JASA-Blue Sphere Media-Wetpixel Mexico Whale Sharks

Whale Shark gulps down eggs

THIS YEAR THE ACTION WAS SIMPLY INCREDIBLE!

Jim Abernethy and I just wrapped up this years series of whale shark aggregation trips off Isla Mujeres, Mexico. As with they prior two years (PRIOR YEAR VIDEOS), this year was a home run with incredible in-water and topside activity and on peak days, several hundred whale sharks gathered in the space of 1 square km. When we first discovered the aggregation, we could never have guessed how it would transform the the tiny island of Isla Mujeres into the world's whale shark mecca. Nowhere else can you swim with such huge numbers of whale sharks, in blue water with such a great degree of certainty.

Whale Sharks aggregate on surface of calm seas

Our guests hailed from all over the world including Hong Kong, France, Europe, Australia and of course the US, among others. Many guests reported this was one of the best experiences of their lives. This year we also hosted a special WildAid trip that delivered in spades.

This year we had hundreds of whale sharks, manta trains, sailfish, mobula rays, cownose rays, turtles, schools of bonito and even a pod of dolphins charge past...simply incredible.

The whale shark activity was full on, the Island delightful, the hotel and pool a welcome haven after a long day on the water,and the guacamole, cervezas, and gelato unforgettable.

Images:

Whale Shark feeds behind sargassum

Mantas and Whale Sharks feeding

Whale Shark with Manta below

Sailfish darts through Whale Shark aggregation

Douglas Seifert shoot Whale Shark silhouette

Whale Shark train

Huge Whale Shark feeds on tour boat

Whale Shark in vertical feeding posture

Pair of Whale Sharks swim overhead

Whale Sharks gather to feed

NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE BACK FOR MORE!!!

Blog: Blue Sphere Media - Whale Shark Journal

Crazy good Shawn! Must have been a blast. I loving the images with mutiple animals.

Cheers,

Steve

Looks awesome again!

Oh man - I've got to go!

Great images Shawn, thanks for posting!

Adam

Awesome!!!! Leaving Friday for Isla Mujeres.

Shawn always seemed to have the luck of being in the water when the non-whale shark guests arrived (in fact, he was rarely out of the water!). Me, I was too busy spinning around trying to not get run over! Having seen maybe 8 whale sharks in my life (2 in Cocos and 6 or so in the Galapagos), it was truly awesome to to be surrounded by these gentle giants. There were many times I just had to stop and stare as they came by singly, in pairs, crossed in front of or even surrounded me.

Whale sharks feeding at the surface

The sharks came right up to the boat

David laughs after being run over. You needed rear view mirrors!

Silhouette

Dos Amigos

A random snorkeler is almost swallowed!

Thanks to Shawn, the crew and all the other participants for an amazing experience!

Phil

Nice work Phil! Share some of the topside cultural shots you nailed to give a flavor of the town too.

Great stuff guys!

Now ready for humpbacks in blue!

Great stuff!

Todd

Here are some more fun images:

WildAid Crew: (L-R) Shawn Heinrichs, Jeanne Sedgewick, Raymond Man, Walter Sedgewick, Sharon Kwok Pong, Richard Branson, Samantha Cox, Mark Koschker, Peter Knights, Keith Addis, Corrie Knights

Whale Shark eats tourism boat

Briana Rivera with Whale Shark

Richard Branson enjoys his first whale shark encounter (video grab)

Danielle Heinrichs photographs Whale Shark

I call this one the Beacon.

Great Stuff

These keep getting better and better!

Thanks for sharing!

Adam

Great images and report Shawn as usual! I hope next year to make it there.

Manta feeding while Whale Shark passes behind

What was very interesting this year was the abundance of manta rays. In prior years we have seen the odd manta or two swim past but not engage in the feeding. We assumed the fish eggs were not on their diet. This year we had many days with mantas obviously feeding. I wonder if this behavior evolution or coincidence.?

Whale Shark Feeding while Lisa Campana watches

Whale Shark with Lisa Campana

Whale Shark in vertical feeding position

Whale Shark silhouette

Whale Shark with Lisa Campana

Whale Shark with Conner Nolan

Really superior shots Shawn, guess I will need to add this to my list of places to go, let me know next year.

Steve