Whale Shark Visits Again

For the second time this month, a five-meter long Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) visited the protected bay where Miguel?s Diving brings divers. In fact, this spotted creature showed up in front of the house where one of our staff lives. Dive guide Yunis reports that the Whale shark was merely ten meters from the beach. His four-year-old son, who normally has to be cajoled to get out of the water, refused to swim in the sea with such a big fish. Because Gorontalo?s coral walls begin just off the shoreline, cetaceans come in very close to land.

Now that calm seas are returning to Gorontalo, the Whale shark was not the only cetacean seen. Miguel?s Diving staff observed two small schools of Risso?s dolphins (Grampus griseus), about 15 individuals in all, playing in waters above the Japanese cargo wreck. Although not seen regularly elsewhere, Gorontalo seems to have several resident schools of this ghostly white dolphin.