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Our Young Travel Writer on swimming with whale sharks

Jesse Tucek was one of our two Young Travel Writer winners this year, going on assignment to Exmouth and beyond. Here, he shares his adventures on Australia’s Coral Coast.

I woke up at 5.20am, drained from yesterday’s action- packed day and debated whether to get out of the luxurious bed. I decided not to. So I set an alarm for 5.30am and put my head back down on the soft pillow.

Yesterday was an early rise at 3am to meet for our flight to Learmonth near Exmouth. Arriving at about 7.30am we started day one’s adventures. We drove around North West Cape, then south along the coast, stopping at some beaches, including Oyster Stacks and the Lakeside Sanctuary Zone.

The turquoise colour got me every time. While travelling, we took lots of photos with our new Canon SX60 HS camera provided by Canon and Camera Electronic, and became familiar with the environment.

We reached Yardie Creek, a beautiful creek filled with wildlife such as the black-footed rock wallaby, and joined a boat tour with Peter “Boxy” Maier. I couldn’t put my camera down. Around every corner there was a plant, strange bird or alluring rich red rocks.

Hiding in the caves, the black-footed rock wallabies popped their heads out every now and then for a photo.

The rugged rockscape of Yardie Creek. Picture: Jesse Tucek

After our long day we returned to Novotel Ningaloo Resort, where the rooms are so spacious and relaxing, and we had a quality dinner there at Mantaray’s restaurant, sharing stories and laughing.

After my second alarm went off I had to get up and found the energy knowing I would be swimming with whale sharks. After packing my cameras and bathers, I arrived early to breakfast and took some photos of the magical sunrise.

The Ningaloo Blue boating staff kept us entertained on the bus ride to the Tantabiddi boat ramp where we were ferried to the boat and then to a special and exclusive snorkelling spot. Gliding over the flat water it was a stunning day, the water a transparent turquoise colour.

At our snorkelling destination, about 500m offshore, we were briefed about reef conservation and then the snorkelling began in the bath-like water. I was astounded to find the beautiful colours of dozens of fish weaving in all directions around the delicate, vividly coloured coral.

I couldn’t believe how much this section of reef had to offer. I saw a turtle, a huge ray, and a variety of vibrantly coloured marine life. The spotter planes found a few whale sharks, but before our boat could race over (so we could swim with them), they dived too deep for us to follow.

Beautiful blue fish swimming on Oyster Stacks reef. Picture: Jesse Tucek

We finally found a curious, young whale shark who stayed on the surface long enough for us to reach it.

Tensions were high. Most of us had never seen a whale shark. “Go, go, go,” shouted our group leader, Rowena Golding, as we sat on the back of our boat. We waited patiently in a tight formation surrounded by the endless ocean, anxious for a glimpse.

The whale shark moved gently towards us. It glided through the water effortlessly as it emerged from the distance.

It was beautiful, covered in white dots on its soft, blue skin, similar to those of white ochre dots on an indigenous painting. Its huge tail swayed side to side, pushing its massive body through the water. Attached to it were lots of little yellow juvenile golden trevally and remora, or “suckers”.

For something of that size I was shocked to find it was hard to keep up with. But one flick of its tail can move massive amounts of water, pushing me back, and it forward. I kept the appropriate distance from it as we snorkelled side by side. I felt so lucky to come so close to this majestic creature. It was a very intimate and exhilarating experience.

Whale shark from behind. Picture: Jesse Tucek

Our luck increased — we swam with two more of these gentle giants ranging from 3-6m. Even though they were considered small, they were absolutely huge! We hopped in and out of the water several times to swim with them.

It was time to start heading back. Sadly, we had our last swim with the whale shark. We watched it dive, for the last time, and slowly disappear, blending into the deep blue water below. For an hour and a half we chatted with the crew and the other people on the trip about our exhilarating experience.

We had a massive feast for lunch provided by the amazing staff from Ningaloo Blue, and sipped lemonade from champagne glasses. I remember thinking: “This is the life.”

After a huge day, we were all very tired. We headed out for dinner at the Exmouth Escape Resort’s Whalers restaurant. All night, Giulia Villa, Stephen Scourfield, Jan Bromilow, David O’Malley and I ate and chatted. We told stories about past experiences, that day’s adventure and future trips.

We laughed, and cried with the laughter. It was an awesome day, and an amazing night.

And a great way to finish an extraordinary travel assignment to the captivating Ningaloo Reef.

Jesse Tucek was a guest of Australia’s Coral Coast.

FACT FILE

For Ningaloo Reef and Exmouth planning and itineraries: australiascoralcoast.com.au.

For the Canon camera: cameraelectronic.com.au and canon.com.au.

Ningaloo Blue: 1800 811 338 and ningalooblue.com.au,

Novotel Ningaloo Resort: novotelningaloo.com.au and 9949 0000.