3: whale sharks

We decided on the spur of the moment last night to book a trip on to the whale shark trip running today. Accompanying us were Scott, Matt (Arnie) and Joe and Nisha, who Clare knew from a few nights earlier when they had stayed at the hostel.

We travelled on the small motor boat towards Isla de Mujeres to pick up lunch and stopped off to see a fishing boat that had just come in with a catch of small bull sharks. I expressed a bit of horror at this and our captain told us that they use the whole shark (although I wasn't clear on how, exactly) - which seemed a little more acceptable than what we hear about live sharks having their fins cut off and dumped back in the sea.

The little boat picked up speed and we bombed for some time into the open sea ("how many heavy smacks into the waves will this take until the boat breaks in half?"). The waves were truly massive but nothing according to Joe and Nisha, who went out on a trip a few days beforehand in waves "twice the size" and saw nothing. Nisha and I took travel sickness pills but due to the speed of the boat and the intensity it hit the waves, sickness didn't seem to touch me.

We motored for quite a long time in a convoy of various similar boats to some indistinguishable destination in the middle of the water. We couldn't see land on any side, and just kept going. I trailed my hand in the sea and the water was the temperature of a bath. Everyone was completely soaked but the air was warm despite the cloudy skies - clearly my excellent and even tan could only be improved in these conditions?!

Our captain pointed out a turtle which I totally missed, and said he saw a fin but no sign of a pod. We got word from one of the other boats that three miles ahead was a large group and eventually saw the other boats gathered on the horizon. As we slowed I wasn't sure what to expect, but suddenly there was the first whale shark, surfacing with its big gaping mouth skimming the top of the water, its dorsal flopping to one side, before slowly disappearing underneath. "Who's first? - When I say go, you jump!" said our Captain, and despite being confident that they were big cows I hesitated due to the conversation the night before about being sucked to death by one of them. Scott used to be a fisherman and his fear was "I have killed their people - I should not get in". However by this time the huge rolling waves were starting to hit me and turning into waves of nausea, and at that stage the only answer is to get in. So in we jumped, Clare and I, and it was "swim swim swim!".

The sharks seem to move so slowly but in reality they are moving at pace and it's impossible to keep up. I can't really describe how I felt swimming with them; I can't say they were gentle but just felt overwhelmed by their size and beauty. The captain picked up my hand and pushed it towards a tailfin where it brushed against me, surprisingly soft. While the vis wasn't perfect the water was very blue and light and as one of them descended you would frequently turn to see another approaching you, mouth gaping (it looked more ominous from further away!).

Whale shark gliding by

In the sea by the boat

We had about three or four goes each in total at entering the water but sadly the rolling waves took their toll on me and I was soon puking up in the water and over the side of the boat. Needless to say I was less jolly on the way back and had to go into emergency puke prevention meditation, which involved laying down on the seat and allowing my head to be smacked against the boat with each wave with the internal "do not puke" mantra. This worked well until we stopped at Isla de Mujeres where we (they) sat in the chest-height water drinking Sols and eating pickled prawns and mustard sandwiches... I think I need say no more? Despite the lack of lunch, and realisation that I hadn't put enough sunscreen on (again) it was a fab afternoon and this evening I am happy. And pink.