Close enough to touch, we contemplated each other. My eyes were made large, magnified by a snorkel mask and awe. Hers were small and lucid, neatly camouflaged among her ‘many stars’ dermal pattern. In this moment, we are two sentient vertebrates, sharing a column of clear blue water.
In celebration of our second anniversary, Kent and I flew from Korea to Cebu. It was exactly not the kind of beachy Philippine vacation we were envisioning: Tropical Storm Seniang swept over the island as we arrived. Torrential rains drenched the beaches and flooded our bungalow. Wild winds made for a few interesting, short runs and choppy diving conditions.
However, the local marine life didn’t seem to mind the weather above the waves! We spent a week swimming alongside green turtles, diving into silvery bait balls of sardines and being amazed by the diverse array of colorful denizens of the tropical reef on our first dive trip together. Then, on our very last day, we had a magical encounter with the biggest fish in the sea.
Whale sharks are enormous, growing up to 18 meters or more. Their giant bodies seem miraculously grown, especially when one considers that they feed only on tiny plankton. They’re migratory, pelagic fish found in tropical waters – more commonly in the Indo-Pacific than in the Atlantic. Sadly, these days they are found less frequently: whale sharks are an endangered species, threatened by fishing and other human activity in their ocean home. It is increasingly rare to see these gentle giants in the wild.
In hopes of laying eyes on one ourselves, we set off early in the morning. It was just the two of us in a small boat along with one guide and captain. Our local guide was diligent about explaining the rules and our responsibilities in the water. Although there were a handful of other boats out, it was quiet: perhaps lingering effects from the typhoon kept others away from the bay that day.
We motored out into the wavy water and stopped while our guide scanned the water for signs of the sharks. Within minutes, we were donning life jackets and slipping into the blue beside the boat.
Underwater, whale sharks were everywhere! They glided to and fro below the mirrored surface. They were so near – and the water so clear – that there was no need to dive down: floating horizontally on the surface was close enough for some very good looks. In fact, one shark ventured so close to me that I had to strain away to avoid accidental contact!
We’d been in the water a few minutes when one individual swam over – seemingly for a closer look at us. We stayed respectfully motionless: arms and flippers still on the surface. But a mutual curiosity prolonged the moment. As I gazed awestruck at this majestic being, I caught her return gaze looking back at me. Time seemed to stand still. Eventually, with a single stroke of her long tail, she turned away and began to descend.
Shortly after, we were assisted back onto the boat and taken ashore. We drove directly to the airport: still wet and full of wonder as we boarded our flight back home.
Want to see more of this amazing animal adventure? Here are more photos from under the sea in Cebu! Want to learn more about ethical whale shark encounters? Consider this before you travel.