One On One Encounter With A Giant

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One of the things I love most about scuba diving is the opportunity to interact with animals that show signs of intelligence and curiosity. Some special encounters leave me wondering what they are thinking, why are they reacting the way they are, what are they gaining from this social behaviour.

In 2018 I had my favourite ever one to one with a colossal whale shark. A huge but harmless creature that lives a peaceful life, slowly cruising and filter feeding across the vast ocean. Ever since my dive master training in Mozambique I’ve had huge adoration for these gentle giants, seeing them regularly while on ocean safaris was a privilege. However, there is a big difference between seeing them and ‘seeing them’, having a true interaction, 2 of natures very different creations trying to comprehend the other.

Alone in the Blue

That is exactly what happened in Galapagos not so long ago. I had found myself diving solo towards the end of the dive (not recommended), it was around the 50 minute mark so I knew the group would be on the way up anyway if not already. It was common to end dives ‘in the blue’ here, meaning away from the rocks or any sign of the bottom, just water in every direction.

As I ascended to 5 metres to make a safety stop I couldn’t see a single thing in sight, just 20 metres or so visibility. I tend to have some minor concerns when I’m completely alone in the blue, on top of the typical concerns of equipment and air supply. You can’t help but feel more vulnerable, the term ‘strength in numbers’ comes to the forefront of your mind and you begin to wish you had at least a buddy in the vicinity. After all this was the Galapagos, known for an abundance of wildlife, who knows what else could be drifting through the water column at this particular moment.

To keep an eye out for anything in the water I tend to rotate in these situations, covering my back as best as possible. After a minute or 2 I just accepted I was alone and would have to surface soon. I spent a few extra seconds looking in one direction trying to make out some sort of dark shape before it seemingly disappeared from view. As I turned a few degrees in my rotation strategy, nearly completing 180 degrees, I let out a huge gasp, I’d been ambushed by a gigantic whale shark of all things. It was coming straight at me head on, showing no signs of manoeuvring around me, did it think I was a huge bit of plankton? Could it even see me? I could already make out it’s beautiful bespoke pattern of white lines and dots, such an attractive specimen, it was big too, I guessed at 10-12 metres from the size of its head.

Making Friends

It felt like being on a collision course with a train, as shocked as I was I had to remove myself from it’s chosen path, although stubbornly refusing not to swim either side of me, it was moving very slowly which allowed me to quickly fin to one side. Anyone that has dived or snorkelled with these mesmerising gargantuans will know it is difficult to view them head on as they will avoid this in most situations by changing direction. As it drew closer it slowed down completely, almost stopping dead in the water, it seemed as if time itself had stopped. In that moment I looked into it’s comparatively small eye (compare to it’s body), it moved it’s eye to focus back at me, for those few seconds it was as if we were communicating with eye contact. It was just me and the largest fish in the ocean, visibly checking each other out, wondering what the other was thinking, I remember a real sense of mutual respect, as if it was accepting me as a ocean dweller. I’m sure I took more from this moment than him/her, whale sharks have rather small brains in relation to their size, but who knows.

I was close enough to touch it and managed to get a super wide angle shot of it’s whole body. There was something about being alone with it that made it as special as it was, maybe it wouldn’t have approached a group and changed course. It believe it certainly wouldn’t have come to a halt to share a glance with me unless I was alone, it just felt as if it chose to make that interaction happen, we don’t give animals enough credit for this.

After getting a few photos it slowly continued on its journey and I watched as its huge blue dotted tale vanished into the big wide ocean. I got picked up by the boat and joined the rest of the guests. I mentioned it to a few guests but didn’t make a big deal out of it at the time, it felt like a little secret between me and my big blue friend.

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