I have always imagined swimming with whale sharks. Every time I came across an advert for a ‘whale shark n dive’ adventure, I wondered if it was such a crazy idea.
The truth is, I have bathophobia – a fear of depths – or at least I thought I did (I’ve had a panic attack watching Titanic), until I got a call from my father, a free diving champion back in the day and many thrilling ‘shark n dive’ experiences to tell.
He said, “I’ve always wanted to take you swimming with whale sharks. Are you available?”
Before I had a moment to think about drowning in the ocean from overwhelming anxiety and my body sinking to the bottom and crushed by the tremendous pressure, I said “YES!”
It wasn’t long before I was staring over the stunning Ningaloo Reef in Exmouth, Western Australia – the number one whale shark destination! We stayed at Sea Breeze Resort which organised our entire weekend, from booking our whale shark dive tour to helping us plan a day snorkelling along the Ningaloo Coast, which is a World Heritage Site.
Our whale shark operators were Ningaloo Blue Charters, accompanied on the day by the lovely and talented Violeta from Blue Media Exmouth to record our trip from beginning to end.
When we got on board the boat, the captain explained the rules of swimming with the whale sharks, which are listed as vulnerable to extinction in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List of Threatened Species. The crew also highlighted the importance of not just keeping us safe in the water, but also respecting the animals’ space and not making them feel threatened by our presence.
The captain was in constant contact with the spotter plane circling above us and it wasn’t long before we found our first whale shark to swim with. I didn’t have time to think about being afraid. I quickly put on my mask and flippers, took a seat with my group at the lower end of the boat and waited in excitement for the signal to jump in the water.
Suddenly I heard “GO GO GO!” and within seconds I came face-to-face with a creature far more breath-taking than I had ever imagined. I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming in front of another advert on the computer.
The filter-feeding shark moved slowly and so elegantly, and yet we had to continuously swim fast to keep up. I stayed close behind the tail until it was time to return to the boat to recharge for the next dive. It wasn’t until my seventh dive when I experienced a magical moment with a larger, female whale shark.
The rest of my group had fallen behind, and Amanda (crew/group leader) and I were swimming alongside the whale shark. When Amanda held back to get to the other side of the animal, I suddenly found myself head-to-head with the big fish. I was close enough to observe the patterns (spots and stripes) on her body but careful not to get too close so I didn’t threaten her. And then it happened. She looked at me…. I mean, really looked at me, and we swam together for a little while sharing that space in the deep ocean.
When I saw Amanda’s signal to return to the boat, I slowed down and watched the whale shark fade away into the murky water. There are no words to describe the beauty of that experience. I suddenly got choked up and had to lift my head out of the water to compose myself.
Slowly swimming back to the boat, I realised that in all this awe and wonder I had completely forgotten about my bathophobia. Was I cured?
You can help protect the whale shark!
It is important to contribute to a global effort to better understand and protect endangered species, including the whale shark.
I learned during the tour that whale sharks can be identified by their distinctive patterns (and any scars) on the left side behind the third gill. We can help scientists collect and analyse whale shark sighting data by photographing these patterns during our encounters and emailing to them via the website http://whaleshark.org.
While I was swimming, I took photos with a disposable underwater camera with the intention of reporting my encounters, but found it challenging to get a clear picture. Fortunately, we have professional photos and video from Blue Media to remember our trip by.
I sent copies to my father and got a call back. “I’ve always wanted to take you cage diving with Great White Sharks! Are you available?”
Whaaa?!
Isn’t this whale shark a beauty? Photo by Blue Media Exmouth
Here I am swimming with a whale shark! Photo by Blue Media Exmouth
I’m catching up to the whale shark. Photo by Blue Media Exmouth
Check out the beautiful patterns on the head. Photo by Caroline Zambrano
Head-to-head with the biggest fish in the sea! Photo by Caroline Zambrano
If I could only reach out and touch! Photo by Caroline Zambrano
Dad and I at the Vlamingh Head Lighthouse after a fabulous day at the Ningaloo Marine Park. Thank you Dad for the unforgettable whale shark experience!
