Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean and have striking patterns of spots and colorful stripes. They are called “gentle giants” because they swim gracefully and pose no danger to humans as they are filter-feeders, like many whales. Whale sharks are on many divers’ and snorkelers’ wish list for big animal encounters.
So when I heard that whale shark encounters were available at our vacation destination, I jumped at the chance to take my wife and two sons on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. I asked some friends who had been on the trip before and they assured me that it was a fantastic excursion. I was excited to hear how close you could get to the whale sharks and booked the trip.
My family and I woke up early on vacation and got in a cramped shuttle for the two-hour drive to the marine sanctuary where the fish migrate to raise their young. We had to go on two different boats, get fitted for wetsuits, and complete paperwork to enter the protected area. It was a bit of an ordeal, especially with a 9- and 10-year-old in tow, but I was excited to get into the water and watch the boys’ reactions to the almost 35 foot long fish.
The water was choppy but our guides told us this was completely normal. Once the small boat got into the bay where the sharks were however, my wife and I exchanged uneasy glances. As the swells around us grew, we could see the increased apprehension on our sons’ faces. Our guides broke the large group of about 15 tourists into smaller groups to swim with the whale sharks. A family of five from Seattle were selected to go first.
The father jumped in with three kids and immediately all three of them turned around and swam to return to the boat. The oldest child was pulled back into the boat by his mother, who sat on the gunwale, unsure of whether she should actually get in the water to help the rest of her family or not. She looked concerned and helpless. The father and other two kids struggled in the rising waves but after a few minutes were able to swim back to the boat safely. It was a complete debacle and showed everyone else on the boat just how precarious the swimming conditions were. The family didn’t get anywhere near swimming with the whale sharks and promptly announced they were done for the day and would not be getting back in the water.
Nevertheless, my wife and I decided to give it a try with our kids. We managed to approach the whale sharks after some hard swimming and I had an incredible experience with the enormous fish. My wife and kids did not. They were exhausted and drained after getting back on the boat, trying to recover from straining in the water. On the ride back to the coast, my wife and I covered our kids with blankets and sheltered them from the continuous spray as we bounced up and down in the rough chop.
They call this an escalation of commitment. The trip was dangerous. The water was unsafe and we had already seen a family nearly drown trying to swim with the whale sharks. And yet I still pushed my family to get in the water, “brave” the difficult conditions, and make this trip work. We had spent a lot of money, time, and effort to get to the point where we could swim with the whale sharks and I was determined to make this a memory my family wouldn’t forget. I was blinded by my ambition. Looking back now, it seems pretty reckless to have gone into the water at all, especially after seeing the other family struggle as much as they did.
I think nearly everyone experiences escalation of commitment at some point. Whether it’s putting more money into a bad investment or continuing a medical procedure that has no chance of success, it is difficult to stop, step back, and reassess what you are doing, especially after you have invested so much in your effort. But it is a necessary skill to look at the situation you are in and recognize when to pull back and pursue a different course, even if you are just trying to swim with a whale shark.