Rainer Schimpf, 51, has worked as a dive tour operator in South Africa for over 15 years. But in February, he experienced something very rare – the inside of a whale’s mouth. “I was trying to get a shot of a shark going through the bait ball and then the next moment it got dark and I felt some pressure when I instantly knew, a whale had grabbed me.”
“I held my breath because I thought he is going to dive down and release me much deeper in the ocean, it was pitch black inside,” Rainer explained. As Rainer hoped, the whale soon realized his mistake and pushed him out, with both escaping unharmed.
“It was an interesting experience, but certainly nothing I want to do again.”



