Geir Johansen Norwegian tourist who captured a whale shark very close to him Date of Birth: 01.01.1969 Country: Norway

1. Close Encounters with a Gentle Giant
2. Fear Gives Way to Curiosity
3. Escape from the Shark's Embrace
4. Overcoming a Lifelong Fear
5. A Delicate Balance
6. A Lesson in Respect

Norwegian Tourist Captures Whale Shark Encounter from Uncomfortably Close Range

A Norwegian tourist with a lifelong fear of sharks had a near-miss with the feared creatures when he ended up in a whale shark's mouth.

Close Encounters with a Gentle Giant

Geir Johansen was scuba diving off the coast of Oslob, Philippines, when he came face-to-face with his worst nightmare. A whale shark, an ocean giant that can swallow up to a gallon of water per second to filter out plankton, surfaced in front of him. Despite being aware that the species poses little threat to humans, Johansen's fear persisted.

Fear Gives Way to Curiosity

Despite his terror, the intrepid diver captured incredible footage of the massive fish. At one point, Johansen got so close to the shark's mouth that he risked becoming an unexpected snack. However, the whale shark is a relatively gentle creature, primarily interested in algae and small fish.

Escape from the Shark's Embrace

After closely observing the shark from about four meters away, Johansen was nudged towards its mouth. He managed to free himself by pushing off the shark's snout.

Overcoming a Lifelong Fear

"I've been incredibly afraid of sharks and open water my entire life," Johansen said. "Even when I lived in Australia, I wouldn't go surfing or bodyboarding. I preferred staying in the shallow waters."

A Delicate Balance

"We were warned that whale sharks are in the area and that they are harmless before we went into the water," he explained. "As soon as I was in the water, I saw the huge shark, and my heart skipped a beat."

A Lesson in Respect

Johansen added, "I tried to keep my calm as much as I could because we had been instructed that we shouldn't provoke the sharks." "And it was just like it was looking at me and saying, 'Stay away from my food.'"

"I was nudged twice by it. The mouth of the shark is not soft at all—it's like steel," he said. "It was an experience."