Ruby Licciardello completed her Year 10 Work Exposure Week with the Ningaloo Whale Sharks team…here’s what she thought of her northern exposure.
During my time on the whale shark boat I learnt so much about the wildlife and how important this ecosystem is. I learnt a lot of cool facts about the sea animals and whale sharks; like how sea snakes breathe air but can hold their breath for hours, and just like human fingerprints, every whale shark has a unique pattern of spots and stripes.
The crew was very accommodating and made me and the other volunteer feel so included. During the early mornings of cooking, food prep and set up we had fun with each other and vibed to music while working before the passengers came.
Before we left, we would jump off the boat to cool off in the Ningaloo’s nice clear waters. Meeting so many new people was amazing, especially people from other countries my age. I met one girl from the Netherlands who was very interesting to talk to and until then, I never realised how weird our Aussie accent is to non-Aussies.
The other volunteer and I became very close friends. Overall, the experience was unforgettable and gave me memories, friendships and lessons I’ll carry with me for a long time.
