Teen's whale shark ride captured on video

IF YOU were in the water and a 23 ton, 9m long shark happened to glide past - what would you do? Hitch a ride?

IF YOU were in the water and a 23 ton, 9m long shark happened to glide past - what would you do? Hitch a ride?

This 19-year-old Florida teen didn't hesitate.

As his family was swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, the gentle giant whale shark appeared out of the murky green waters and curiously poked about.

"I decided, you know what, maybe I should go try and swim with him. I might not be able to do it ever again," Kreis said.

The 19-year-old's ride lasted only nine seconds.

The whale shark, once it realised it had an unwanted hitchhiker, swam downward into the deep.

"He began to descend, and if something doesn't want you on it, you might as well just let it go," Kreis said.

The whale shark is the biggest fish in the ocean, but feeds mainly on plankton.

The whale of a ride has drawn criticism from marine biologists and authorities who are concerned about human impact on delicate animals and environments.

But riding whale sharks is not illegal - and Kreis says he will do it again.

"I would absolutely swim with another whale shark," he said.