Whale Sharks

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Feb 21 2008 | By: admin

Day 3.

Volker left home very early, around 7am to go up in the gyrocopter to do a survey and shoot some footage from the air. I left later with David and Simon our volunteers and David the KWS spotter. We collected jerri cans of fuel for the gyro. I ate my breakfast as we drove.

We had representatives from the Kenya Tourist Board, Nation Media, Kenya News Agency and the well-known columnist Rupi Mangat as well as several members of the public and some students from Waa Girls School.

They team spotted 5 whale sharks today and Volker tagged 2. Our volunteer from Geneva, David, went down with his super smart camera on scuba and found himself under the shark. He said he just hung there midwater, completely awestruck. In his words, “a moment of grace”. Suspended in time, under the planet’s biggest fish. He has pictures which I hope to upload later for you but the conditions aren’t the best for underwater photography or videography. Volker is determined to get some footage tomorrow and Brent will film while Volker tags.

Part of me can’t believe this is all really happening and that we have tagged 5 sharks in 3 days.

A moment of grace.