|
Swimming alongside me was a monstrous 25-foot fish, rotund, gray and spotted with white circles. The front fin protruded above the water, the gills puffed slowly, and when it finally passed me, I would see the tail fins flapping. It was a whale shark, the largest fish in the world. (Whales are mammals and don’t count as fish.) We were in the Mexican Caribbean, just north of Cancún. Swimming with the whale sharks has become a not-to-be-missed activity here since the giant fish showed up in these waters 7 years ago.
 |
The excitement had been palpable when we spotted the fish’s fins in the water, and Gabriel the captain headed the small motorized canopied boat to a strategic position ahead of it. Our guide Laura and the first two snorkelers slipped into the water so they’d be near the whale shark’s head. That way they could swim alongside it or let it pass and see the full expanse and size of its body. The whale shark can grow up to 40 feet in length and can weigh up to 15 tons. The fins and the broad mouth remind you of a shark, the size and shape makes you think of a whale.
The huge fish seemed uninterested in our presence – neither skittish nor hostile. When its large mouth opened to take in the plankton on which it feeds, small Remora fish swam around to catch the fallout. They also clean the whale sharks. I was happy to notice that its mouth had no jagged teeth. But whale sharks don’t go after prey. They suck in water, trap whatever food floats through, and then expel the water through their gills.
After about 10 or 15 minutes, one group of snorkelers returned and another pair took their place. Occasionally, the fish would dive to the bottom, and we would lose it. But then one of us on board would spot another. And if the snorkelers were still in the water, Captain Gabriel would shout in Spanish, “Laura, ahead of you. Laura, just behind you.” And the swimmers would make for the spot and swim along in tandem. Or if the fish was too far away, they would climb back on the boat, and we’d move through the water slowly, looking for tell-tale fins.
The sea is 30 feet deep where we were, but there was no need for diving. Whale sharks come to the surface to eat plankton in the morning. Then in the afternoon, they dive and stay below.
About 30 whale sharks spend June to August or September in this part of the sea between Contoy and Holbox Islands, just north of Cancún. In the distance, we could see the lighthouse on Contoy.
In the fall, the whale sharks head past Belize to warmer winter water. One of the fish I saw had been tagged by biologists, and the circles on the skin are like fingerprints, different in each fish. But nobody really knows where they go when they leave Belize. The fish are found in waters off Northern California, Honduras, the Galapagos Islands, South Africa, Madagascar, Tanzania, the Red Sea, Thailand, the Maldives, the Philippines, and Western Australia. But while divers in other regions sometimes wait days to spot one, we seemed to be in the middle of a school of them.
Four other small boats bobbed in the water within eyesight, and one of our friendly neighbors made broad pointing gestures to show us where a whale shark was lurking.
We had left at 7:15am to catch the whale sharks feeding on the surface. We’d be back about five hours later, after our own on-board meal of a savory Mexican shredded beef sandwich and soft drinks.
Compared to following the whale sharks, swimming with dolphins was tame, but still a lot of fun. I won’t forget the dolphins’ “foot push,” which I dubbed the “flying foot push,” nor the “dorsal ride.” Eight of us were the “flyers” and the “riders!”
We were in the dolphin pool run by Dolphin Discovery on Isla Mujeres, a ferry-ride away from Cancún. Trainers Pepe and Marta had us lined up along a ledge in the pool. First they had the two dolphins we were working with get to know us. On hand signals from a trainer, the dolphins would swim up to us, seem to stand in front of us and hold out their fins, which we would giddily shake. Then things got more intimate. When they swam to us, we would cup our hands under their heads and lift them out of the water for a kiss. Some hand splashing (ours) caused them to race past us with fin and tail splashing (theirs). After each trick, they got rewarded by the trainers with small fish.
The pièces de résistance were tricks that could give water aerobics a whole new meaning. In pairs we would swim out about 40 feet from the ledge. Wearing boyancy jackets, we’d float stomach down on the water, legs straight out, knees locked. Then at trainers’ signals, the dolphins would circle around behind one of us at a time and, full steam ahead with their noses pushing the balls of our feet, propel us so that we flew into the air and splash-landed near our compatriots, to everyone’s delight and astonishment. The (flying) foot push!
For another stunt, the dolphins came on either side of us, and as they barreled forward, we grabbed onto their fins and were pulled speedily through the water. The dorsal ride! As we were leaving, in a final classy finish, the dolphins in tandem leaped high into the air.
We went swimming with a manatee as well. This funny looking animal also did a few tricks, including the obligatory kiss-kiss, for which it was rewarded by trainer Daniel with a head of romaine lettuce!
We got into the air again that day on another part of the island, the government’s Garrafón Park. There we joined intrepid adventurers on the Zip Line, another in the trend of slightly scary experiences that reward you with exhilaration and the knowledge that “you did it!”
Zip Lines are cables between high platforms that become aerial highways for people who want a birds-eye view of the scenery below. This is accomplished by being securely fitted into a harness attached to a high cable. The force of gravity provides the propulsion that allows you to swoop over jungles (in some versions) or the sea at Garrafón.
We were buckled and strapped into a seat harness and given a hard hat. I didn’t think the hat would do much good. The drop looked too steep. We would swoop over the sea on three lines running between the four platforms. The scary part was standing on the platforms at each switchover when links were unfastened and then fastened to the new line. The platforms are small and have no protective barriers. Then, you get as close to the edge as you dare, hold onto a brake loop with one hand and a cable with another, sit down in the harness and whoosh over the sea!
That part was exciting, and fast—it takes about a minute. You keep your feet up when approaching the platform, and if momentum doesn’t take you there, a staffer will throw you a rope and pull you in. And it’s on to the next line. Down below, I could see snorkelers and decided I’d rather join them than gaze at them. Soon, I was in the sea, looking at a sting ray and a barracuda. But for better snorkeling, we’d head another day to the Mesoamerican Reef, the second largest coral reef in the world, after Australia.
From Puerto Morales, we took a small boat with a sun canopy out about five minutes to the reef. In the water, our guide led his group of snorklers to the mass of coral and fish and finned ahead of us to point out the best places. This is not the most colorful reef I’ve ever seen, but the water was clear and the sea plants and fish were plentiful. It was a calm finish to an exciting few days discovering Cancún’s exotic sea life.
If you go:
Whale Sharks: The Solo Buceo sun-roofed boat can take up to 20 guests, but the company prefers 10.
The ride to the whale shark area takes about 90 minutes. Snorkels, masks and fins supplied. There were eight of us in the boat and plenty of time for everyone to jump in as often as he or she wanted. The water is deliciously warm. http://www.solobuceo.com/. http://www.whaleshark.org/, http://www.whalesharkproject.org/, http://www.domino.conanp.gob.mx/.
Isla Mujeres for dolphins, manatees and Garrafón Park: At the Playa Tortugas Marina, we took a 45-minute ferry that was part of the Discovery package. At the park, you’ll see videos about the dolphins and manatees. There are lockers to store your valuables, but keep flip flops or sandals, as the walk to the dolphin and manatee pools is over hot ground. http://www.dolphindiscovery.com/.
Taxis wait outside Discovery to take people the short drive to Garrafón. There’s a good buffet in the park’s outdoor restaurant overlooking the sea, with a bar and main courses of barbecue chicken and fish fillets. Garrafón has snorkeling (equipment available) and kayaking, changing rooms, lockers and showers. http://www.garrafon.com/.
Cancún government tourist office: http://www.cancun.travel/.
Copyright © 2009 Lucy Komisar
| 
