Over the years, we've heard plenty of stories of divers and surfers interacting with wildlife while in the ocean. I can't even count the number of times I've seen photos of surfers swimming with groups of dolphins, or even people diving alongside whales underneath the waves. When marine biologist Nan Hauser was diving in the South Pacific, though, she had a quite unusual experience with a humpback whale -- he saved her life.
When the Maine native came face to face with the 25-ton whale, the creature began to nudge her and even lift her up onto his pectoral fin, where she stayed for over 10 minutes. What she didn't realize is that the whale was attempting to shield her from a 15-foot tiger shark swimming not far away. After making it safely back to her boat, Hauser can be heard yelling "I love you!" to the whale as it swims away.
Watch the incredible video below.