Freediving Instructor’s Unforgettable Encounter with a Giant Whale

A freediving instructor recently had an extraordinary experience while diving off the Pacific coast of Mexico. Emily Marzilli, 27, was with friends exploring near a large school of sardines when, all of a sudden, the aquatic environment became very lively.

Moments later, a Bryde’s whale emerged, taking a huge bite out of the bait ball before vanishing back into the depths, Marzilli shared with a news agency. It’s a striking reminder that as summer rolls in, sightings of great white sharks are also on the rise along the northeast coast.

Bryde’s whales are sizable baleen whales typically found in warmer tropical and subtropical waters. They are classified as a large whale species by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The divers found themselves momentarily stunned by the unexpected sight. Marzilli mentioned it took a few seconds to really grasp what they had witnessed, especially since they’d been concentrating on the smaller fish just moments before.

“I mean, honestly, I was a bit shocked. I was just expecting fish, and suddenly there was a 20- to 30-ton whale right in front of me,” she recalled.

Even though the encounter was brief—lasting only about two minutes—Marzilli described it as an unforgettable experience.

The dive took place in November in Magdalena Bay off Baja California Sur, a region known for its vibrant marine life during sardine season. Marzilli noted that the bait balls they were observing were unusually large.

As the frenzy of feeding intensified, the divers kept a safe distance, about 15 to 20 meters away. With the fish aggressively attacking the bait, the water became foamy, which made visibility quite poor.

Once the whale dove out of sight and the bait ball was quickly consumed, the group surfaced in silence, exchanging incredulous glances.

Marzilli expressed that such encounters felt almost like fantasies—experiences you dream of rather than expect to see in person. “These are the kinds of moments you just hope will happen,” she said.