Swimming with Whale Sharks

The first time the boatman urged me to go below the surface, I resolutely plunged downwards and went as deep as I could go.

Unfortunately — apparently — this was as deep as I could go:

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Just inches shy of the surface and my arms all awkwardly angled too. 😂

So I’ll probably never win awards for diving or synchronized swimming or just, you know, gracefulness…

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…and I never got to live that scenario in my head where I would just stay still underwater and serenely contemplate the majestic beings swimming around me.

For all that, those beings were no less majestic…

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…and the experience was no less unbelievable.
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Whale sharks

…are the world’s biggest fish and they congregate in tropical waters rich in plankton. A significant number of them can be found off the coast of Oslob, a town in my home island of Cebu, in the Philippines. Since whale sharks are filter feeders, they hardly pose a threat to man; it’s man, instead, that pose a threat to them.

Everyone intending to swim with the whale sharks in Oslob undergo a quick orientation before being allowed on the boats. Rules are outlined. Swimmers must not put on sunblock. Flash photography is not allowed. Touching a whale shark is strictly forbidden; we are not even supposed to go within 4 feet of one.

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However…

Whale sharks going within 4 feet of humans is another matter altogether.

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All right, all right, no need to bite my head off.

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For more information about whale sharks

Check out this WWF primer.

And if you want to swim with whale sharks too, you can fly to Cebu, take a cab to the South Bus Terminal, and catch the bus going to Oslob. Better yet, if you have the time and resources, and you’re okay with the idea that a whale shark sighting is not guaranteed on your first go, head for Donsol (Sorsogon) instead, as their whale shark ecotourism practices are more ethical and sustainable than those of Oslob.

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Swimming with Whale Sharks (Oslob, Cebu, Philippines) | Small-Town Girls, Midnight Trains