A rower who waded deep into the Atlantic Ocean has said he had a close encounter with more than 1,000 whales, which swam alongside him for hours.

UK-based Tom Waddington, who was 100 nautical miles (185km) off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, also captured the stunning encounter on Sunday on video as he rowed solo to raise money for charity.

The images he captured showed the whales swimming around his boat, rocking it as they passed. He expressed both awe and worry during the breathtaking moment at sea.

"I love it, but I'm scared they're going to hit my rudder. They're so close, I can hear them. They're blowing bubbles," he said in the video.

"I can't believe it. It's an amazing sight, but also so scary."

The rower on his Instagram said he tried to row away from the huge pod of whales, but they followed him.

In the end, they swam alongside him for two hours and eventually left him alone, he said, adding he was safe.

Mr Waddington is undertaking a 2,000 nautical miles journey to raise funds for mental health. (Additional reporting by Reuters)