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Off the WA coast, Annalies Gartner gets a close-up view of beautiful, giant whale sharks.
I slowly turned around in the water. All I could see was a mass of pink jellyfish, their tentacles dancing to the rhythm of the sea. I raised my head above the waterline and turned to the boat. “It’s coming straight for ya,“ was the call of the guide. I took in the direction she was pointing, positioned myself and again looked through the blue hue. Still I could see nothing. Then gradually a massive shape began to take form.
Effortlessly, this giant of the sea glided towards me, a metre-wide mouth agape. The potato cod we’d snorkelled above earlier in the morning now paled in size. I moved out of its path, not wanting to collide with the biggest fish in the sea: the whale shark.
The gentle giants’ striped and speckled-bodies grow up to 12 metres long and can weigh over 11 tonnes. These huge creatures are filter feeders and get their sustenance from plankton.
Their size and weight conjures up a vision of an awkward animal, but trying to keep up with a whale shark as it cruises through the water is a struggle for even the fittest, most experienced snorkeller. The full day’s tour will leave you feeling elated and exhausted.
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AdvertisementNingaloo Marine Park, about 1200 kilometres north of Perth, is home to these massive creatures for about four months a year. A week after the full moon in March, more than 200 species of coral begin to spawn. Several weeks later the whale sharks appear. Although a lot about the life of whale sharks still remains a mystery, the yearly visit to Ningaloo is assured.
Ningaloo reef is the largest fringing coral reef in Australia. It stretches 260 kilometres down the coast and the marine park covers 4000 square kilometres. The reef’s closest point is only 100 metres offshore and seven kilometres is the furthest point.
Whale sharks are a major tourist attraction but there are many activities, including swimming with manta rays. And the Navy Pier is considered one of Australia’s best shore dives.
Several beaches, accessible via Cape Range National Park, including Turquoise Bay and Ningaloo Retreat, present the opportunity for some amazing drift snorkelling. If you walk south down the beach with snorkelling equipment and swim a few metres out from the shore, the current will take you on a tour of the colourful underwater world.
An array of fish, rays, reef sharks, sea snakes, turtles and coral species are all a part of this fragile ecosystem. Just one coral bommie hosts a multitude of sea life.
For those who prefer not to get their feet wet, sightseeing in a glass bottom boat is available, as are canoeing tours over the coral and through the lagoons.
Fishing is also a popular pastime (outside of the sanctuary zones). For those looking for something more adventurous than throwing a line in from the beach, fishing operators will take you out in search of the big game fish.
Some of the sought-after species found in the area include marlin, sailfish, Spanish mackerel and mahi mahi.
During the months from June to October, humpback whales pass through Ningaloo on their migratory path. Tours can be taken for a close-up experience with the whales, and they can also be seen breaching and tale-slapping from the shore.
At the end of an action-filled day at Ningaloo, wander down on to the pristine white sand and watch the sky explode into a hot palate of colours as the sun sets over the ocean.
You may even see an emu taking a stroll along the beach.
After dark, during the months from December to March, turtles use the coastlines to lay their eggs.
Visitors to the park can be lucky enough to see green, loggerhead, hawksbill and even flatback turtles crawl up the beach to dig a nest and lay their eggs.
After the eggs have incubated, in the evenings, hatchlings can be observed making an awkward dash for the safety of the sea.
For an ocean holiday not to be forgotten it is hard to go past Ningaloo, with so much to do for those looking for some action. If lying on the beach soaking up the sun is more of your idea of a holiday the white sand and azure water makes a perfect backdrop for such an experience.
Situated just north of the Tropic of Capricorn, the water stays an inviting temperature most of the year.