Of Whale Sharks and Rescues!

It's 0800 and folks around our RV are starting to make an appearance.  As I open the door, thinking I'm about to take the dogs out, my eyes fall on the flat calm water of the bay….everything as usual, except for one thing.  One, VERY BIG thing!  A whale shark is cruising past our campsite!!

Dorsal fin of whale shark

Activity all a-flurry now.  Fast, get the dogs out, then, get the dogs in!  It's the outdoor travel kennel for Sparky and Skipper extra snoozing inside the RV.  Launch the kayaks, find the paddles and lifejackets….whew!  Oh, and a camera!  We're soon off floating with a small group of beach campers…and one whale shark!

Ahoy!  Whale shark shadow dead ahead!

Coyote kayakers

Debbie….why are you looking down?  Directly DOWN?

This morning we are graced with the company of what we decide is a juvenile whale shark, due to it's size and the shape of the tail fin.  The length of this beautiful "big fish"….is approximately 25 feet, and the tail fin is larger on the top half than the bottom, as is characteristic of young whale sharks.  Since adults can be an average of 40 feet, and some have been reported to reach 60 feet in length, we decide that "Sharky" is just a youngster.

It's really difficult to get great photos of an 25 foot, mostly underwater big (and powerful looking) animal….so here's one from a book on wildlife of the Sea of Cortez.  You get the idea, but it still doesn't look all that "big."  Not until you are next to it, in a little light kayak and the body seems to go on and on….and on.

Whale shark book photo

When I see this mouth headed my direction….I find myself back paddling fast and furious.

The mouth can be 3 - 4 feet across!!

Here's a photo my friend Ramie took the next day, when my friend Deb was out paddle boarding.  She was very surprised to see the whale shark had returned and there she was…no longer in her kayak, but….yes, the SUP!  You can just see her reflection in the water above the whale shark.

Photo by Ramie Liddle

Last year we were not on the whale shark travel itinerary.   Warmer temperatures usually bring warmer water temperatures, and that seems to be something whale sharks like.  This year has been much warmer.  Right now the day temperatures often reach 90 degrees!  The water is about 68 - 70 degrees!  Perfect for swimming….for me…and apparently also for these awesome creatures.

Sharky spent about two hours in the bay on this day.  Surprisingly, a whale shark showed up again the next day for the entire morning.  Wouldn't you know, we were in town and missed most of the opportunity for an encounter.

However, the next day, Sunday, we once again had not one, but two whale sharks cruising Coyote Bay, skimming for plankton.  On  Sundays it's not unusual to have some local Mexican families or young folks enjoying the beach.  As Steve and I head out to see what we could see, I notice two kayaks headed out.  It's pretty easy to tell a novice paddler and as it turns out, the well meaning folks who lent the young men their boats forgot to ask a few very important questions: Do you know how to paddle a kayak?  Do you know how to swim?  Oh, and they also forgot to give them lifejackets.

The splash of the kayak capsizing draws my attention right away.  The look on the young man's face, when he finally surfaced, told me he needed assistance.  Soon about 5 very "splashy swimmers" were turning up the water trying to get out to their amigo.  However, Ramie and I arrived quickly in our boats as we were nearby.

Ramie tows while Nan holds boat and crew

We managed, with a little limited Spanish, to get a lifejacket on him, and convince him to let go of Ramie's boat so she could be a tow vehicle, while a friend connected our two boats with his arms, and I held on to the capsized boat and person in the water.  Whew.

This has been an incredible week in the company of whale sharks.  We've had several different ones feeding in the the bay.  Researchers have identified some of the world's whale sharks as each as its own distrinctive pattern of spots.  We notice that the size of the whales sharks visiting our bay vary from about 20 to 40 feet in length.  I learn that females carry up to 300 pups, but most likely single births occur over a long time.  The new pups are 16 - 24 inches in length at birth.  (I can just imagine that cute little two footer!)  The life span is up to 70 - 100 years of age, with sexual maturity around 30 years.  The food they are hunting is mostly plankton although there are some reports of very small schooling fish being prey, which they catch by filter feeding.

Of the two visitors yesterday, one I recognize from the day before,  due to notches out of the trailing edge of the dorsal fin.  It is a juvenile, because the size is about twice that of my 10 ft. paddle board.  So, "Notch" spent the entire day, into dusk, cruising back and forth of our campsite.  The larger visitor was darker in color and longer, maybe about 25 - 30ft.

My pal,  Notch, swimming by

Just paddling with my new friend….

For sure, an awesome week of whale shark visits.  Today the wind has kicked up and the waves are rushing onto the shore.  If our new friends are out there, we don't see them.  But, we DO remember them.  And we will for a very, very long time!

Nan and Notch

Hasta la Vista!!!

Will You Be My….???

…..Valentine!  Silly!  As celebrations go, here in Mexico, "Feliz dia del amor y las armistad!"is a big one.  (Happy day of love and friendship)  The big red and white hearts and greetings appear right before Feb. 14th….not much warning.  But, then on that day, there are hearts everywhere, little stands on the sidewalks with single roses for sale, or red lollipops or invitations to restaurants for special dinners.  The hearts and candy are still available…but wait…it's now March!  But, then, there are still some Christmas and New Year things for sale too.  So different from home….where we are on to the next holiday in an instant.  I'm sure there are Easter bunnies everywhere north of the border.  Not here!

Bertha's Beach Club Restaurante…..also known as "Celias"

On Feb. 12th we join some friends at the restaurant on the next beach, el Burro, for the early Valentine's celebration dinner and music.  The Mexican combination plate is a hit…and the music is great!  We are treated to fabulous flute music and voice by professional musicians for an hour before the regular DJ takes over with dancing tunes.  The special guest singer is trained in opera as well and what a voice!

Mexican combo and Steve

Musica!  

Then, Valentine's Day actually arrives and what to do?  A drive to town, a few sights on the sidewalks and in the parks…and then it's out to a little tiny restaurant (shack?)…on the beach at the Mulege lighthouse called El Patron.  We've heard the fish tacos out here are fantastic and it turns out to be true!

El Patron

Beach bums Steve and Nan

Deb and John

Ann and Court

Full moon on Feb. 14, 2014  Sea of Cortez

We watch the full moon rise as we drive home.  Then it's time to kayak with a full moon to light our way around Coyote Bay.  It is magical.  To say nothing of the campfire John and Deb provided, with rum cake and the kalua and cream drinks from Court and Ann.  Stamped into memory.

Although I enjoyed my years (and years and years) of being a teacher and celebrating Valentine's Day with nine year olds…the construction paper mailboxes, the candy hearts with messages, the eventual sugar overdose of the 25 children showing up the next day for school….all it's own charm and memorable….this day in 2014 trumps it all!

"Good Morning Bahia el Coyote!"

And the morning traffic report is as follows:  It's a busy day out on the bay…well, busy several days!

Las Tres Amigas: Jerri, Nan and Debbie

Raise the paddles high!!

Ok, so that's Las Tres Amigas….out there paddling around together.  Once you see someone else out there….having fun…how to resist the urge to join in?  But what will they think of next?????

Water ballet SUP-ing?

Turns out it's easy to think of something next!  The wind comes up a bit…what to do?  Go in?  Noooo!  Go OUT!  And sail back in!

Lovely Amigas umbrella sailing...

Steady knees, Nan!

Grand finale…and they sail on in….

It's not just all about SUP boarding….there are kayaks with pedal, sail and paddle combination.

Across the bay to the island!

Then there is Steve sailing the Snark around.  This is a "wet" boat and now that the water is warmer than December…perhaps it will get more turns on the water?

Capt. Steve at the helm

Neighbor Bob gives Nan a turn in his Walker Bay sailboat.  The trickiest part?  Getting away from the shore and out into the wind!

Nan and the Walker Bay

FAST!

Chris only gets out there when the wind is really "up" as he loves the speed and this boat loves it too!

You might find Gary fishing for trigger fish or Steve headed out for a kayak.

Champion fisherman Gary

SOS

SIT Up Paddle Boarding, Nan?

Teasing...

But if Jerri glides by on her SUP, there's no stopping folks at Playa el Coyote! They are out there again.

Tim and Ramie get a turn too!

Paddle Duo...

No time to waste when there's fun to be had…and new ways to have it!  How can it be we arrived here seven weeks ago????????  Impossible!

Back on the Back Roads - San Sebastian and San Nicholas

Three Jeep buddies off on an adventure!

Easy road 

It's off to San Sebastian and San Nicholas this day.  The trip into San Sebastian is on a class 2 road…so, graded, bumpy, but easy driving and no real obstacles.  From San Sebastian over to San Nicholas, it's a different story.  That road shows the impact of a few hurricanes.

In San Sebastian we find an oasis of palm trees surrounding a most important element for habitation: water!  Fresh water!  And then the houses.  Surprise…about 12 or so beautiful and fancy houses, mostly owned by folks from north of the border.  We stop and meet a gringo who build his house there many years ago.  Where does he live in the "summer" you ask?  Oh, Port Townsend, WA.  Of course!

We park on the edge of the beautiful bay and in front of houses.

Nan and Jerri talk in the front yard

We are encouraged to sit and chat a spell

This fellow helped haul Gary out of the water 5 years ago.

Lovely home 

Gary wanted to stop here to visit the folks who helped him 5 years ago when he fell and broke his hip on the edge of the shore.  They remembered him and the event!  Then it was off for San Nicholas.

Shore side road between San Sebastian and San Nicholas

We find a place to stop along the water for lunch.  Lunch is always muy importante!  We park and set up for our picnic.  Some of us are more interested in beach combing, and some more interested in…eating!

Jerri and Nan get right to the lunch part.

Norm and his cookies!

Shell seeker Patty…hey!  A giant crab skeleton!

Janelle always has a few chocolates to share.

Steve sets up table too!

Gary, probably thinking about fishing!

Tom has a mutual admiration society around him!

Pups, definitely thinking about lunch!

After our lunch stop we continue on the jouncy road to the small (SMALL) fishing village of San Nicholas.  After crossing the arroyo we find a tiny well kept church, a two room public school and a woman doing some laundry with a scrub board and water barrel.  Her daughter opens the church for us.

San Nicholas church

Our young hostess

So well kept!

Lovely stain glass window in church

Pretty basic school room 

Laundry day….a big job by hand

Our young guide speaks no English.  She opens the church for us as directed by her mother.  Then she leads us a block to the school where the young teacher (male, maybe 18 years old?) is just closing up.  The school day ends at 1:00p.m.  They have 9 students in one room, grades 1 - 5.  There is no education here after grade 5.  There was one book on his desk titles Words in Spanish, a white board with the day and date written on it, 9 chairs, nine table places, (with name tags), and an empty book shelf.  That was it.

Follow Norm and Jerri!

Right before we leave and as we say goodbye, I remember that last year I brought a few little orca flash lights to give away, and I dig one out of the glove box!  Our young guide is very pleased!

We follow Norm and Jerri out of the village, and find our class two road again for a 10 mile drive back to Mex #1.  This road is well cared for as far as grading and small bridge repair work.  I wonder just how often anyone from this little "village" goes to town.  It's a long, long trip just to Mex #1 and then another hour to Loreto.

For us…about 45 minutes back to the beach…and our fancy "beach homes" awaiting us.