Imagine diving into the ocean and then suddenly finding yourself inside the mouth of a humpback whale! This isn’t a new script for a Hollywood blockbuster, but the real-life story of Michael Packard, a commercial lobster diver from Provincetown, Massachusetts.
On the memorable day of June 11, 2021, Packard experienced what could either be considered the worst luck or the best, depending on how you look at it.
While diving, a massive humpback whale decided he looked interesting enough to scoop up. Packard described the experience, saying, ‘I felt this huge bump and everything went dark’.
Fortunately, the whale wasn’t a fan of the taste and spat him out within seconds. Talk about a close call!
Miraculously, Packard survived the ordeal without any serious injuries, which is quite impressive given the nature of the encounter. He did sustain some bruises and a dislocated knee but was out of the hospital fairly quickly.
“I was lobster diving and a humpback whale tried to eat me. I was in his closed mouth for about 30 to 40 seconds before he rose to the surface and spit me out. I am very bruised up but have no broken bones,” Packard told the media.
He later shared that during those terrifying moments, he thought he was meeting his end.
“This is how you’re going to die. In the mouth of a whale,” he recalled.
“I just was struggling but I knew this was this massive creature, there was no way I was going to bust myself out of there.”
When he was finally released, Packard described how he floated on the surface and watched the whale dive back into the depths. He felt an overwhelming sense of relief and disbelief, saying, “I was just laying on the surface floating and saw his tail and he went back down, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, I got out of that, I survived.”
Even his mother, who was there during his recounting, humorously noted that being almost eaten by a whale was certainly one way to gain fame.
Since the story hit social media, it has naturally spawned a sea of whale jokes and puns.
“’That was awful. Worst meal I’ve ever tried to eat’, the whale explained,” joked one user.
“What a crazy ride! The humpback whale must be like: ‘You’re whalecome!’ after he spat him out,” cracked another.
“Bro almost got krilled,” added another.
“Whoa, that’s one way to get up close and personal with marine life! Can’t imagine the story he’ll have to tell after that wild ride,” someone else commented.
Indeed, Michael Packard now has a “whale of a tale” to share for years to come, proving that the sea is full of surprises, some more jaw-dropping than others!