We had been sailing for an hour just north of Isla San Marcos. Marv was at the helm when he saw what he thought was an eagle ray. We’ve seen these beautiful spotted rays, sometimes as big as 8 to 10 feet across. But this time it wasn’t a ray wending its way through the current line.
Seeing the fin and tail of a 25-foot shark can be quite a shock; for sure, it makes one appreciate being in the boat—not the water—at the time. This was a whale shark, some of which grow to be 60 feet in length, lazing through the water, mouth open, sifting out the plankton, small animals, and other edibles to be found in the current. No less than a dozen small fish were attached to its fins, tail, and upper back, taking advantage of scraps that came their way. We turned on the engine, hoping it wouldn’t be frightened away, and slowly followed it for a mile or so. It paid us no mind, probably wouldn’t have bothered us if we were in the water with it, but we were happy where we were!
1 comment:
It looks like a Whale Shark :-)
But I don't know much about them or where they would likely by found - how big was it?
Thanks for sharing your photos and thoughts! You are missed up north!
-Chris
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