Wacky News in the Maritime World

Check out recent wacky news from around the maritime world!

Man Gets Swallowed by Humpback Whale

Adrián Simancas and his father, Dell, were kayaking off the coast of Chile when a humpback whale engulfed Adrián and pulled him underwater. Adrián was only in the whale’s mouth for seconds before being spat back out to the surface. He later told the BBC that he felt a slimy texture inside the whale’s mouth and could only see dark blue and white. The ordeal was caught on Dell’s camera which was strapped to the back of his kayak. 

While it made for a frightening situation, humpback whales, due to their narrow throats, are unable to swallow anything larger than small fish and shrimp. Adrián was left frightened, but unharmed.

Mexico Intends to Sue Google

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has threatened legal action against Google after the company changed the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America” following an executive order from President Donald Trump. Trump signed the executive order on his first day in office. Google later changed the name in its maps, prompting Sheinbaum to announce her intentions of pursuing legal action. 

While Google has previously stated that it has “a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources,” Sheinbaum reminded Google that maritime zones under the U.S.’s sovereignty extend a maximum of 12 miles from the coast. Sheinbaum awaits an answer from Google before she continues to seek legal action. 

Mysterious Tar Balls Wash Up on Florida Beaches

Sticky, gooey, and annoying tar balls have been washing ashore on Florida beaches, with the source of the muck a mystery. Often resulting from oil spills, tar balls are small fragments or clumps of oil that have become semi-solid or solid in consistency. The difficult-to-remove balls are not dangerous to humans unless ingested or you are allergic, but they are a danger to Florida’s marine life. The U.S. Coast Guard has been investigating reports of tar from Port Everglades to Palm Beach along the Atlantic Ocean coast, but has yet to determine the source. 

Greek Hotels Possibly Switching to Saltwater Pools Due to Drought

New legislation being debated in parliament might force some hotels on Greek islands to switch their pools to saltwater in response to worsening drought conditions. The regulations propose to install pipelines that pump seawater into and out of hotel swimming pools, saving freshwater that can be used elsewhere. Greece has been facing acute drought conditions over the past two years, with its annual rainfall decreasing by 12% from 1971 to 2020, according to the National Observatory of Athens.