Yep! I did it. Swam with sharks...the biggest living fish in the ocean, in fact - whale sharks - in one of the most gorgeous, sea exploration areas of Western Australia: Exmouth. Over two days my partner and I drove to Exmouth from Perth, armed with a tent, snorkels and heaps of enthusiasm! We stopped at Monkey Mia on the way and joined in a dolphin feeding. Monkey Mia's calm, wide bay is one of the most serene places I've seen - a symphony of blue-greens, greys and silver...haunting, especially in the early morning light, when we fed the dolphins. But the whale sharks were our true goal and off we went the next morning, northward bound.
In Exmouth, after setting up our little tent, we sailed out with Captain Bill of Kings Expeditions on a magnificent boat, the Magellan. We were lucky enough to sight a whale shark early on - and plunged into the ocean with about 18 other people of every age to snorkel with it, in two very respectful groups. The wellbeing of the marine life is always a prime consideration on these eco tours, and we were instructed to stay 3 metres away from the shark and behind its gills.
Seeing the whale shark loom into sight just feet away, was an experience unlike any other! I felt no fear - just awe and wonder. Humility and a kind of bliss at actually being there in that place at that time. What a privilege!
The first shark was about 4 metres (12 feet) wide, and we were thrilled when the day proceeded to bring us four other sharks, the largest being over 8 metres. We swam twice with the largest, which was particularly friendly and slow swimming. Wow! They were massive creatures that were far more beautiful than I'd anticipated - stunning rows of white spots on a blue background. One of the sharks was a fast mover, but most were amazingly slow moving, and allowed us to snorkel by their side for a good five or ten minutes. Time stood still for me during these swims. It was awe inspiring to be so close to the sharks' extraordinary beauty, and know that these gentle creatures would do no harm. I would do this again in a heartbeat! (And let us do all we can to see there are still whalesharks around for many, many years to come. There are already so few left. They are non-aggressive giants, and easy prey for unenlightened, greedy humans - ugh!)
During the excursion we stopped twice to snorkel outside of Exmouth's reef, taking in the extraordinary coral formations and marine life. Apparently a 2.5 metre tiger shark was cruising peacefully nearby during one of these stops, which the organisers told us about only once we were safely on board, in order to avoid a panic. (Good call.)
We encountered two pods of humpback whales, and stayed very close to one pod, until one of the whales dived, flipping his magnificent tail.
The water in Exmouth was even warmer beyond the reef than in-shore -some five degrees warmer - due to a warm current that travels from the north. There was no need for wetsuits.
Coral Bay was our next port of call, where I was again moved almost to tears as I snorkelled with several 3 metre (9 foot) manta rays - enormous, graceful rays without barbs, that were happy to perform their underwater ballet for the small group of snorkellers next to them. I have never seen such grace! It was a magnificent, humbling experience to watch their dance. I know I am overusing the word 'magnificent', but such was the experience.
The coral "gardens" of Coral Bay were extraordinary, and even though the water was a little churned, snorkelling was still fantastic. We saw turtles, dolphins and many smaller rays. I also saw a large reef shark, which set my pulse racing.
One of the revelations of this holiday was seeing how closely many of the wildly coloured fish we snorkelled with resembled Japanese kimono designs. One fish I saw (enormous, I might add), had an all over design of black and yellow polka dots, and a big set of mauvish lips. It was my favourite fish, by far! On shore I researched those fish I'd seen that looked like something straight out of a Japanese design book, and sure enough, those very fish were also common to Japanese waters. So - a design revelation!
I am by nature a minimalist artist and prefer subtle colours, but I could be persuaded to experiment with new colour combinations after my snorkelling experiences on the W.A. coast. I totally recommend it to artists, designers and non-artists alike. It is a truly awe-inspiring experience!
Happy painting! And do swim with the sharks! Here is the link to the great people at Kings: http://www.kingsningalooreeftours.com.au
Margot.
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