The Travel Jigsaw Unpuzzling the planet.

There are very few occasions where skinny dipping in public, all be it involuntary, is socially acceptable. Swimming with whale sharks in the Carribbean Sea is one such exception.

The stunning island of Utila, located just off the coast of Honduras, is regarded by many as the 'Whale shark capital of the Carribbean.' It's dramatic oceanography and warm, tropical waters create the ideal stomping ground for these big, friendly giants and is one of the only places in the world where you can see whale sharks year round.

Summer 2014 was my chance to swim with the biggest fish in the sea. Perched on the stern of the tinpot motor boat with my 15 other, newly acquainted, scuba divers-in-training, masks and snorkels clinging to our face, I can only aliken the situation to a group of four year olds competing in their first ever swimming race. We were all shivering with excitement, stealing desperate glances at the water whilst staring intently up at the captain, trying to read his weathered face- has he spotted one!? When he finally blows his whistle, pointing somewhere vaguely off to the side, that's our cue to flop, unceremoniously overboard and into an unorganised pile of limbs in the water.

Our courtesy and dignity left scattered back onboard, panic ensues and from above, it must look like survival of the strongest. Arms, legs, kick, face, body, punch, thrash -we're all trying to navigate out of this vicious bubble pit. The localised rip current we've created is tugging at my bikini bottoms whilst my top floats uselessly around my neck. I'm aware of my proud, white bum bobbing resolutely on the surface, and of the 10 or more scuba crew left watching from the boat.

Yet, despite the chaos from above, the atmosphere below the surface was still, isolating and awesome! I didn't care about my semi-naked state as everyone's attention was transfixed on the 26 ft long exquisite beast meandering peacefully, what seemed like 5 metres below. I was fully aware that it was a completely harmless filter feeder, nevertheless its trademark shark fins and wide gaping mouth, combined with the intricate pattern of spots on its back left me pumping with fear and completely enchanted. Awesome!

I lingered under the waves even after the shark had disappeared from view. I was half in the hope that it would return but honestly, I needed a few moments in this calm, underwater retreat to carefully store this precious experience.