An amazing sight i will never forget !!!! According to the local DiveMasters, many resort dive instructors have yet to see one for the last 3 years. (these guys stay on the island) Sighting of the whale shark is so rare, although not impossible. And i think we were extremely lucky to see one at the right place and at the right time.
We all started with our 3rd dive of the day. We geared up as usual at the dive center, and just about to leave to our dive boats, there was a sharp ring of telephone. Our divemaster, Jan Shir, received the call from another center saying that a whale shark was spotted at 4.15pm at southern tip (dive site). Immediately, he asks us whether we wanna go see it. Of course, we were like crazy like hell...didnt know what to expect. All the time, on the boat, Janshir kept telling us - no promises that we will see it!!!
The moment we reached the dive site, immediately we did our usual giant stride into the water. We were descending into the waters around 8 meters (about 30 seconds) Janshir immediately banged his tank ( as a signal to watch him). We all turned towards his direction, and all of us saw this giant monstrous whale shark approaching us about 30 meters away - swimming right into our direction. All of us nearly forgot to breathe!!!!
It headed right into our direction and you can see this huge big creature closing in on fast towards us. All of us watched in awe, and Andy, who was holding our group's rented camera started snapping like crazy, thinking that it was once in a lifetime moment. Some of us finned like mad, trying to get close to the creature. (Some of us also like stood a way distant from it!!!)
It started its pass on us and i could see it like 2 feet away!!! Some of us managed to get close to even touch the gentle creature. And some of us swam beside it closely admiring the shark. As it continued on its journey, we slowly lost sight of it. Some of the other divemasters began finning like mad trying to chase it.
We hovered around the area for a while, thinking that we already had that one chance to see this beautiful creature. And without a sudden warning, it came back on its second run. Possibly just as curious as us, watching us, and wondering what these small creatures chasing it and yet admiring it, and touching it. The whale shark circled the same area for 40 mins, coming around the same area, while we dived together with it.
We only managed to snap a few pictures and it was one of those moments that all us, will never ever forget in our many dives. Some of us commented that it was like something you actually see on National Geographic. The light shimmering on top of the water surface, and the whale shark passing on top of us. Others say that they learnt diving without expectation of seeing something so beautiful.
But for me, it was a sight i would never forget nor describe. It was almost as if it was nature's way of showing us its most gentlest creatures of the sea, and the dire needs to protect it more from disappearing from the face of earth forever.
Tom of Tom's Jalan-Jalan http://groups.msn.com/tomsjalanjalan
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