sharks are spotted year-round.
And on this trip, we were in luck.
It took us only a few minutes after
heading out to spot our first whale
shark, their big shapes forming
shadows right underneath the surface
of the water. Joel asked for the boat
to stop a good distance away, and
asked us to get into our snorkeling
gear quickly. When he spotted the
butanding heading our way, we
jumped into the water, taking care not
to block the creature’s path.
Turns out that our friend the marine
biologist from WWF was right. The
experience is enough to leave you
speechless. The butanding swims by,
and the mind reels. The size is what
gets you, it seems impossible that a
fish can grow to that size. And then,
as it moves, its sheer grace is striking.
Unfettered by gravity, it glides through
the water with silent strength. It is
when you realize that you are actually
in the water alongside this creature
that it all hits home, and there it is, the
sense of wonder that seeps in.
We went on to see four other distinct
whale sharks in five encounters over
the next couple of hours on this trip.
And each time, it took a few moments
after we were back on the boat before
anyone could speak — we were
awestruck.
Cebu Pacific flies to Legazpi from
Manila and Cebu.
com
W H A L E S H A R K S I N S O R S O G O N
Thriving in warm tropical
waters, these underwater
giants are among the
gentlest mammals; (Inset)
the butandings feed
mainly on plankton
and small fish
Swimming with
the big fish has
never been so
much fun
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PHOTO
DANNY OCAMPO (TOP)
