🎥 + 💭: matthewunderwater "What do you do when a whale shark swims toward you? You try to remember to breathe. Whale sharks are completely non-aggressive, but it’s completely humbling to see these giants, up to 60 feet long, glide past you. Their presence is calm, quiet, and powerful. It doesn’t feel like you’re just watching wildlife, it feels like the ocean is watching you back. These filter feeders are the biggest fish on Earth, yet they survive on the tiniest food: plankton, krill, and small fish, which they scoop up by swimming with their massive mouths wide open. Each whale shark is uniquely patterned with thousands of spots and stripes - no two are alike! Scientists use these patterns, almost like barcodes, to identify individuals and track their migrations through global photo ID databases. Coming face to face with one is one of the most peaceful and awe-inspiring encounters in the ocean. It’s like floating next to a slow-moving constellation. You feel small, lucky, and deep...