I'm back in the US. I managed to travel a bit with a non-diver while there. Flew into Cebu, took the bus to Oslob and snorkeled with the whale sharks there. Ferried to Bohol, flew back to Clark. Went to Subic Bay Olongapo several times.
The Oslob whale sharks were a rather unremarkable experience. tourists board one of perhaps 20 double outrigger canoes, each manned by two staff. It was rowed out a short and easily swam distance in calm water and formed a semicircle with the others, while three or four canoes were each dedicated to constantly feeding a single baby whale shark, leading it back and forth in front of the tourist canoes with it's mouth constantly at the surface, sucking in food. Each tourist canoe remained for a half hour and then returned to shore. I had read that "They are feeding them," which I assumed meant they were providing supplemental food en masse in the area to keep them around. I had no idea it was going to be witnessing part of a seven hour feeding session of each individual animal. I don't know the environmental impact of what I saw, but I don't imagine it was something that I should be proud of having participated in.
The good news is that I had an amazing time in the Philippines and will very likely be moving there for a while. Perhaps I can plan something a bit more interesting in advance of the next trip.
