Encounter with a Whaleshark at North Stradbroke

Contributed by MatthiasWildermuth

A Whaleshark at North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia On Australia Day I was invited by friends from the Gold Coast to dive with Mantas at North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia. I met these nice people ( Hi Linda, Paul and Michelle ) on a trip to Lady Musgrave Island. The reason was to see Mantas but we haven't so they said I have to come to Nordstradbroke. Unfortunatly, the weather was so bad that we nearly postponed the trip but at the end we decided if we see nothing then at least we can have a few beers!

The first day, Saturday, was ok. the viz was maybe 10 meters but there was a big swell. We saw a few barracudas and small stuff like anemonecrabs. The next day we decided to get up at 5 am so that we could be in the water by 7.00 am. A Whaleshark at North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia

The viz was that day 25 to 30 meters, blue water - real cool and off we go. We had quite a nice dive with a few turtles, Zebra Shark and schools of reef fish. Suddently only air was coming out of Phils reg and he was like mad pointing in one direction.

Something huge was out there and from the side it looks first like a tiger shark. I mean, it was too big for a zebra shark and who has heard about Whalesharks in these waters? Off I go into the blue and I couldn't believe my eyes. Here she was, a 6 meter Whaleshark and not shy at all.

A Whaleshark at North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia Happy to have taken some pictures she stayed with us for 10 minutes before she took off into the blue. With all that excitment my white balance was still set at 20 meters and I forgot to take a video. But it was simply to nice to dive with that fantastic creature.