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Whale shark
Seychelles
Nicola Dowling25/10/2008
UNDER any other circumstances, I'd have blushed or let loose an expletive or two if a man had lunged at my bikini bottoms. As it was, I was far too busy trying to get into the sea to worry about it.
Poor Neil kitted out in snorkelling gear and flippers had been caught up in a scrum as we waddled and elbowed our way to the edge of the tiny boat like a bunch of grumpy ducks with oversized feet.
The poor soul had tripped, caught his flipper on the kit box and lurched forward, grabbing for anything to help him stay upright. The first thing he laid his hands on? The side ties of my fuscia pink drawers.
Drama averted. I hoicked them up in a split second and managed, rather ungracefully, to get myself over the side and into the sea.
Amazing
In a second, the frenzied atmosphere changed to tranquillity. And there she was, slow, majestic, huge and unthreatening, a whale shark gliding through the water. Growing up to 13 metres long and weighing 10 tonnes, the whale shark is the biggest fish in the sea, but this was a baby, a mere four metres long.
We though were in awe of her size, the beautiful spotted markings on her back and the scavenger fish which swam so close they looked as though they were connected to her by an invisible force field.
Amazing doesn't quite cut it.
It was a sight we never thought we'd see. On arrival at Silhouette, we'd been told it was the season, but Dave Rowat, an expert diver and whale shark conservationist who tours the area in a microlite to document the movements of these gentle, endangered creatures, had seen none in the last fortnight.
After a week of diving in the turquoise ocean around Sillhouette, North Island and Mahe, in the Seychelles we'd had a great time watching turtles, reef sharks, octopus and rays. The plethora of wildlife was breath-taking, but the reason we'd all arrived was to glimpse the elusive whale shark.
Eventually, just a few hours before we were due to get on the plane home, the call came. They'd been spotted near Mahe. Did we want one last shot of a close encounter . . ? We didn't need to be asked twice.
Unforgettable
Staff at Angelfish dive center assured us we wouldn't need to dive to see them, in fact, because they come to the surface to feed, we'd get a much better and more natural encounter if we snorkelled on or just below the surface.
They were right. By the end of a fabulous and unforgettable afternoon we'd seen six whale sharks. For some, it was a life's dream come true.
The highlight of our trip though was made all the more sweet because we'd had a complete ball along the way.
Our home for the week was the Labriz resort on Sillhouette island, the ultimate luxury retreat with huge, spacious and tastefully designed villas complete with plunge pool, a pristine strip of white sandy beach and shimmering sea for a back garden.
The lush green backdrop to our slice of heaven was untamed forest and secluded beaches peppered with massive granite boulders for the adventurous to explore, with local guides to point out cinnamon, the rather erotically shaped coco de mer and insects, fruits and natural plant remedies.
Another once in a life-time treat was our chance to get up close to the Seychelles Giant Tortoise, looked after by the fascinating Ron Gerlach and a team of volunteers at the Giant Tortoise Conservation Project and breeding farm.
First class
Once thought extinct after being used as a food source by buccaneers, these ancient creatures made a surprise reappearance in 1995.
A cooling walk as darkness descended prompted a David Attenborough moment as we watched colonies of fruit bats flitting from tree to tree and each evening, huge orange-shelled crabs stood on sentry duty at the wooden bridge which takes visitors from their accommodation to reception.
Silhouette is popular with scuba divers too. Although they islanders are proud to say it's never been used, the island has its own decompression chamber as part of the Ecocenter dive centre.
Safety is top of the list at Labriz, divers taking to the sea with experts like Seychellois divemaster, rescue expert and all-round fun guy, Desiree Savy.
If that's not enough to tickle your fancy, add first class cuisine and the luxurious Aquum spa.
On top of that, add the haunting family history of the Daubins, who bought the island in 1860 and whose remains are still there in a weathered neo-classical style mausoleum.
I defy anyone with a hint of adventure to tell me they're not desperate to get out there.
Travel facts
Prices vary according to the type of accomodation and time of stay.
For more information about the Labriz resort log onto
www.universalresorts.com
or
www.kuoni.co.uk
or call Kuoni on 01306 747002.
Air Seychelles flies from Heathrow to the island of Mahe. Travel agents will then arrange transfer to Sillhouette by helicopter.
For more information about flights log on to:
www.airseychelles.co.uk
or call 01293596656. For general information about the Seychelles log onto
www.creoletravelservices.com
.
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