Karibuni Kenya

On my second day in Mafia, I went for a boat trip to try and see the whalesharks.  It is the off season at the moment, but they are still spotted quite often, and I had heard good things about them so thought the risk was worth it.  There was another guest at the camp, Greg, who also wanted to go, so we split the cost and headed off.  They hadn’t been seen for two days, and usually aren’t seen in choppy seas, so we were hoping for good weather.

The weather was not good, windy and a bit of rain, so the seas were very choppy – not a good start.  Nevertheless we go in the boat and headed off to ask the fisherman if they had seen any.  WHen we got deep enough and found another boat our captain asked them if they had seen any whalesharks.  The reply ‘uko hamna’ (over there there are none).  Not a good answer, especially given the expression of the fisherman who couldn’t seem to underrstand why we even thought there might be any in such rough waters.

AT thart point hope was very low, but our captain has a personal interest in the whalesharks and is conducting some research, so was happy to keep looking and so we headed more northwards into different waters but still found none and started to head back home, slightly dissapointed.

Suddenly an arm shot out at seven o’clock, he had spotted a shark.  The boat instantly turned and started heading towards it, and soon we came by its side and could see the huge mass that was a whale shark in the water, as well as its fin out of the water.  We jumped in with mask and snorkel to see it, but it went under the boat and out of sight before I got a chance to see it.

The boat picked us up again and we continued to search for more sharks, and saw one or two, although not close enough to get into the water with them again.  Even so it was a wonderful sight just to see them from the boat and I felt satisfied as we failed to see anymore and began to start heading back.

Again though the captains arm shot up andthere was a shark just on our right ‘be prepared! be prepared! when I say, go, jump in’.  Then after a little pause and cutting the engine ‘go!’  We jumped in and right there was the whale shark, its huge, wide mouth open and little fishes swimming close to it.  We were able to swim with it for a little, watching the huge body glide past us until it began to dive and was lost from sight.  We clambered back onto the boat and headed for home, deeply satified with the experience, which is indescribaly wonderful and worthwhile.

The whahelsharks are an absoloute must if you come to Mafia.  On a nice day the boat trip by itself is lovely, and as long as you are ready to accept the dissapontment of not seeing the whalesharks is worthwhile, and if you do get to see them it is just amazing, and one of the things I feel should be done before you die.  There is just something about being in the water with them that is indescribable, and must be felt to be understood.  They alone are reason enought o come to mafia for a few days or a week, and there’s plenty to do while you wait for the right weather, or else just take the risk and hope for the best.  For those who like slightly less touristy places, Mafia is ideal and much better better than Zanzibar, and there is loads to do and explore, which Carlos can organise for you.  Definately, if you go to Tanzania, go to Mafia Isalnd.