All dressed up and ready to go... but your partner has not turned up yet? An all too familiar feeling for whaleshark spotters all around the world, suited up, mask and fins ready, but not a fin in sight!
Well, my trip to Kenya had an entirely different feel to it, courtesy of some very well spent surface intervals between dives. Cruising up and down the reef off Chale Island in southern Kenya resulted in as many whale shark encounters as a dedicated whale shark trip to Ningaloo!
We spent a week diving the reefs off southern Kenya just before Christmas time, and every day spent our surface interval cruising just off shore, and every day saw at least one shark, and usually several in less than an hour. To this day I'm not sure how the boat driver saw them as they were cruising along with their fins just underwater, so quite tricky to see. Once in the water with our snorkel gear they were more easily viewed, cruising along the reef without a care in the world.
The shark viewing was relaxed and easy - no other boats, and few people on our boat made for prolonged encounters snorkeling along with this spotty giant of the sea. They were a mixed bunch, one big shark, and a couple small, but mostly 6-8m long sharks all going south, continuing on their traditional migration routes. We even saw one giant whilst diving which made our day!
We combined this week seeing the giant of the sea with a short safari. A close encounter with a massive bull elephant certainly ensures that this trip will live long in our memory.
See our Diving Holidays in Kenya Itineraries
