Swimming with the Sharks - Whale sharks that is

Swimming with the Whale Sharks was my one big splurge for this trip - and as splurges go it was worth it because these are endangered species and rumor has it that this is the last year that getting in the water with them will be allowed here.  I understand why after being part of the chaos that ensued as part of the process.  While I'm ever-so-glad I did it, it was frenetic. It's only after the fact that I can look back and realize what an amazing experience it was.  The reason it is so managed has to do with the balancing of government regulations with the need for tour operators to make a profit.   It's rather a classic example of the precarious relationship between the environment, profit and the man's insatiable hunger to experience something more. And this was definitely in the "something more" category.

More on the chaos in a minute,  but first - to these gorgeous, docile creatures who bear little resemblance to their toothier cousins - the Great White.   Tiburon Baleena in Spanish, these gentle giants are baleen or filter feeders and have no interest in people-eating. That's a good thing, since they have cavernous mouths that could easily swallow a man whole - giving credence to the myth of Jonah and the Whale.  It's hard to imagine the immensity of these fish: 47,000 pounds and the largest measured at 41 feet in length.  It's a bit daunting to be in the water with one of them, let alone a school of them.  So when I remembered that they migrate along the Yucatan coast from May - September, I knew I had to do this NOW.

At 6:15 AM I was the last in a van of ten to be picked up for the hour drive into Cancun, where I realized there were waaaay too many people going to do this.  We noshed on fruit, sweet breads and coffee - although in my typical pre-travel frame of mind, I woke up through the night, ultimately gave up on sleep at 4 AM (hold over from Uganda...) and had already fixed and eaten a real breakfast, packed a bag with camera, sea-sick meds and Sea-bands,  epi-Pen, mask and flippers, hat, sunblock, TP, kitchen sink and so-on by 5 AM.  Once in Cancun, we discovered we either had to wear life-jackets while snorkeling (bad-idea due to the bulk interfering with mobility and speed) or rent a wet suit for buoyancy and to accommodate insurance regs. Wanting the most from this experience I rented the wet suit...  a charming little number that took me back to the days of girdles. As a writhed and wriggled to get into it, I thanked God, Gloria Steinem  and the women's movement first  for panty hose and then for liberating us from such instruments of torture!    Once into the wetsuit I felt like a sausage ready for steaming - and the humidity and heat seemed up to the task.  

A total of 10 boats just with our tour company were headed out.  I lost count of how many others I saw loading up.  That's 10 boats, each with 10 people... do the math. That was the second reality check announcing that this would not be the Zen experience I had envisioned.  As we were the last of the boats to leave, it looked like the great Exodus as the boats spread across the horizon trailing deep wakes as we sped to open sea. The first task was to find where the sharks are feeding and in that respect it's a little like lion or elephant spotting on a Ugandan  safari.  An hour later (we were lucky) we arrived at a site with other boats who had found an unsuspecting loner.   Location depends on where the plankton is found and that depends on currents and water temperature. The waters of the Atlantic and Caribbean come together to make for ideal conditions just north of Isla de Mujeres so that's where we found them.  Sometimes the hunt goes on for hours before a pod is found.  In this picture, all those little spots in the background are food - plankton. I didn't have an underwater camera and frankly, had I had a one, the dive was so fast paced that I don't think I would have had the presence of mind to take pictures.  Government regulations require that you enter the water with a guide and no more than two people at a time can be with that guide.  The guide was helpful in part because it all happens so fast that if you don't have someone helping direct your focus and movement the first few times, the shark will be gone before you realize what happened.  The guides are also there to be sure divers respect the creatures, don't get too close, don't touch, etc.  Along with other rules like "no sunscreen" etc. to keep from introducing chemicals into the water they take in - these regs are to protect both fish and people. If you happen to be smacked by the tail of a 22 ton fish - well it's a caress you'll likely not forget. Anyway, all that humanity in the water clamoring to look at the same few creatures - has to stress the animals.  It also takes some of the pleasure out of the experience; but again, that fact fades into the noise when you consider what an extraordinary gift it is to be able to be in the water with primordial creatures.  Just amazing.

My first time in the water we were deposited   right at the mouth of the shark and the size of it is just mesmerizing making it almost impossible to get yourself moving to keep up with it.  Regardless of the fact that these are essentially  eaters of plankton and small fish, instinct takes over in the water and it literally takes your breath away to be near the open mouth of one of these fellas.  Note the relative size of the divers and the mouth.  While they move pretty slowly (about 2.4 miles an hour), it's a hustle to keep up with them.  Moving that speed on land is nothing, but in the water it takes some energy and if you want to swim along side, you've got to really got to put on the steam.  They are so beautiful and  showed absolutely no aggressiveness toward snorkelers.

Dives are managed in such a way as to give everyone on the boat a few times in the water.  While a few divers are in the water, others are waiting in the boat, recovering from their time below or sitting on the gunnels all gear up waiting to slide in for the next peek when others are climbing back into the boat. While you're just waiting, said boat is rocking and wallowing in that gyroscopic way that maximizes nausea.  As I mentioned, it wasn't the calm be-in-the-moment almost spiritual experience I'd hoped for - but I managed get through the miasma of nausea. I've lived on a boat - why didn't I remember this part!?  Must be a little like childbirth...  Oh yes - we were on a sailboat - not so prone to wallowing!

Why the rush to get people in and out, on and off?  The government regulates time in the area per boat - 3 hours - and they are clocked by call in times.  Combined with the rules dictating the ratio of divers/guide,  tour companies want to make money and keep costs low enough that folks will pay. Consequently, they fill up the boat instead of taking fewer people and charging more.  So there it is.  It reminds me of how fortunate we were all those years ago to experience the islands with just the kids and not a whole horde of other people - i.e. tourists.   Now - I'm one of those tourists - but still lucky to have the chance no matter what. 

Wasn't sure I would pull off a second dive as the boat motion was so intense while we were waiting, circling to pick up divers and find the next whale that my Sea-bands and two Dramamine couldn't keep up.  Misery...   except when in the water "your turn."   Determined to get the most out of this experience, I pulled it together and jumped back in.  That time in I found myself in a school  of sharks - and hundreds of smaller fish all feeding on plankton - everything and everyone going in different directions.   At one point I was directly over a shark and there were probably six other snorkelers within 6-inches to two feet of me all going in different directions with flippers kicking into other divers, dislodging face masks, etc.  Once again pretty chaotic, but balanced against the chance of a lifetime to be in the water with the largest known species of fish on the planet...  priceless.  

An extra perk of the trip was the presence of a couple of giant Manta Rays on the surface of the water - also enjoying a plankton feast.  The fin span was about 15 feet!

Just when I thought I'd reached the point of no return with seasickness,  we mercifully started heading back. Even the young ones on the boat were exhausted by the time we left. but by the time we reached Isla, where we were deposited for a little reef-snorkeling, we were back to normal.  Sadly, the reef was not terribly interesting - over diving having taken it's toll and all but killing the reef. With the exception of some stunning purple sea fans and a hand-full of fish,  it would have been a huge disappointment had it been the only snorkeling venue.   I'm SO glad I didn't spend money doing that while on Isla!  The Bahamas and Caymans still win the prize for the absolute best conditions, easiest access and largest variety of spectacular fish to date.  Really glad our family had the opportunity to experience that when decades ago.  It's getting harder to find healthy reef systems and those earlier dives will always be my benchmark.

So that's the story on Whale Sharks.  Don't know how I will top that before I go home.  May try to manifest a dive with sea turtles in the Tulum/Akumal area.  Now that time to leave is approaching, I am filled with a mixture of excitement over  going to Oregon and angst over getting the last bit of whatever from Mexico!  Here's to whatever!

To be continued...