So, you want to swim with the whalesharks? Excellent, you’re going to love it!... At Ningaloo Reef Dive we are proud to offer you the opportunity of a lifetime; to swim with the largest fish in the ocean. Believed to grow up to 18 metres in length, this gentle giant is a fish species…. It is not a whale, (which is a mammal) the whaleshark does not need to come to the surface to breathe, it has gills like any other fish. With this in mind we are very lucky to see this amazing creature at all. They are also known to dive to depths of over 1500 metres.


So why do they come to the surface?


Very little is known about the biology and habits of the whale shark, but from observation by many marine biologists, tour operators and regulating government bodies in Western Australia, and throughout the world we believe that they continue to make their annual visits to the Ningaloo Reef  to feed on large aggregations of plankton which occur just after the annual March/April coral spawning. Warm, nutrient rich waters support the growth of plankton which is the whalesharks’ main source of food. They are filter feeders or “pelagic fish”. This means that they allow large amounts of plankton rich water into their very wide mouths, and filter the plankton from it, to consume, through hundreds of very small teeth. The remaining sea water is let out through their gills. They will slowly swim along with their mouths open, generally in a straight line, through plankton rich areas of water to feed in this way. Warm, plankton rich water rises to the surface of the ocean, and this is why we find the whalesharks there.


From our own observations we often come across a whaleshark on the surface which is not feeding but seems to be lazily swimming along in a very relaxed state… maybe just soaking in the warmth of the sun? We don’t know for sure. But if I had been diving down in the cold depths of the ocean at 1500M I think I would like to warm up in the sun too!


We have also had whalesharks that show interest and seem genuinely curious about our presence. We have had them come right up to the boat, turn on their sides, and look up at us with their small eyes. We have had them follow the boat , and swimmers in the water, they seem to like the bubbles created by our movement… We would like YOU to experience these things for yourselves.

Come on out, we’d love to have you with us.



 

Whaleshark Interaction Tours available daily from late March up to July every year. Full day 8:00AM to 4:30PM SNORKELLING ONLY Inclusive of:

· Spotter plane used all day to locate whalesharks.

· Focus on finding & swimming with whalesharks.

· All equipment – use of wetsuits, mask, snorkel & fins.

· Full buffet lunch, morning & afternoon tea ( special diet needs can be catered for with advanced notice)

· Various snorkelling opportunities on the inner reef throughout the day.

· Opportunity to see dolphins, turtles, dugong and other marine creatures.

· Experienced , friendly & professional crew with PADI Dive Master qualifications ensures a fun & safe day out on the water.

· Videographer on board to capture your special day (opportunity to purchase DVD)

· Full tour briefing including swimming with whalesharks , whaleshark & marine park information.

· Maximum 20 people per tour, with 10 people in water with whaleshark at any one time.

· Crew guide (swimmer) in water with you at all times.

· Bus transfer to and from jetty.

· Luxury 57ft vessel “Encounter II” with fully covered & carpeted deck, on-board facilities, and easy access to and from water.

· Free repeat tour in the unfortunate event that we do not see a whaleshark on the day.

· DEC fees and souvenir whaleshark ticket.



contact us for bookings & enquiries



Things we would like you to know.

· Required skills: You will be swimming in the open ocean on a whaleshark tour so you must be a competent swimmer. Children are welcome and require the skill to swim confidently in an open water environment.

· Repeat policy: In the unfortunate event that we do not encounter a whaleshark on the day, each paying passenger will be offered one free repeat tour on the next available trip. This trip is not transferable or refundable and valid for the current season only. Every repeat passenger must present the whaleshark ticket they were issued on their original tour, so please keep it in a safe place.

· Refunds: will only be given in the event that a tour is cancelled due to bad weather. There are no exceptions. Tour date changes can be made given 72 hours notice or more.

· Our commitment to you: please keep in mind that our dealings with wild animals in their natural environment are not predictable. Our commitment to you is that our crew will make every possible effort to ensure that you have the best experience possible, however we can not guarantee that we will see all or any of the wildlife mentioned.

· Special needs: we welcome those with special needs and disabilities. We will make every effort to get you on board and in the action. Accompanying carers are free of charge. Contact us, we welcome the challenge.

· Diving: in order to minimize the disturbance to the whalesharks natural behaviour we do not SCUBA dive with whalesharks in Coral Bay. Whaleshark Interaction Tours are a snorkelling experience only.



Department of Environment and Conservation licensed tour operator.

Licensee: Tonja Powell HQ68748WSC HQ68584CB