Snorkelling with Whalesharks, Ningaloo Reef, WA

On Monday I went out with Exmouth Diving Centre for a day of snorkeling with whalesharks. It was one of the main reasons for coming back to Western Australia (the other being the great road trip I had with CK from Perth to Monkey Mia in 2006), and I was simply lucky to be here at the right time of year.

I haven't quite gotten my head around the day yet because there was alot to take in. Much as I like being in the water I am not the most confident of swimmers. On Monday the day started windy and the water was a bit dark and choppy. We had a practise snorkel, while some of the others got a quick dive in, mostly to make sure we were happy enough in the water. And for me it was a bit bouncy on the water, and as snorkels go, the visibility wasn't great (although I did see a Manta Ray :)) but I was happy enough.

At 10 o clock spotter planes go up to find the whalesharks for the boats, and once they have found one the boats race over there and you have to be snorkel ready and in the water and swimming hard the moment you get there (they go surprisingly fast for what seems the minimum movement of their admittedly massive tail). Ten people are allowed in the water at any one time (plus the person in charge who is always keeping an eye on where the shark is) so there is also the business of negotiating other people and their fins. You must also stay behind their heads, 3 metres from their sides and at least 4 metres from their tails. Sounds easy enough until the whaleshark decides to change direction and is heading straight for you and you don't know how to snorkel backwards! (play dead and hope it changes direction seemed to work).

I could say an awful lot about the day, its excitement and adrenaline and frantic-ness never mind what I could say about the whalesharks (ocean's biggest fish, spots as individual as fingerprints, endangered, spend a couple of months at Ningaloo every year after the coral spawning, could be anywhere up to 20 metres long...) but there was a moment that stood out that I am sure I won't forget. On maybe the second dive the whaleshark was diving down below us. The ocean floor was only about 14 metres or so, so the whaleshark couldn't dive and disappear as some of the others did. Instead it began to rise and as it came closer to us and the surface the sunlight shining down lit up it's spots. And it's massive tail was slowly waving from side to side. And for just one moment everything in the world was this one massive creature from the deep.

I'm not going to be able to do it justice, but fortunately one of my fellow snorkellers, Cyril, had a sooper dooper Lumic High Definition camera and got some video footage. And this film is all that I am talking about. You can't tell from the video how big a fish it really is - so there is a photo at the top with a snorkeler or two for scale.



Thanks Cyril, for all of the videos and photos, and to Cyril and AJ for your company over beer and chinese food.