Whale Sharks WA

Today was exactly what this trip was all about. The catalyst for being here. A bucket list dream years in the planning. We swam with Whale Sharks at Ningaloo Reef and it was fantastic. And to top it off we were joined by a pod of dolphins for the experience!

Our vessel for the day was called ‘Blue Strike’ operated by Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks. After a short practice snorkel at the inner reef, we headed out to begin our search for the big fish. It took only half an hour or so for the spotter plane to find our first Whale Shark and we were quickly into the water. We got a glimpse, but this guy was a juvenile with a case of the zoomies and just too quick to keep up with. So back on the boat and off to find a slower one.

After not too long we found a big Whale Shark (approx. 7m long) that was happily cruising near the surface - the perfect candidate for us to swim along with. We spent quite some time getting up close and personal with this magnificent creature as it casually swam by only a few short metres away. Immersed in the water alongside it we could see every detail of its spotted skin and truly appreciate the scale of this gentle giant as it cruised the crystal waters of Ningaloo Reef.

Heading back to the wharf we dropped anchor in the calm waters of the inner reef to enjoy an on-board lunch and snorkel in the warm shallow waters off the back of the boat. The water was a stunning 26 degrees and the day-time temp was sitting at around 28 degrees. Just perfect.

Another magical day in WA was topped off with woodfired pizzas and a tasting paddle at the Whalebone Brewery - an Exmouth institution.

We all agreed that today has moved to the top of our highlights list. It's going to be hard to bump it from here, but we still have a few weeks and many adventures ahead so who knows...Read more