Philippine-4

Oslob

The arrival wasn’t as charming as Apo island but we were all super excited to see the whale sharks. So, as soon as we got to the hotel we headed back out towards the whale shark office which was closed, but dad had read that we should be there around am so as to be there before the crowds. We had a plan. 

We then set out for supper. We looked around and stopped at a random restaurant. It just so happens the only other people there were celebrating someone’s birthday and they had way to much food and so they gave us plates of this and plates of that. They even gave us each a slice of cake… mmm delicious! 

It is on a full stomach that we went to bed dreaming about tomorrow and the whale sharks. 

The next morning, 5am sharp, the alarm rings, we wake up, eat breakfast, put on our bathing suits, grab our masks and snorkels and out go. 

On site, we quickly buy our tickets and sit down to listen to a mandatory briefing. They explained to keep a distance and stay within the bamboo skate of the boat … well for the rest all we heard was bla-bla-bla! Our minds were completely focused on getting to the whale sharks. Once that was done, they indicated which paddle boat we should board (no motor boats here to protect the Sharks!). 

A very short ride and then BAM, they were there…. Like RIGHT there! We couldn’t get in the water fast enough! The moment I got in and plunged my head under the surface, the only thing that popped to mind was WOW there they are… RIGHT there at an arms reach, and they are the whale gigantic!

I was SO impressed, and forget the distance with the whale sharks they passed right in front of you and then waked their tails right under you as they swam along. You had to lift your feet not to touch them. It was simply amazing. 30 minutes later they told us that it was time to go back to the shore. Incredible… how could 30 minutes go by so fast!?

Mom and I loved it so much that we went back a second time! This time we let the boatman take our underwater camera since he was insisting so much. Well, as soon as the camera landed in his hands he told us to go closer to the whale sharks so that he could take pictures. Forget about staying within the bamboo skate… we now had full range of where we wanted to go in order to get up close and personal with the giants! Mom laughed and said that all we needed to do was to give the man a camera to get closer to the whale sharks! What an incredible experience!