A UK-based rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean found himself with some unexpected company earlier this week.
Tom Waddington is a ski coach making the 2,000 journey from Newfoundland to Penzance in a one-man vessel, raising money for mental health charity Mind.
A video uploaded to his Instagram account, where he has documented the trip, shows him joined by a large school of what he believes was a pod of pilot whales.
He said: ‘This is so cool. What a special treat.
‘I love it… but I’m scared they’re gonna hit the rudder.’
Soon after expressing his concerns, one of the pods, which Waddington thinks may have been 1,000 strong, slammed into the side of his boat.
Thankfully, however, the rudder remained intact, allowing Waddington to continue his journey.
Reflecting on the encounter afterwards, he said: ‘They were just playing and going under the boat and I was taking videos.
‘And I was like, Oh my God. And suddenly …