Exhilarating, humbling, spiritual: these words describe an unforgettable life experience I was so fortunate to have, and by sheer accident.

It was 2015 and for four months, 52 campsites and 22,000km, I travelled around Australia with hubby, towing a caravan.

The sights, the sounds, the smells, the vastness, the colour, the magnificence of our sunburnt country is renowned worldwide. 

But it still leaves you breathless when you’re in the moment yourself, actually living the dream by exploring this ancient and incredible land at your own pace. 

Which we had decided was going to be casual and unhurried. 

There is so much to see and do and experience in Australia, and we made it a rule to take our time.

Except that, sometimes, you need to be in a certain place at a certain time, or you may just miss out on something special.

Which is exactly what happened to us when we arrived in Coral Bay on the Coral Coast of Western Australia one very warm afternoon in late July.

Coral Bay and nearby Exmouth are the gateway to the glorious turquoise waters of Ningaloo Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage area and the feeding destination each year of whale sharks. 

These gentle creatures, the largest fish in the world, can grow to 18m in length, and are harmless filter feeders, living on plankton and krill. 

They are very comfortable allowing humans to be in their space, to swim alongside them. 

This practice is thankfully strictly controlled by marine authorities, with only a few eco tours operating on the Reef to ensure the creatures’ safety, and that they will keep returning to Ningaloo year after year.

I’m so excited. I can’t wait, I’ve wanted to do this forever.

Off we go to book our swim.

But taking our time in this instance had been a big mistake.

We had missed the opportunity.

The whale sharks had left Ningaloo, and would not be back for another year.

My disappointment, let alone annoyance at myself, is palpable.

But not for long.

“Would you consider”, asks the tour operator who’d just broken to me his devastating news re the whale sharks, “seeking out the giant manta rays?”.

Disappointment immediately evaporated like morning dew in the sun, replaced with a real sense of eagerness and anticipation. 

A very quick “yes” was our response.

So the very next day, donned in wetsuits, flippers, snorkels and masks, we jumped into the cool, crystal clear waters of the Reef from our tour boat.

Within seconds, eight elegant black and white beauties appear, gracefully gliding through the water straight towards us. 

They sweep past us, their wing spans, which can reach up to seven metres across, enormous. 

Then they’re drifting back towards us again, seemingly to check us out. 

They float, they twirl, some appear to break the surface in majestic leaps, it’s as if they’re dancing to music our human ears can’t hear. 

Indeed, it is a performance very like an underwater ballet. With twinkling shafts of sunlight breaking through the water, the scene is magical. 

The mantas are very close to us now, very calm, their floating and cruising so poised, so effortless.

A few more turns, and then, too soon, they disappear as gracefully as they had come to us.

We stay in the water.

And within a short while we are joined by some very inquisitive sea turtles, who just paddle by us nonchalantly. 

They play, dip and dive around us with no fear, and we are close enough to see their freckly markings, their nostrils, and beaks. 

These living prehistoric creatures seem to be enjoying our company as much as we are marvelling in theirs. 

Turtles haven’t evolved all that much over the last 200 million years, but they’re living relics, remarkable survivors. 

And we have been lucky enough to interact with some of them in their natural environment, if only briefly.

Hauling ourselves back into the boat, with pruney fingers, salty skin and chattering teeth, we’re revived by hot drinks and cakes, before the time comes to head back to shore. 

Excited conversations revolve around each swimmer’s personal experience, how amazing the whole adventure was, how cold the water was, but above all, how elated everyone was feeling. 

For those of us who love the natural world, and more especially, the sea and its creatures, what we’d done today was for all of us a life highlight.

And swimming with those whale sharks?

Watch this space – 2026 may be the year I have another crack.