Baby Whale Shark

Once again, our e-orts in Saleh Bay were rewarded, the waters were alive, bustling with Whale Sharks. Though magnificent, the enormous Whale Sharks were not the star of the show. Returning to Mermaid II after our dive with some very large individuals, we encountered a much smaller visitor. Investigating our boat was a juvenile Whale Shark, only about 3 meters long, very small compared to those we encountered only moments ago. Excitedly swapping our scuba gear for snorkels, we carefully, as to not scare this baby shark, entered the water as quietly as possible. However, we needn’t have worried about being cautious as this individual had other plans. On our arrival in the water, the young shark immediately glided over to us, this individual was curious!

The little shark was playful and seemed intrigued by our presence, perhaps curious about the strange flippered beings it now shared the water with. What we thought may be a fleeting encounter with a shy baby shark turned into nearly an hour of inquisitiveness. The curiosity was mutual, as the little shark made close passes, bringing us face to face with one of its large roaming eyes. A sense of understanding lay behind those eyes, it really felt as though the shark was observing us just as much as we did the shark. This encounter was simply beautiful, to see the raw personality of such an animal was truly a privilege. Eventually we had to leave our newfound friend and set o- for our next adventure.

Aaron Sanders

Mermaid II Bali-Komodo-Saleh Bay-Bali
August 24-31, 2024

Learn more details about our Komodo Diving and Snorkeling Cruise here https://www.mermaid-liveaboards.com/destinations/komodo/