By Michelle (Coconut Odyssey).
My name is Michelle the founder of CoconutOdyssey.com. Wildlife is my absolute passion and over the years my travels have always revolved around nature, above and below the waves, so I created my blog to inspire others to join in on the journey and enjoy their own wildlife experiences.
I have had some breath-taking moments over the years, from being approached by a wild Mountain Gorilla in Uganda, to witnessing a monumental four-hour river crossing, during the Great Wildebeest migration in Tanzania.
However, one of my most memorable moments has been scuba diving alone with over seven Whale Sharks in the middle of the glistening ocean.
After many years of unsuccessful attempts of trying to grab a glimpse of these illusive creatures, we decided to head out to Cenderawasih Bay, the biggest marine protected area in Indonesia.
The whale sharks have been attracted to the area since the 1940’s to feed on the fishing nets which hang from Bagans, a traditional floating fishing platform. The fishermen believe there is a spiritual connection between them and continue to feed the whale sharks from their catch for good luck.
On the morning of the dive, I had such mixed emotions from nerves to excitement but one thing was for certain…. I was jumping in to that ocean no matter what. It was quite a wakeup call as the fresh ocean splashed across my face at 7am and just as I did, there out of the deep dark blue, several shadows started to approach us.
It wasn’t long before we were surrounded by seven of the world’s most gentle giants! I’d watched numerous wildlife documentaries about Whale Sharks and knew they could grow up to 40ft, but nothing prepared me for the sheer size and grace of these magnificent creatures. I had to keep reminding myself to breathe!
In all honesty I was quite nervous, not because they pose any threat to humans but because of their immense size, however, they were incredibly gentle and spaciously aware around us. One Whale Shark in particular took a very fond interest in my pink dive gear and kept getting closer and closer for a better look. As the shark slowly approached me, we looked straight into each other’s eyes and I was so overcome with emotion that my mask started to fill with tears of joy! Having a connection with a wild animal even for a split second is one that will stay with you forever!
I hope by sharing my stories and photos I can inspire others to love & protect animals as much as I do.
Find out more about Michelle’s wildlife travels and beautiful photography below:
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