BUTANDING is the local name for Whale shark

Pictures and signs at the tourist center run by the local government of Donsol, Sorsogon, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the community's NGOs refer to the marine adventure that draws thousands of tourists during summer season as "Swim with Whalesharks" experience. The "swim" part for snorkellers and divers mean the "ability to move away at a sudden change in direction or speed of the Whale Shark in order to avoid being smacked by the tail or dorsal"... and such other skills which would allow one to safely navigate the waters while seeing, because of the sheer size of the creature, only half of the Whale Shark at a time.

Not to worry, the tourist center is professionally run and provides each boat with a skipper, a spotter, and a Butanding Interaction Officer (BIO), whose job is mainly to help tourists get down into the water for a first hand look at the fish up close, steer the diver along strong currents, and, especially when one could not anticipate it, pull the diver away when the whaleshark makes a turn.

Butandings cast big shadows on the surface of the water so people can see them coming. The gentle creatures, although fully capable of overturning the boats, glide ever so quietly past them like submarines, in full view of those on the boat, as if they are so used to ogling crowds. Only the brave dare to go in and swim with them. Reminders that Butandings are wild marine creatures in their own environment, impose the sense that swimming with them is strictly an adult activity. But even adults are overwhelmed. Touching or riding Butandings are strictly prohibited although with their massiveness I cannot imagine anyone would dare.

The Lenten Holidays would be the busiest time for the Butandings as local and foreign tourists crowd the sea. Each boat allows 8 persons and each Butanding can only be followed by one boat at a time so as not to disturb them much. In peak seasons, 25 boats are allowed at sea for 3 hours at a time or shorter, to give the rest of the waiting tourists their chance. Each boat is guaranteed at least 3 sightings of Butandings-- that's how many they are during the feeding months of January to May. Taking turns diving in for that one-on-one experience with the gentle giant would be the best way to do it.

It goes without saying that Butandings are deep sea fish and therefore going out to see them means swimming in really deep waters. Fins help one to swim faster and goggles help one to see better, as plankton-rich waters of Donsol can be quite dense.

It was literally breathtaking, seeing it live. I had difficulty breathing with my equipment and I almost gave up the second and third dives because seeing one up close always shook my senses, my danger alarms keep going off, and my struggle against the "flight" instinct kept me from calmly observing the thing. Strangely, as if aware that "this one near my tail is not a fish but a human trying to swim straight and avoid my drift" the Butandings I swam with were never aggressive. When our four-year old boat-mate wanted to see what the fuss was all about, we lowered him into the water but didn't submerge him. As if curious to see what it was too, one baby Butanding, all nine meters of it, even swam by the boat, its tail showing above the water. Scared the shit out of our four-year-old of course, but we were all awed by this seeming generosity on the part of the whale.

All in all the experience was astounding. The tourist center claimed the Swim with Whalesharks as the best nature interaction adventure in the world. They even give out certificates indicating how many sightings each swimmer had. Outside the main reception office there are shops that sell shirts and souvenir items. Like the spotters, skippers and BIOs, these are local residents making a living when the fishing season is out. It's a big contribution to purchase something to help the local economy at the same time disseminate awareness about the delicate balance of life in these waters on which the existence of Whale Sharks depends.