I swam with a Whale Shark!

If I knew I was going to loose my GoPro, would I have still swum with the Whale Shark?

This is the million dollar question!!!  In the end, even though I have such mixed emotions about the happenings that day, I'm sure I'd still jump in when I spotted the Whale Shark swimming towards our boat!  But it's easy to say that now...after all if I knew I was going to loose it, I would have 1, not warn it, or 2, held it in my hand instead of on my head!!

Up Close with the Biggest Fish in the sea!

The first time we took Black Thing to the West Side of Exmouth was a great adventure!!   We have been weary of taking our boat around to the West Side of Exmouth, due to the high winds.  This month the winds started dropping and we jumped at the chance.

We spent the morning trolling for Sail fish.  We knew we where in the right area by the amount of other boats and pro's trolling similar grounds.  But alas, as is the way with fishing, we did not see a single Sail.

Trolling the West Side for Sailfish

The spotter plans above and large tour boats in the distance, told us there were Whale Sharks in the area.  Although I was very hopeful, I never thought we would actually see one up close to our own boat!  So it was a great surprise when I looked over the side and seen the instantly recognisable figure of a 'small' Whale Shark.  I squealed with delight as I rushed to the back of the boat to pull all lines in while shouting at Johnno to turn around.  We turned the motor off and just waited, for some kind of sigh where it could have gone.  We got a BIG sign, as in the same large dark, unmistakable shape in the water.

Little Whale Shark next to our boat!

Johnno tried to joke with me as I grabbed my snorkel and jumped over board without a moments hesitation...'But what if it's a Tiger Shark'??  I was mid air and didn't care, I knew it wasn't and was too excited to care if there was one in the same area.
 I was so excited, and the 'little' Whale Shark was so BIG, that it took me a few seconds to notice that my mask had come off when I jumped in the water.  I was swimming along with open eyes, underwater, watching this large shape beside me.  Once I realised and quickly rectified the situation, my eyes just about popped out of my head!!  The water was so clear, and the Whale Shark so close!!  My heart started racing, it was a truely amazing experience!!  I swam next to this beautiful creature for what was most likely only moments, but it felt like time stood still.
I was devastated when I got back to the boat and realised i'd lost my GoPro, I hadn't noticed until i was sitting back on the boat.  But the pictures in my head are as clear as the water was that day!
I will get another GoPro, and I do hope I get to swim with another Whale Shark, but I know that day will be one I talk about until, and when, I'm old and grey....ok just old.

Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth WA

Just a 'normal' day in paradise:

Just another day in Exmouth Paradise!

People are always telling me 'I live an extraordinary life' or 'your life is one big holiday', that my friends is another whole blog, that I am working on at the moment, to tell you about how wonderful my life has been up to this point (not even half way!), and how i got here.

But today's blog is just an example of my wonderful life... Nothing at all out of the ordinary happened.

We had a slow start to the day, late rise ...well early rise leading to late start ;)
Bacon and egg burger for breakfast, so big we could only eat half, packed the rest for lunch.
Packed the car and fridge, and off we set...with a cider for second breakfast on drive to favourite fishing spot!

New hooks on all my favourite poppers after loosing a set yesterday to that Beautiful big Goldie!

It wasn't a productive fishing day, yet it felt so.  I personally love fishing to be able to soak my feet in the salt water, and spend time in beautiful natural places, so it's not really a big deal if i don't catch fish...but of course I LOVE it when i do.  As all fisher man know, it's a rare fisherman (aka a lier) that catches fish every time they go out.

Today I hooked what I think was a Gaint Herring within minutes of casting my fave popper.  They are crazy fighters, jumping out of the water doing flips and turns all over the place.  Before i had time to shout 'fish on', it was off again.  Still a great start!!

Couple of hours later I was thinking 'beer o'clock' due to lack of action on my popper, then...OMG!!! It started with a little splash out the corner of my eye, fish action, quick cast over there...pop pop pop, nothing following...oh wait what is that, too late popper back at my feet...BIG fish swims past me, cast in direction it is going, start retrieving lure..OMG a F BIG (like bigger than the biggest tervally i've ever caught!!) BIG Tervally is following my lure!!! OMG OMG OMG.......Too late, popper is at my feet, Tervor see's me and is off!  I stood shaking on my rock for another half hour, hopeful casting, before calling beer o'clock at last.

Drove just around the corner to another little rock, fish action; i jumped out with my rooster before johnno even had time to set up his fly rod.  Pop pop, hit hit, cast again pop pop BANG!!! Fish on, Strike, SLACK line...broken on the oyster rocks, popper never seen again.

We went for a snorkel around the rock, thinking popper might be under the there still (hopefully attached to the MJ that stole it).  The water was so dirty I almost crashed into the big ass oyster rock!!

On the drive home we pulled into the marina boat ramp to see what was going on, heaps of boats out enjoying the public holiday.  The water was SO CLEAR there, opposite to down the bay!!!

So in we jumped with snorkels....

 Johnno attracting the fish over

Here they come.

We were a little surprised at the lack of slightly bigger fish...until Johnno spotted the under sized dead bluebone (speared through its gut) floating beside us...snorkelling didn't seem such a safe idea after that  ;)

Happy Birthday Daddio xx

 Daddio:

50's version of what Dude is now.

Beautiful morning to be celebrating my Daddio's birthday!!

 Happy Birthday to my fun, entertaining father.  The man I grow up with, who gave me so many years of laughs.  The man who taught me not to be so Gullibly.  The man who prepared me for a life with my Joker life-partner John Marven!
Thank-you Dad and Johnno for your patience over the years of my life... it's been an amazing one so far.  Here is just one day:

Exmouth boat ramp

Sunrise at Exmouth boat ramp: ya just know it's going to be a good day!

Happy Birthday to David, first fish on boat early this morning.

Trolling past a school of bait, Johnno jumped up front, cast a silver slice at them and was on.  Long fight gave me plenty of time to get the other lure's in before he landed it.

Can't let the boys have all the fun. Happy Birthday Daddio. xx

Anchored at one of our favourite spots to watch the fish drift past.  Johnno spotted the black shape, a school of fish moving towards us.  We both started casting, Johnno on fly, and me with my favourite Exmouth Popper (used since my birthday holiday here 4 years ago).  I got hits straight away but they were all too crazy, couldn't stay connected.
Then there was a magical moment when I know I was going to be on.  My lure in front of the school, a few fish break off and start charging for it,  ya know when that happens one of them are going to inhale it, they are fighting for it!!  Then the big yellow lips come up in the middle of them and I started screaming even before it hit my lure 'It's a BIG Goldie' it's a big goldie'!! Then i was on and my 10b line was screaming as well!!
Johnno hooked up at the same time, it got intense as I screamed at him in my excitement to
Get the Net, oh you are on as well, well get yours off, I have a BIG Goldie!!
Turns out he had plenty of time to land and release his tervally, as this beast did another 5 laps around the boat before I  could get it anywhere near the net.
Thanks Johnno my bestie net boy!  Landed just as the hooks flow out, never to be seen again (no hooks on lure or fishes mouth??)
It's been a while since I have held up a big fish, mate it was heavy!!!  Still able to get a couple of good shots before Johnno jumped into the waist deep water to get photos of this beauty reviving and swimming off.  It was a beautiful sight!!

Trying out the under water setting.

YES That works!!

I hope you enjoyed your 

Birthday as much as we did Dad.

xxx