Rhincodon typus - Whale Sharks to you and me - Sat 02/11/25

Peaceful night,  Clare kipped in with Robys as they had an early start to hopefully see Whale Sharks. Free range day and nothing planned, chummed up with hotel bloke and before you can say pole pole (Swahili for slowly, slowly) we are off on the back on his chariot (125 Honda), he is a good rider and seems to be having fun with me twice his size on the back waving at everyone whilst still on his mobile phone,  we stop for fuel, assume some sort of petrol but there's a huge variety of non pump options in various lemonade bottles.

Further stop at at checkpoint and I have to sign in to enter the coastal area, no change available, no cards accepted so the lady gets a 25p tip and we are all happy.

We get down the sea and it's a great combo of workers/shirkers and chancers. The potential islands tour is quoted at $100 which after a few glares dropped to $50, my local man is now AWOL and turns out family related so I opt for local ferry to Cohle which is 30p. 

The boat is a mixture of people,  both men and women travelling back from Mafia aka big island to here with their daily shop. 10 mins later we've docked at Cohle (main port) and yes there is another 'port' although can't see where and it's off to explore. 

Population 240, one primary school, one football pitch a few nice craft and art huts and one main food place seating six people, didn't book in advance but was made very welcome and the usual conversations about the english premier league with far more knowledge than me and most of UK newspapers.

A lot of abandoned places here which is great , Jail, Town Hall and court house. This Island really is off the main grid but there is a pop style gift shop in the middle of the jungle.

Boat back to mainland and various stops to pick up or drop off goods or just to chat. One thing I have noticed both here and Zanzibar there are no dogs - which for a cynophobe is great but a mystery on why... But i'll just let sleeping dogs lie...

I'm looking forward catching up with the girls at our designated meeting place - still no internet so we have a main and couple of back-up places before reporting each other missing in action or AWOL.

The local Winchester - aka Minder 1980s wtih a reboot.

I have been assured our Monday flight will eventually be fine.  Time will tell

Clare and Robys day

This is a day I wish I could have a Harry Potter style Pensieve to fill with memories.

Robyn and I up early and with some trepidation. We are 6 days in to our trip and on the

exceptionally remote Mafia Island with the hope of seeing Whale Sharks.

After experience with dolphins both of us concerned about safely and ethics of what we were

doing, but at least this trip had been researched and booked from the UK – we are still

without internet at this point so planning tricky.

I had checked out who to go with and booked with Kitu Kiblu – super reviews and seemed

safe and ethical. We talked to the team and explained about the dodgy dolphin experience –

it had left both if us less confident about jumping in the deep again, but this time it was so

different. I felt assured that we would be looked after and OK.

Just three of us booked on the trip and a 5:30 pick up to meet for breakfast and safety

briefing. Breakfast fun and good to learn about Whale Sharks – lots of info on how we could

safely swim near them and huge respect for them from all the team.

We are provided with safety foot ware to wade through the sea to the first boat – a bit of a

motor malfunction but quickly resolved and we board the bigger boat we will be on for the

day.

I think there were five or six crew for the three of us.

We are at sea for a couple of hours with the incredibly skilled team looking all the time for

Whale Sharks….nothing is guaranteed and lots of horizon scanning.

With little warning, there was a sudden “let’s go!!!!” Snorkles and flipper on….and time for a

deep breath and launch into the deep sea again.

Both of us had help – am not too proud to admit!!! And it was fabulous, being with

experience guides and strong swimmers meant we were in perfect positions to be close to

the Whale Shark – but not too close to cause it distress or us harm. There is a knack – they

are big beasts and go fast.

Words here are not enough, it was mesmerising. We swam with the Whale Sharks for what

felt like ages, saw the small fish that attach and clean them, the spots on their bodies, their

eyes…just wow. At one point the Whale Shark swam upwards so we were close….then it

decided to go, having let us share it’s world for a while.

After this we were lucky to have three more dives – thankful to have the brilliant guides at

times power us through the water, it was exhausting at times.

On board for chapattis and tea and gentle trip back to land and time to reflect on an

incredible experience.

We spent the evening at our usual Afro Beach meeting place. Time to re-group again and

share stories from the day.