Paddlers get up close and personal with 12 whales in Argentina

On 11 August, two paddleboarders had a unique encounter with 12 whales in the waters off the coastal town of Monte Hermoso, on Argentina's Atlantic coast.

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For nearly an hour, Valentin Villalba and Diego Schulz were surrounded by the giant mammals as they passed through Monte Hermoso on their way to Patagonia to breed and feed their calves, according to Argentine media.

The animals use this route throughout the year, but they are not known to swim close to the coast and have close encounters with bathers.