Swimming with Whale Sharks

Boatman Hanging Out
see all photos »

It's not very often that an opportunity like the experience in Padre Burgos presents itself. To swim with a whale shark is an experience not to be missed. A school of about 12 congregate off the southern tip of Leyte every spring. Totally harmless, they don't even have teeth. Their diet is mainly plankton and the odd little fish that slips in along the way. There are very few spots in the world where their congregation is predictable enough to get into the water with them.

I set off from Padre Burgos with a madly passionate (and mad also) English dive master and two other divers. Our start for the day was a dive site along the way and it certainly isn't only the whale sharks that the area has to offer. Very healthy corals and abundant fish to rival any dive site in the Philippines. A bit of a record for myself on the dive that I'm not likely to beat for a while, maximum depth of 46m (for about 30 seconds!). The divemaster nearly had a heart attack when he found out that I had 16 dives under my belt and where had had taken me. Not even a bit of nitrogen narcosis to report.

Swimming with a giant 8m long

Family on the Move
see all photos »

From there is was off to try and get a look at the big boys. The biggest whale shark in the area is about 12m long. They are the biggest living fish: sharks by species, but behave totally like whales. Spotting one is not the easiest of tasks either. On arrival in the area the first greeting was from some enterprising locals pretending to be from the local municipality. Gary, our dive master knew better. He said he enjoys his battle with them every week when he goes down. The other few dive shops in the area just give in and pay for their 'mandatory spotting and interaction' services. How a guy paddling in a little two man wooden boat can spot better than someone standing on the roof of a fishing boat looking over the water is just a little puzzling. The whales appear just under the surface as a dark shadow.

River Local to Padre Burgos
see all photos »

We got four cracks at jumping in the water in the three hours that we were in the area. It all happens too fast to get in with all the scuba gear, so it's on with the snorkel to try to catch the beast. The first time I missed out and he was gone before I jumped in. It wasn't going to happen again. My fins remained on my feet for the next three hours and it paid off. I caught my first sight by accident when swimming back to the boat after a false alarm. The beautiful fish was descending slowly in the water about 6m below me. Not too close for a first try.

Local 5 Star Resort
see all photos »

When the next call went out I was in the water like a flash. I caught sight of him at the back of our boat and took off in chase. I caught him and swam side by side near the surface for about 60m. I even got passed him to have a good look at his peculiar make-up. Eventually though the effort of keeping up with the shark gliding along in the water was exhausting I had to abandon.

With my last shark I was a little more adventurous (and bold). Gary was telling us how they sharks don't mind you to grab them by the dorsal fin and they just tow you along like the fish that hitch a ride. I really had to make up ground to catch the next shark. When I got to him he was right at the surface. I swam over him for a while and then thought it would be a great idea to tag on to him. That was the last I saw of him as he jolted in the water and took off. Very fine advice from out guide for the day! I regretted catching him after as he was just drifting along by the surface perfect to swim along with. Not sure that the guys trying to preserve the area would have been too impressed with our guide either.

Bato Market
see all photos »

After departing from our overgrown friends it was time to jump in for another dive on the way home. By the time six struck and we got back to the pier in Padre Burgos, I was ready to fall down.

My other day in the area was spent exploring. Just like my day of wanderings in Bohol, everything along the way turned out to be a treat. The butchers in the local market in Maasin were putting on a special show for the camera. Fresh cocoa beans were being roasted to make into the base ingredient for chocolate and I can confirm that without being laced with sugar they taste really disgusting. As usual everyone wanted their photo taken. On the roadside, in the markets or in the shop fronts there was always a smile for the camera. I was surprised to come on some quite nice rice terraces near the end of my travels. The locals out getting the plots ready for the next sowing.

The Butchers of Bato Market
see all photos »

All in all a very successful trip to Padre Burgos. The whale sharks were found (and terrified!) and the local areas explored. Mission accomplished.