Swimming with the Whale Sharks

It’s been on my bucket list for years. When we began planning this trip, visiting Ningaloo was at the top of my “must see” places. Fear of missing out caused me to book our sites way back in January. Back in Melbourne, all I could do to tame the excitement was to go online and view videos and images of this magnificent coast; within months, Ningaloo sand would filter through my toes, the sun would warm my cold Melbourne body and the water would cleanse and refresh me.

There’s something about turquoise water, white sandy beaches and miles and miles of shoreline. It stirs the inner child within me. Not a day passes when I don’t see a turtle swimming passed, bobbing it’s head up for air, dolphins frolicking in the water, crabs scurrying at the water’s edge, dugongs swimming within the reef, and an abundance of sea life swimming around the bommies.

Ningaloo has not disappointed. We have been here a week and intend to stay another four. Currently we are at Mesa in Cape Range National Park, Next week we move to Osprey Bay, which also lies within the park and following that we head down to Coral Bay.

The highlight so far has been the almighty swim with the whale sharks. Unlike snorkelling inside a reef which is somewhat protected from the elements, this required a great deal of effort. We were in the Indian ocean, the sea bed was between 40 – 80 metres below us and the winds were up, causing a decent swell.

Once a whale shark was spotted we would dive into the ocean and power though the swell to an area where the shark would pass us by, we could then follow it but had to maintain a distance of three metres, unless of course it approached you. It was soon evident that trying to keep up with the shark required some powerful strokes and intense kicking until the final surrender.

I don’t think I can fully begin to describe the moment I unexpectedly came face to face with a whale shark. I stared down into the depths of this alien environment admiring its majestic beauty and slowly and rhythmically this gentle giant turned ninety degrees and began swimming towards me. I gazed at the tender expression on its face, its serene and gentle eyes and the huge smile on its face as it passed me by. It was at this moment that my unfounded vulnerabilities were at their most heightened.

That evening Steve and I were fatigued and it would be another 24 hours before we had the energy to do anything.