Alex Postigo

We were almost ready to head back.

The wind had picked up, the surface was covered in white water, and after hours at sea it felt like the day was coming to an end.

Then we heard a report on the radio.

A female whale shark had been seen somewhere in the area.

So we stayed alert.

Not long after, between the foam, a large shadow appeared moving just below the surface.

We had a couple of opportunities to enter the water with her. Each time, we stayed suspended and waited, trying to read her movement without interfering with it.

She passed calmly, holding a steady course through the water.

What makes encounters like this even more fascinating is how little we still know about female whale sharks. To this day, only one pregnant female has ever been scientifically documented, carrying more than 300 embryos.

A few moments, a few photographs, and then she disappeared back into the blue.

Grateful for encounters like this, and even more for being able to share them with the right people.
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#ocean #whaleshark #travel #wildlife #underwater