Whale of a time with Djibouti-ful Sharks

The tiny African country of Djibouti is hardly what you might call a hotbed of tourist activity. Frankly, Djibouti City leaves much to be desired. But there is one saving grace for the country. It is arguably the best place in the world to swim with Whale Sharks.

Whale Sharks are not whales. And they're hardly even sharks. An ancient species, originating some 60 million years ago, it is actually quite unique. So unique it is the only species in it's genus. It is a filter feeding shark which dines mainly on itty-bitty plankton. But all that science stuff is hardly the reason to seek them out. These bad boys are huge! Measuring up to 13 meters long (although there are claims of larger) and weighing 21 tonnes, this is the biggest fish in the world. It is a rare and unique opportunity to swim with these spotted giants. Although i had seen them before (in SE Asia), i had to take the chance to try to get a little closer.

Every year, between October and January, these gentle giants flock

to the Bay of Ghoubbet in Djibouti (clearly they haven't read the traveller reports on the country). There is no need to SCUBA, as with a bit of luck, you can snorkel with them. Dive companies, such as Dolphin Excursions, will take enthusiasts out for the day. It's an early-ish start, around 7:30 am. Launching from the colourful and busy Fishing Port, it's a roughly 2 hour slow boat ride out to the bay. The boats are comfortable enough, with free water (but coffee and such are available for a small fee). Once at the location, you leave the big boat for the smaller dingy and head off for what amounts to a hunting expedition without guns. As you scoot up and down the coast line, the captain keeps his eyes peeled for tail fins near the surface. Once spotted it's a full-on guerilla mission to suit up, jump in the water and chase down the poor creature.

Although Djibouti may be the best place to spot Whale Sharks, there are no guarantees. The captains spoke of days when they saw 10 or 12, others when they didn't find any. On my day, things were looking bad. The first attempt failed to find any. But the second attempt, after lunch, we spotted one who quickly descended to the depths. We gave up. On the way back to the big boat, we spotted another, more co-operative shark. I was able to swim along him for some time before he descended. As i surfaced to look for the boat, the captain pointed to another one nearby, but by the time i got there, it was little more than a shadow in the low visibility of the bay.

We sometimes need to be reminded how small we truly are. With a little bit of luck, the opportunity to swim along the graceful giants of the sea is definitely worth the $70 tour fee. It is a 'magical' experience making up for the necessity to stay in Djibouti.