dire situations, there can be a chance at redemption and second chances.
Other interpretations include facing one’s deepest fears and overcoming them. Another interpretation is the idea of isolation and reflection, which means reflecting on one’s life choices and priorities before re-entering the world.
Here’s more food for thought. Maybe frolicking in the ocean isn’t such a fun idea. Golf may be a better way to spend a Sunday than kayaking. But in all seriousness, these tales show that we can be helped in unexpected times of crisis, often from an unlikely source. This source could be a newfound or renewed belief in God for some. If living to tell the story of being swallowed by a whale and surviving isn’t proof that miracles exist, what else is?
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