
Peeking out from an airplane window seat could be a rewarding experience. While most marvel at stunning bird’s-eye views of landscapes, a woman managed to capture a rare sight: a whale!
While flying over the Santa Barbara Channel, Twitter user Jasmine Childress spotted the unusual sight and took a snapshot. Only upon zooming in that she realised she had captured a whale in the frame. Jasmine, who is a PhD scholar at the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology (EEMB) at the University of California, couldn’t contain her excitement and shared the images on the microblogging site.
“I SAW A FREAKING WHALE FROM A PLANE AND THE PHOTO IS BAD AND I DONT CARE”, she wrote on Twitter.
I SAW A FREAKING WHALE FROM A PLANE AND THE PHOTO IS BAD AND I DONT CARE pic.twitter.com/A9lEMNsRqT
— Jasmine Childress (@_JChildress) March 30, 2021
Her tweet subsequently gained a lot of traction on the platform. While many expressed astonishment and said they wish to have a similar experience someday, others voiced their disbelief. Some users also responded to the tweet with hilarious memes.
This is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen https://t.co/eiCqzp5Ki1
— tyler (@tfetttt) April 2, 2021
I can’t stop thinking about this it’s my new life goal https://t.co/EhBNt5gaJO
— chloe. (@chloelintonx) April 2, 2021
Everytime I go on a plane I look for a whale in the ocean!!!!! But I forget how high up I am and that it’s literally impossible https://t.co/tx4vIA9Awe
— 💕 (@bblettuce) April 2, 2021
The photo is awesome and you have great vision!!!!😲🤓😭 https://t.co/44hdsUiTJv
— ᒋoɹɓǝ (@AzraelJorge) April 2, 2021
My dream any time I fly over the ocean … maybe one day 🥲 https://t.co/DrezrQlZsE
— Molly Morabito 🌅 (@morabito_molly) April 1, 2021
Super and scary even https://t.co/zycq2pPsef
— IA Rajpoot (@ia_rajpoot) April 1, 2021
This is the only reason I always watch the water in a plane…glad to see it’s possible. I will continue looking. https://t.co/eDJlJTgork
— Kenzie (@_MercedesKenz__) April 1, 2021
DUDE ARE YOU KIDDING THAT’S ALWAYS BEEN MY DREAM THAT’S WHY I ALWAYS WANT A WINDOW SEAT
— Screaming Buttweed (@3astLoki) March 31, 2021
If that’s a Blue Whale, (which I think it is) that is an incredibly rare sighting. A plane is pretty much the only way you’ll ever see one.
— Joseph R. Casper (@MoJoe_Casper) March 31, 2021
That’s a fish stop lying. It’s too small to be a whale
— judo (@dontripshorty) March 31, 2021
That is a real mermaid caught on tape
— senne (@sennexvanity) April 1, 2021
thats nothing wtf is that at the top right pic.twitter.com/iP9wHKBa2f
— Shanecoolhip (@Shanecoolhip1) March 31, 2021
Wait wtf is this? pic.twitter.com/qZE7hRhwJ9
— Small Man (@iJoel_i) April 1, 2021
I found a reef in the middle of the ocean ✨ pic.twitter.com/JIdiziPvo9
— Ricardo Galarza (@richiegalarza) March 31, 2021
POV: you’re the whale and look up and see a plane and take a pic to show your whale friends
I SAW A PLANE FROM THE OCEAN AND THE PHOTO IS BAD BUT I DONT CARE pic.twitter.com/65SKvQQw13
— (ง︡’-‘︠)ง (@cassxam) March 31, 2021
*Computer, enhance* Fixed it for you. Just needed to hit the photoshop button. pic.twitter.com/I5sp5SnuKR
— Joey Leaters (@joeyleaters) March 31, 2021
Yo wtf pic.twitter.com/lgFgeH9sr9
— 🧬 Arthus 🍃 (@thepokeliner) March 31, 2021
Some users also raised questions about its authenticity. The woman subsequently clarified that the picture was not taken from a commercial flight as many suspected it was “impossible” to spot it from such a distance.
“I was in a puddle jumper much lower than commercial flights (with one other person + distance + masks!)” she wrote, adding that she is pretty sure it’s a grey whale unlike a blue whale, which some had suggested.
These reactions are a bit over-whale-ming (I had to 🥲), but I have a few notes!
• I was flying over the Santa Barbara channel
• I was in a puddle jumper much lower than commercial flights (with one other person+distance+masks!)
• pretty sure it’s a grey whale https://t.co/zQ9teS5zG5— Jasmine Childress (@_JChildress) March 31, 2021
What do you think?
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.