Photo and caption by vanessa mignon

I joined an exploratory expedition to Cenderawasih Bay in september 2011 to swim with whale sharks gathering around the local fishing platforms. I soon as I got in for my first dive, I could spot, not 1, not 2, but 3 whale sharks all in my vision range. We spent the next few days with whale sharks gliding all around us. Being the biggest fish in the world, they are impressive by their size. They are also very beautiful creatures and are truly gentle giants. In this shot one of the whale sharks ascended vertically in front of one of my fellow divers which gave a good perspective of size.

Location: Cenderawasih Bay , West Papua