Hoping to See Whale Sharks
I’ve seen and caught a wide variety of sharks in the course of my travels, but one of the species that has evaded me is the whale shark – despite the fact that I’ve fished and swam in some of their habitats. They’re the biggest of the bunch, but not quite as fearsome.
They frequent the Gulf of Chiriquí, and there’s a whale shark sanctuary in Coiba National Park where we fish. Indeed, the Central American countries signed an agreement a decade ago to protect them. When we return in January, that should be the height of the season to see them.
If that opportunity fails us, perhaps we’ll see one (or more) on our trip to Cabo next fall. We won’t take a dedicated trip to dive with the “gentle giants,” a popular tourist attraction, but we are likely to see them as we head to the striped marlin grounds.
Until then, we’ll have to dream about them. It provides something to look forward to. If you’re a whale shark fan or hopeful, you can fly that flag with the following products:
