#222. Swimming with the Whales – TICK!

Anything is Possible…in your own Way!

#222. Swimming with the Whales – TICK!

July 21, 2014

2Ive been on some pretty special, and amazing adventures along my bucketlist journey…and WOW!!! this would have to be right up there amongst one of the BEST of them, without a doubt!

On Wednesday 9th July 2014, I had the absolutely incredible, special priviledge to experience SWIMMING with the Humpback Whales, while on their annual migration along the east coast of Australia! I CANNOT believe this has just happened!

To be in the ocean, and having the humpback whales approach right up close to us (within 10-20m….the boat stops at 100m and it is totally the whales who call the shots as to how close they approach us – this experience is carried out in a very respectful way that has been carefully planned, following very strict guidelines) – to have them choose to come right up and ‘play’ with us is amazing – LOADS of tail waving and slapping – one of the whales kept slapping and waving his tail in and out of the water at us when we were all still on the boat as if to say “Come and PLAY!”, 😀 it was awesome, loads of fin waves, and one even rose up and put his head vertically out of the water as if to say ‘oh hi!’ – SO cute! To be actually in the water while these magnificent creatures swam to within 40m distance DIRECTLY UNDER us, and close up around us (we had 3 of them glide directly below us)…..WOW..!!!!

To know that one of these majestic beasts was gliding directly below us, when we were in the water – INCREDIBLE feeling!

The whales were so, so playful…it was incredible! We were cheering and clapping and yahoo-ing at their antics, and at the wonder of being right there with them! And to have a big pod of dolphins come and visit us, just as we were about to leave the last area we stopped and swam at – the special icing on the cake!

I feel so, so priviledged to be able to experience this, right in my own backyard, off Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast! To know that you are able to experience this overseas….and THEN to find out that Sunreef Diving was bringing this here, to the Sunshine Coast – I could not believe it when I heard this!

The awesome Katie, from Sunreef Diving!

Katie and Dan and the crew from Sunreef Diving – thank you so SO much for bringing this breathtaking experience to Australia…to be one of the first to experience this in Australian waters while the humbbacks are on their annual migration – what an incredible priviledge! I urge anyone out there, if you are in Australia and able to get to the Sunshine Coast….don’t just ‘think’ about doing this ‘one day’ DO it! The Migration is between July-till about October/November every year…this very special experience is something that cannot easily be put into words!

Thank you also for being so awesome with me, and so very inclusive for people with disabilities – I admit I had my fears and nerves about how this was going to happen – but from the very first minute of talking with Katie over the phone and telling her about my disabilities, she put my nerves to rest immediately and was so very reassuring and inclusive – Sunreef’s “Make it Happen” attitude, which is of course very much like mine, is awesome – my nerves quickly changed to “Oh yes, BRING IT ON!”! I can swim, not a problem – but I always like to be able to ‘touch the bottom’ of a pool/the ocean etc when I am in water – we were way out from shore, with absolutely NO chance of ‘touching the bottom’ haha….so it did take alittle while for me to get my confidence up, and used to the sensation of drifting around out in that ocean while hanging onto the boat. Katie stayed right beside me each and every time we got in and out of that water *we went to different locations, out in that ocean – so were climbing on and off the boat a few times during the morning – I got my workout that day, that’s for sure! haha*, and for this Katie, I thank you SO much. Bring on next time, when I may venture out onto that ‘floatation line’ away from the boat! haha 😉

Here is some footage taken when we were out there with these majestic, beautiful creatures….incredible!

Seeing these majestic creatures right up close will always, ALWAYS remain with me!