Swimming With Whale Sharks in Mexico
They may be called whale sharks but there’s nothing to fear encountering one of these giant fish in the ocean — so much so that tourists in northwestern Mexico can swim alongside them on organized tours.
“These are tropical animals, very gentle, that you can swim with, and which go along at a maximum eight kilometers (five miles) an hour,” explained Fabricio Mujica, who handles these up-close sessions in La Paz Bay, in Mexico’s Baja California.
Starting in October, when these massive creatures — Latin name Rhincodon typus — come close to shore, tourists converge on the area in boats carrying 10 people.
The whale part of the fish’s name is a misnomer. They are indeed sharks, but the non-dangerous carpet shark type that feeds on small animals on the seabed. They are around nine meters (30 feet) long and weigh some nine tons.
As the boats get close, the engines are cut so as not to frighten the animals. Then the tourists slip into the water, following instructions from their guide.
“It’s a species that is really sensitive to boats and noise. They have a highly developed sense of smell — they notice any sort of chemical product or oil and that makes them flee, which is good because it lets them survive,” Mujica said.
One tourist, Eduardo Rodriguez, has returned a second time to float in the water next to these giants.
“It’s an experience difficult to put into words…. It’s really spectacular,” he said.
These observation activities are regulated in Mexico by the environment ministry, which checks on groups getting too close and fines any boats not sticking to the rules designed to protect the whale sharks.
Vocabulary:
encountering – (verb/gerund) meeting or running into someone or something unexpectedly, “While hiking in the forest, encountering a wild deer was a wonderful surprise.”
swim alongside – (expression) to swim right next to someone or something while moving in the same direction, “It is a dream of mine to swim alongside dolphins in the ocean.”
up-close – (adjective) very near to something, allowing you to see it in great detail, “The museum visitors got an up-close look at the famous painting.”
converge on – (phrasal verb) to move toward, meet, or gather at a common point from different directions, “Thousands of music fans will converge on the city for the summer festival.”
misnomer – (noun) a name or term that is wrong, unsuitable, or misleading for a person or thing, “Calling this dry, sunny town ‘Rainy Valley’ is a complete misnomer.”
engines are cut – (expression/idiom) the motors or engines of a vehicle are turned off or stopped, “Once the boat reached the middle of the quiet lake, the engines are cut to enjoy the silence.”
slip into – (phrasal verb) to enter a place or get into water quietly, smoothly, and easily, “She decided to slip into the warm pool before anyone else woke up.”
sensitive to – (expression) easily affected, influenced, or damaged by something, “People with fair skin are often highly sensitive to direct sunlight.”
flee – (verb) to run away or escape from danger, a threat, or an unpleasant situation, “The birds will immediately flee if they hear a loud noise.”
put into words – (idiom) to express or describe your feelings, thoughts, or experiences using speech or writing, “The beauty of the mountain sunset was simply too amazing to put into words.”
spectacular – (adjective) extremely beautiful, dramatic, impressive, or eye-catching, “The fireworks display at midnight was absolutely spectacular.”
regulated – (verb/adjective) controlled, managed, or supervised by official rules, laws, or authority, “The sale of medicine is strictly regulated by the government to keep patients safe.”
sticking to the rules – (idiom) following, obeying, or adhering to the established guidelines or laws without changing them, “By sticking to the rules of the game, the players ensured a fair match.”