WATCH: Rare whale shark filmed at Opal Reef

RARE FOOTAGE

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Whale sharks are the biggest fish in the ocean and can grow to the size of a bus. IMAGE: Supplied.

A SNORKELLER at Opal Reef got a nice surprise yesterday when he got up and personal with an elusive whale shark.


Jason Godwin was swimming on the Great Barrier Reef near Port Douglas with Calypso Reef Cruises when the huge animal glided past him.

Completely astonished, he managed to capture the majestic creature on film with an underwater video.

See the amazing footage for yourself below!


Whale sharks are the largest fish on the planet, growing up to 12 metres and weighing in excess of 20 tons. To put it in context, that’s about the size of a tour bus.

Australian free diving champion Daniel Stern and documentary filmmaker Jack Strickland captured the first encounter in Far North Queensland of a human swimming with a whale shark last July.
 

Australian free diving champion Adam Stern swimming with a six metre whale shark last year. IMAGE: Adam Stern.