‘Nothing prepares you for that initial majestic sighting of a whale shark’
The resort town of Exmouth is where aquatic dreams are made, finds our writer, upon diving into the water for a close encounter with migratory whale sharks, during a tour of Western Australia’s Coral Coast
Frantically flapping my fins to keep pace I goggle, transfixed, as the six-metre whale shark aside me casually clears its gently rippling gills, the implausibly clear waters gifting armchair views of the gentle giant, some 15 feet away.
Submerged in the underwater world of the planet’s biggest fish, I’m in equal part moved, amazed and humbled by my eight swims featuring three different whale sharks. Each encounter culminates in a cry of “stop swimming!” from guide Lien of Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks, who were pioneers of these tours, ever on hand to ensure we don’t overstay our welcome and to shepherd us back to the boat to regroup for another run.
“And what do you do when you see a whale shark? Swim like you’ve never swum before!” she’d whooped before leading our first ungainly, bum-shuffling exit off the boat in our wetsuits and flippers.
Yet no words can prepare me for that initial, majestic sighting that awaits as I duck my head under the water for the first time to marvel at that first five-metre-long male. So mesmerised am I, I’m briefly embroiled in a burst of bubbles and flapping flippers as my fellow snorkellers respond more readily to Lien’s powerful prompt to “start swimming!”.
A second male proves more magnificent still, shrouded by a shoal of small fish that glimmer as they catch the sun. “How’d you know it was a male?” a companion asks. “Because he had two dongs!” responds the Aussie photographer, not missing a beat.
MORE FISH IN THE SEA…
Whale sharks, in the area from mid-March to mid-September, are the trump card on Western Australia’s biodiverse, World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef but they’re far from alone. Our first cool sighting comes before our vessel, Jazz II, slips its mooring, a cry of “Shark! There’s a shark!” causing a veritable stampede.
“That’s Lemmy, a lemon shark, he always hangs around here,” declares skipper Nick, before venturing the question, “So, which of you guys would like to get out there and have some FUN?”, drawing predictably excited responses. As we get under way, dolphins dance around the boat, carving through the dazzling water, a suffusion of bright turquoise and electric mint.
Bookending the day with snorkelling on Ningaloo’s outer reef, sightings range from a green turtle gracefully veering between some coral towers to a particularly nonchalant-looking white tip reef shark going about his business, two large whiptail rays half-buried on the seabed. We even catch site of an elusive sea cow, or dugong. “Oh, my God, you guys! We never see dugongs in the open water!” screams Lien excitedly, a colleague declaring it “a one-in-a-thousand sighting”.
Served by teeny Learmonth airport, the small, touristy town of Exmouth provides the jumping off point for Ningaloo’s enviable charms. Flying in from Perth, I check into a self-catering apartment at Exmouth Escape Resort, its poolside bar restaurant offering welcome respite after a day’s exploring, alongside other Exmouth faves such as Adrift Cafe and music venue Whalebone.
Exmouth also offers the perfect base for exploring Cape Range National Park, a day tour with Exmouth Adventure Co embracing both aspects of the area’s renowned “reef to range” proposition. First up is Yardie Creek Gorge, a hike among the limestone escarpments and termite mounds serving up sightings of rock wallabies, osprey and fidgety fruit bats.
Then it’s off to Turquoise Bay for more snorkelling, maxing out the fact that, being a “fringing” rather than a “barrier” reef, Ningaloo Reef’s charms are accessible directly from the beach. Today the area’s famous turtles prove elusive but guide Neil points outs all manner of other sites of interest as we drift on the current.
I’ve been so utterly spoilt with aquatic encounters, missing the turtles is but a minor disappointment. I could even say it’s a case of “all’s whale that ends whale” about my visit to Exmouth.
Perth pursuits
For a state capital, Perth – my gateway into Western Australia – fuses a surprisingly small-town feel with a colossal location, straddling the Swan River and shrouded by the staggeringly biodiverse South West Australia eco-region. Plus, thanks to Swan Valley wine country, visitors are only a 25-minute drive from the nearest vineyards.
To get the lowdown on the city’s gastronomy, nightlife, history and street art I take an enjoyable Ultimate Perth Walking Tour with Oh Hey, WA!, exploring hotspots such as Hay Street, Wolf Lane and Elizabeth Quay, home to my handily positioned and recently opened base, Doubletree by Hilton.
Perth’s neighbouring port city of Fremantle, awash with colonial era architecture, further ups the eye candy ante, tourism sites such as the old prison, Markets and Roundhouse keeping visitors busy between feedings and waterings at the likes of Sailing for Oranges or Little Creatures brewery tours. While “Freo” is an easy train ride from Perth, it’s hard to beat a scenic Captain Cook cruise down the Swan from Elizabeth Quay.
And if Ningaloo’s whale sharks play hard to get, visitors are sure to find the impossibly cute quokkas of Rottnest Island, a short ferry ride offshore, altogether more obliging on the sightings and selfies front.
Book it: AAT Kings offers a 13-day Wonders of the Pilbara & West Coast guided tour from Perth to Broome, which includes a full day to snorkel over Ningaloo Reef, with an ethical operator, from £5,104pp based on adult twin-share; aatkings.com
A deluxe whale shark swim tour with Exmouth Dive and Whale Sharks costs AU$550 (about £285) for an adult and $410 (about £213) for a child, minimum age of six, for an eight-hour tour; exmouthdiving.com.au
Western Australia snapshot
Smarter: I heartily recommend Emirates’ business class upgrades, having emerged remarkably refreshed from my return journey from Heathrow to Sydney via Dubai. With Emirates’ codeshare partner Qantas having launched a new Melbourne to Learmouth service, bolting Ningaloo experiences onto itineraries has got easier, too; emirates.com, qantas.com
Better: Stays at Sal Salis, the “eco-lux” tented safari-style camp in Cape Range National Park, takes Ningaloo experiences to the next level; while divers will flip for new liveaboard vessel Lady Ningaloo. For a taste of Western Australia’s outback, Bullara Station, about 86km south of Exmouth, recreates life on an authentic cattle station in an endearing way; salsalis.com.au, diveningalooliveaboard.com.au, bullarastation.com.au
Fairer: Visitors paying to enter Cape Range National Park help support local conservation efforts. Western Australia also has lots of great Indigenous-led tour offerings, from fresh looks at Perth with Warrang-Bridil to adventures out of Albany with Koomal Dreaming, north of Margaret River; australiascoralcoast.com ,warrang-bridil.com.au, koomaldreaming.com.au
When to visit Ningaloo
The best time to visit Ningaloo Reef largely depends on the marine life your clients want to see, writes Stefan Hellmuth, Intrepid’s Australia product manager
Every year, hundreds of whale sharks migrate to Ningaloo Reef to feed on plankton and krill following the coral spawning in March and April. The best time to dive with these gentle giants is between April and July. However, the season has been known to stretch into August and September.
Thousands of humpback whales arrive in June when they migrate north from the Antarctic to mate and birth their calves in the reef's warm waters. Humpback season typically lasts into October, and there are plenty of opportunities to witness these impressive creatures on a boat tour.
Turtle nesting season is from November to March, when you can observe three of the world's marine turtle species — green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles — walking ashore to nest and lay eggs along the coast. After around 60 days of incubation, the turtle hatchlings emerge from the sand and scurry down to the sea. February and March see the most hatchings.
Manta rays are present all year, but there are more of them between May and November when there's a good chance these graceful swimmers will glide past you during a dive or swim.
That being said, there isn’t really a “best” time to visit as the weather is warm and marine life is abundant all year. On average, there are 320 days of sunshine a year, and even in the coolest months of June and July, the high is a pleasant 24°C. The water is also warm year-round, staying between 22-28°C.
If you’re not fond of the heat, you may want to avoid visiting between November and March as temperatures often soar over 37°C. Summer can also bring heavy rains, strong winds and the occasional cyclone, which can affect the reef.
Choosing a responsible tour operator
It’s important to do your research to make sure you’re choosing a responsible operation for anything to do with wildlife. When it comes to whale shark swimming, the only way to know if a company is reputable or not is if they are licensed. The licence dictates the number of boats that can be near a whale shark, and how close they can get. It’s always good to research whether the operator is committed to anything more than just basic regulations, like being eco-certified. Another good indicator is if they are working with universities on collecting data for research.”
Book it: Intrepid offers the 10-day Walk Western Australia's Karijini and Ningaloo Reef, a camping adventure with swimming, snorkelling and hiking, from £1,577pp; intrepid.com
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