Ulog 003: Hello Whale Shark

Oslob, one of the municipalities in southern Cebu, Philippines was the destination. A 3-4 hour bus ride from the city though travel time still depends on the dreaded, traffic. So, better yet sleep the travel off and recharge.

Oslob is a 4th municipal income class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 27,893. In the 2016 electoral roll, it had 18,886 registered voters.Topography: Generally, topography of the area is hilly and rolling, dominated by open grasslands and second growth forest. There are fairly level and rolling plateaus and valleys spread throughout the interior. These are some of the most suitable areas for upland agriculture. The highest mountain peak is 800 metres (2,600 ft) above sea level.

source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslob,_Cebu

And this place is so known as a tourist destination in the province because of the Whale Shark watching, in our dialect we call it "butanding". People, may it be local or foreign, travel to this place to meet these gentle giants. And yes, they really are gentle. Though at first, scare would eat you up seeing this huge creature you're trying to meet up with. And the thought of it as a shark too, gives one some fear you know. Lol. But it's quite the opposite.

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 m (41.5 ft) and a weight of about 21.5 t (47,000 lb).[8] The whale shark holds many records for size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the largest living nonmammalian vertebrate. It is the sole member of the genus Rhincodon and the only extant member of the family Rhincodontidae which belongs to the subclass Elasmobranchii in the class Chondrichthyes. Before 1984 it was classified as Rhiniodon into Rhinodontidae.

source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_shark

There is a short briefing before you go meet the gentle giants. Do's and Don'ts are discussed.

We are ready, but wait. Look at that wave crashing through the shore. But it's safe and there's nothing to worry about, says the people in charge, that are certified of course. We can imagine the water current, it's a bit worrisome but it could also be an additional thrill and fun for the adventure. That's what I thought.

The guy in the double outrigger canoe, "bangka" as we call it, is feeding the whale shark to draw its attention and surface from deep down. I caught sight of it as it was trying to show up and meet us, but not totally yet.

We were given a choice to swim with them and get quite close or stay and watch these giants from the canoe. Yes, indeed I was afraid to go in the water. But I gathered some courage and next thing I know I was already in the water holding on to the outrigger awaiting the giant to approach. Any physical contact with them is prohibited and a strict distance from the whale shark is strictly implemented. As the distance apart was approved by our guide to meet and watch close at these giants, then I dove and looked underwater to get a clear and great view of the giant. There's only one from where we were stationed, think there's still one or two others but I'm not sure. " Wow! Hello there" is all I can say with my mind as I got close and have a very good close look at the giant.