If you have been there then you know... A feeling difficult to describe. The feeling you get when you share the water with the biggest fish in the sea.
An experience like this can be so much more valuable when you are armed with a little knowledge of the creature you are about to swim with. Simply put your encounter is worth more to you and to the whale shark, and you are in a position to educate others and contribute to global whale shark research.
Photo courtesy of Adam Laverty
Alton's Dive Center is this year launching it's Whale Shark Conservation Specialty course. This course is an introduction to whale shark biology, ecology, environmental and human pressures on the species, responsible encounter guidelines, identifying and individuals, submitting encounter data to scientific research, sustainable tourism. This specialty can be taken as classroom only or with encounter trips.
Click here to see a preview of this course.
