THE WHALE SHARKS OF OSLOB

January 23, 2012, Monday, Chinese New Year of the Water Dragon 

For almost three months now, WHALE SHARK WATCHING in Brgy. Tan-awan in the municipality of Oslob, Cebu has been a trending topic both in the internet and in real world. People from faraway places have been there, how come I, living nearby, have not seen these gentle giants yet? 

My dictum being, “THE CURE FOR BOREDOM IS CURIOSITY,” and being near to Oslob (two towns away) I decided to check it out. 

We arrived in Tan-awan few minutes before five in the morning. And since it is a holiday after a weekend, the shores of Tan-awan is filled with tourists both from nearby towns and the city. 

This is the second time I came here, and for the second time, I FAILED TO HAVE MYSELF AND THE SHARKS CAPTURED ON CAMERA… 

I chatted with the Tourism Officer of Oslob the first time I came last January 8, and these are the things you need to know if you fancy coming here: 

1. Tan-awan Whale watching is a few meters before the Sumilon Island port. 

2. Be in Tan-awan early in the morning. Some even check in nearby resorts the night before they meet the whale sharks. 

3. It is advisable to come on weekdays to avoid the crowd. 

4. You have to pay P 300.oo per person regardless of age to watch. The municipal government has intervened with the ongoing tourist draw, and the fishermen are not that happy at all. Well, you may negotiate directly with the fishermen to have the watch for a lesser payment. 

5. Watching is done in 30 to 40 minutes… Well, it is more than enough time, plus, the sun can be scorching after 7:00 am. 

6. Snorkeling and SCUBA diving are also offered in nearby resorts. The regulations of such activities are not monitored by the LGU. Some would just grab snorkeling gear and wade the shallow waters toward the sharks. 

7. The tourists ride on paddled outriggers of the fishermen. If the “sakayan” is small, then only one passenger can board. Some load two people but other big “bankas” can accommodate five. 

8. Life vests/jackets are strictly required in the watching. This can be had at 20 or 30 pesos depending on the law of supply and demand. 

9. The whale sharks come in the shallows because they are fed. (A sure way of destroying the balance of the ecosystem) The feeding is done at the first light of the sun until the sharks are full at around 10:00 in the morning. The watching is done only in these hours of feeding. 

10. The sharks are fed with “krill” or small shrimps caught in the locale. They feed in a filter-like way that they gulp the water with the krill with only the krill getting inside their bellies. This explains their gentle nature and their odd set of teeth. Also, just a thought, it would be daring to be near its huge mouth when it sucks the water and krill. 

11. The whale sharks are more than ten in number.

Look for this sign...

I WILL COME BACK, AND ON THAT DAY, IN A SASHIMI OR NOT, I'LL HAVE A WHALE SHARK WITH ME WHEN I GO HOME!!!