Kayaker in a close encounter with the whale
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A kayaker has captured stunning footage of a 30ft (10m) long whale off Cornwall.
It is believed to be a minke whale, a breed regularly recorded in Cornish waters.
Rupert Kirkwood, from Holsworthy in Devon, spotted the whale six miles (9.6 km) from Fowey.
He told BBC Radio Cornwall that he was about to turn around when he heard the sound of a whale a mile away.
“I ventured out to see it and this 30-foot-long minke whale befriended me for 20 minutes, appeared next to me, and swam under my kayak,” he said.
“It’s just me and this fantastic creature greeting us.”
Kirkwood, who has logged around 25 whale sightings on his travels along the coast of Devon and Cornwall, said it was a “thrilling” experience.
“I’m just enjoying every moment,” he said.
“There is world-class scenery around Cornwall, but there are also world-class creatures.”
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