swimming with whale sharks in Exmouth, WA?
 

We are 4 adults going on an Australia-Indonesia cruise in late February. Is snorkling wih these sharks dangerous? Has anyone done it before?

We visited Exmouth about a year ago and my spouse went snorkeling with the whale sharks. It's not dangerous - they eat plankton - but you do need to be a stong swimmer and it's a bit of a workout, as you swim along with the whale sharks and they cover quite a bit of ground.

Unfortunately, February is too early for whale sharks. The season generally runs from March-June. They migrate north, so they'll be seen in Coral Bay first, then eventually Exmouth.

They are gentle beautiful giants. Swimming with the whale sharks of Ningaloo Reef/Exmouth was the most amazing and memorable thing I have ever done in my life--such a rush. I felt privileged to swim alongside these creatures about which so little is known. To think that they are hunted in other parts of the world horrifies me.

What was also great was swimming with the manta rays of Ningaloo Reef. We saw a manta ray mating chain (the manta ray is also a vulnerable species).

The scuba dive off Exmouth's Navy Pier was one of the best dives ever, like diving into a crowded aquarium.

I was not a good swimmer at the time (still not so great), so I wore a Scubapro snorkeling vest, which greatly helped with my confidence and ability to keep up with the whaleshark. I am a runner, though, so I do have endurance.

You are instructed to keep a respectful distance from the whaleshark (I think it was something like 15 feet), but that doesn't prevent the whaleshark from swimming toward you, mouth open wide, scooping up plankton. Easy enough to get out the way. Bright yellow trevally accompany the whale sharks; this makes for a lovely and colorful cavalcade.

I bought my Scubapro snorkeling vest about 15 years ago and it has been invaluable, a great investment, as I get nervous in water over my head (unless I am scuba diving and hooked up to an air tank). I have used my snorkeling vest throughout the Pacific.

Cant believe we are going to be too early for whale sharks! What about tropical cyclones in the area in late Feb?

Diamantina, what month did you go to Exmouth?

Cyclones are certainly a possibility and this season is expected to be worse than usual according to the WA weather bureau. I just read on the Exmouth visitor's website that whale shark season is technically from April-July. We went in June and it was getting a bit late in the season, which is why we chose to do the snorkel from Exmouth instead of Coral Bay.

PS - February is the hottest month in WA.

This link might help with your planning:

http://www.exmouthwa.com.au/pages/whale-sharks/

Beazablah,

In answer to your question, my husband and I traveled to Exmouth in May of 2002. The weather was ideal.

thank you Diamantina. I wonder what alternate destination a cruise would take if we are sailing from Perth to Geraldton, Exmouth, Komodo Island....etc to Singapore. I guess there is nowhere to go west of West Australia except Christmas Island in case of a cyclone.