June is World Oceans Month, and as I reflect, I am amazed by my incredible adventures with marine life! Every vacation I go on revolves around the beach and ocean. The ocean truly has a special place in my heart - it's where I've made some of my most cherished memories. I never get bored of being on the ocean; there's just so much to explore and discover every single time!💙
I have experienced so much amazing marine life in my travels that I don't even know where to begin this tale of adventure. Maybe I should start with a whale tail.
I am absolutely enamored by whales! From their intricate social structures, hunting techniques, to migration patterns - I find them utterly fascinating. During my travels, I've been fortunate to witness many whales up close and personal, leading to some truly extraordinary encounters. My absolute favorite spot to see these majestic creatures is in Mexico! Nestled in central Baja California, near the breathtaking Bahía de Loreto National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the marine life there is simply spectacular. Each visit never fails to leave me in awe!
On our amazing adventures there, we were thrilled to see not just one, but three magnificent species of whales - the majestic blue whales, the graceful grey whales, and the enchanting humpback whales! These incredible creatures, including the blue whales that migrate there in winter to give birth and feed, left us in awe. To witness the world's largest living creature up close is truly a breathtaking experience! Despite being near the blue whales and only seeing a fraction of their colossal bodies, it's mind-boggling to fathom their immense size. The sheer amount of water displaced around them and the sight of their enormous blow visible from afar are clear indicators of their immense scale!
While the blue whales left me awe, but my absolute favorites are the grey whales! These majestic creatures migrate to the protected lagoons off the coast of Mexico in the Pacific Ocean where they give birth and raise their young. They have become so used to human visitors that they are incredibly interactive!
During our first visit, the weather was perfect, with calm waters all around us. And the whales? They were in such a playful mood, swimming right up to our boat to say hello! The mothers even encouraged their adorable babies to come and interact with us. It was such a heartwarming experience to see these gentle giants up close, knowing that they could easily harm us if they wanted to, but instead, they were so friendly and curious! We truly have so much to learn from these amazing creatures. The joy I felt during this encounter is beyond words! If you want to catch a glimpse of this incredible experience, check out the short video below. Get ready to be amazed!
I have had so many incredible adventures! It is not just the whales that I have been lucking enough to see. I watch tons of documentaries, and I've been super lucky to see moments that feel like they're right out of the documentaries.
One unforgettable moment was witnessing the mesmerizing spectacle of thousands of mobula rays in the Sea of Cortez, gracefully performing breathtaking aerial acrobatics to win over a mate. Ever since I saw this in a documentary, it became a bucket list item. One lucky day during a fishing expedition in the Sea of Cortez, after reeling in some impressive yellow tails, we stumbled upon a massive school of mobula rays showcasing their acrobatic skills. Each ray seemed to outshine the other, with belly flops, back flips, and front flips creating a ballet of movement that was joyous to watch. Witnessing this extraordinary sight, I couldn't believe my luck at stumbling upon such a magnificent gathering of rays.
Another incredible scene we stumbled upon that felt like it was plucked straight out of a thrilling documentary was huge pod of common dolphins embarking on an epic sardine hunt. The captain excitedly pointed them out to us, offering to take us closer for a better look. Despite their distance, we accepted the invitation, our adventurous spirit soaring high! These dolphins were not hanging around – they were zooming through the water, making it a challenge for us to catch up. As we drew near, the water churned with their energetic movement, creating a mesmerizing wave-like effect, then the dolphins began to emerge from the water, one by one, revealing hundreds of them in their natural element. I was even lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a whale spouting nearby, only for it to disappear as we drew closer. The sheer number and speed of these magnificent creatures left me in awe – what an unforgettable sight!
This brings me to my next thrilling tale of a unique encounter I experienced with an octopus while snorkeling in the breathtaking Bahía de Loreto National Park! I was recently watching a documentary on octopuses. I am fascinated by these incredibly intelligent, alien-like creatures that accomplish so much in their short lives. They grow up on their own, don't have parents to teach them, and yet they are able to figure out the world they live in and make complex decisions. They are truly fascinating creatures.
I would never have noticed the octopus; it looked like a rock or coral, perfectly blending into its environment. However, the fish were acting very strangely. I could not figure out what they were doing. Why were they acting so unusually? Four fish, about 8 inches long, were in a circle, being still and pointing at something. This was very odd behavior for fish, and I have never seen fish act this way before. After a moment of intense observation, I finally caught sight of the elusive octopus. What a remarkable moment of discovery!
The octopus didn't like me being there, so we played a little game of hide-and-seek. I would swim off, he would start moving, and I would swim back to watch him. We repeated this game for quite some time until I lost him. It may not seem like a big deal, but let me tell you, having this incredible interaction with an octopus was the absolute highlight of this trip! It was later while watching a documentary that I learned that octopus and fish form unique partnerships and hunt together. The larger fish point out the smaller fish hiding in the rocks and crevices in the hopes that when the octopus goes in to get the small fish, if any get away, they will get their lunch. I am sure this is what was going on that day and why the fish were acting so strange.
My last tale is an absolute whale shark of a tale! We were kayaking in the bay at the resort we always stay at, once again in the breathtaking Bahía de Loreto National Park. The day was simply stunning, with a touch of overcast sky, a gentle breeze, and tranquil waters. We ventured further into the bay, exploring and keeping an eye out for sea life below, taking it all in and savoring the salty ocean air. Suddenly, amidst the calm, we heard someone shouting with pure excitement! We quickly turned around to see what the commotion was. There she was, yelling at the top of her lungs, "whale shark, whale shark, there is a whale shark over here!" And there it was, the majestic whale shark, a rare sight in these waters. I couldn't believe my luck as the whale shark gracefully swam towards us, passing right underneath our kayak. The whale shark then circled back, gliding under our kayak once more before disappearing into deeper waters. I was in awe, I could not believe a whale shark just swam under our kayak! I felt like I had won the lottery.
The ocean is truly a magical place that has a piece of my heart. I find myself using words in this blog like, "I was so lucky," "I was in awe," "it was an incredible experience," and "unforgettable." Let's not take our oceans for granted. They have so much to offer us and are our lifeline on this planet. Let's all join forces this World Oceans Month and year-round to protect our oceans for the future! It's time to appreciate the beauty and significance of our amazing blue planet and pledge to do our part in keeping our oceans healthy and marine life flourishing.
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