Our first cruise/tour was with the Manta Rays. The day we went out was beautiful and sunny, but the wind was up in the morning with a big swell, about 2 metres. To ensure that what you state on your disclaimer form is true, i.e. you can swim and have snorkeled before you take a first dive inside the reef. The water was very clear and clean with amazing tropical reef fish and corals.
Given no one drowned on this first dive!!!!!! we proceeded to look for Manta's, which by the way inhabit Ningaloo Reef all year around. The operators send a plane up to search for the Manta's which when spotted is relayed to the skipper who then makes a mad dash for the coordinates provided by the pilot. As we prepare for our dive, it is a flurry of activity, nervous energy and excitement in anticipation of seeing these wonderful animals. To ensure the safety of the divers, a lead diver goes in and locates the Manta. She has a series of arm/hand signals which allows the skipper to let the divers enter the water safely and to ascertain the location of the Manta for the divers to swim to. As mentioned the swell was heavy. The lead diver by this time was some 500 metres or so from the boat. Upon entering the water the first time it was very difficult to keep up with her, combined with the swell. We were provided with hand signals to indicate that we wanted to be picked up by the crew if we required it. This was done effortlessly and safely, although you do float around for a tad waiting for the pickup. Given this Manta didn't want to play ball with us and was swimming very close to shore where the swell was crashing down, it was deemed not safe, and all divers were instructed to return to the boat.
Our second effort was greeted with much success, as our Manta had swum out to deeper water, about 10 metres deep, although still well inside the reef. Although the swell was still big, we were able to get into the action and see and swim with a beautiful, and what we learned later was a very pregnant female Manta. Swimming with these massive animals, an estimated wing span of 4 metres was incredible. They are just like huge birds as they glide through the water getting their gills cleaned by little fish that are happy to perform this role for them, they get a free feed and the Manta's get cleaned, seems a like good deal to me!!!
Upon returning to the boat, there were many exhilarated smiles. Apart from seeing these beautiful animals in their natural habitat you do get provided with a great deal of education and facts about them. Each lead diver will take photo's of the Manta's, which are then sent to various research and environmental agencies for analysis and record keeping and to ensure the continual welfare of the Manta's. No two Manta's are the same, i.e. their markings are unique to them. Our lead diver will often recognize a Manta by it's markings, they even have names for the ones that they do know. Very cool.
After an excellent lunch we went for another dive in the afternoon, by which time the wind had dropped completely, and the ocean was like a mill pond. This dive was fantastic as we saw reef sharks, green turtles, dolphins, fish galore and beautiful coral. We returned home tired and water logged, but excited by the beautiful Manta's and other wildlife that we had had the opportunity to see.
As one of my big bucket list items was to swim with a Whale Shark, albeit and very honestly I didn't think I would do it as it is an 'open ocean' dive in very deep water. Now I can swim and snorkel well, but my fear was being in the open ocean. I didn't want to waste my time or money by being out there and having a panic attack.
Having swum with the Manta Rays, albeit inside the reef, I overcame my fear and thought if I didn't do it I would regret it. I booked the dive. So the day arrived. Again it was a beautiful sunny and warm day, but as with the Manta Ray dive the wind was up in the morning, as was the swell. We left port and you get a first dive inside the reef, which was great. After returning from this first dive, we then proceeded to head for the opening in the reef which would take us out to the open ocean. It was a tough day on the water as the swell was very bad, and to make matters worse, we didn't see a Whale Shark. As with the Manta Ray's, a plane is sent up to try and spot the shark. Our pilot spent some six hours in the air, and we travelled sixty nautical miles without success. But, there is always a silver lining, coming back inside the reef we went for a dive and saw to beautiful Manta's, so not a wasted day at all.
As we were not leaving for a few days, I decided that I would give it one more go. So with the same drill we departed again to try and find our Whale Shark. This day was overcast and not windy, which was great. Our pilot went up, and within an hour a Whale Shark was spotted. I can best explain it as organized panic as everyone donned their wet suits and dive gear. We were given very explicit and careful instructions about what to do when we are in the ocean with the shark, and importantly how to return to the boat safely, which is not anchored. We are split into two groups of ten each. I am in the first group. We are told to go and sit on the dive board at the back. Our lead diver enters the water and locates the shark. We are instructed to 'go, go, go now divers' by one of the crew. Upon entering the water, which is as warm as a bath and the most amazing blue colour, all of my fears disappear abut being in the open ocean some five to six kilometres from shore and in about forty to fifty metres of water, as I see my first Whale Shark coming towards me. It is the most amazing creature I have ever seen. It is huge about 6 metres long, and it is a male. Our shark, and by the way the Whale Shark is a shark and is the largest fish in the ocean that doesn't eat people, but plankton. As it turns out the shark doesn't swim quickly, it is very easy to keep up with. As with the Manta's each Whale Shark has individual markings. Our lead diver takes photo's of the sharks which along with the Manta's is provided to government and envirnomental agencies for reasearch and sustanibaility purposes. We are instructed by our group diver to come back to her after about ten minutes. As a group we encircle each other and float around until our boat comes and gets us. I take a look down below and see nothing but deep, deep blue. I choose not to that again!!!!!!' Getting back to the boat does take some care and planning as we are moving with the ocean currents as is our boat. Clambering back on board I am filled with awe and excitement in what I have just seen as the second group goes in. We do five dives with the shark which unbelievably stays with us for the whole time. It is not uncommon for the sharks to dive deeply away from the divers, but our guy was great and just stayed around us on the surface, which was awesome.
Leaving this magnificent creature we head back to base, but do manage to get one dive inside the reef before our day ends. As we approach the jetty we are provided with a glass of cold champagne to drink. We exchange stories of our dives. We are excited beyond belief, but also to have had the privilege to swim with this amazing animal on it's terms and in it's environment.
In closing, and I will attempt not to get on a 'soap box', but I was appalled at the level of recreation fishing all up the WA coast. In particular at Monkey Mia (world heritage listing) and Coral Bay (marine park), the number of boats that are on the water and fish that are being caught are simply not sustainable. There is no regulation other then 'self regulation about bag limits and where to fish. The professional divers on our tours told us that they have seen many animals, dolphins, dugong and turtles with propeller blade injuries, or worse still they die after having eaten plastic bait bags that have been thrown overboard. If a fisheries person does turn up, it quickly gets around to the boats who will dump the fish they have caught overboard, red emperor, sharks, just to name a couple. I am sure that most fisherman do try to do the right thing, but this is outweighed by the unsustainability of what they and the 'cowboys on the water' are doing. Tourism brings many hundreds of millions of dollars to these areas. The fisherman bring their own food, grog, etc to town. They spend nothing, but take a lot from the environment. For what it is worth I have written to the WA government, state fisheries and WA Tourism to express my concerns.