We’re back out on our paddleboard boat at sunrise this morning when we realize something that takes our already insane Mobula ray experience to the next level. If we don’t use the motor on the boat and paddle instead, they’ll swim right underneath us rather than away from us. For over an hour we paddle around with them. Every few seconds one or two will come flying out of the water, sometimes earning style points for completing a full flip before landing. Every so often they’ll swim close enough to the surface that there are hundreds of fins sticking out above the water. If I didn’t know what I was looking at I’d be terrified. Instead I’m mesmerized in a way that is difficult to describe. In this moment, there is nowhere else in the world I’d rather be.
Back on land we find it difficult to convince ourselves to pack up and leave but life’s responsibilities are calling. It’s time to get to an RV park in a city where we can focus on work without the magnetic draw of the ocean. Packing takes much longer than usual thanks to a whale that I’ve spotted offshore. Our eyes are once again glued to the water now that every few minutes a whale is flapping it’s tail and breaching.
Many hours later we arrive in the busy city of La Paz where traffic is backed up and getting across town requires patience. A stark contrast to how we began our day. We drop the trailer at our RV park of choice, find some fish tacos, restock groceries, and then get started on our long list of chores. I catch myself getting lost in video clips on my phone from this morning’s adventure while Mark is working, having to snap myself out of it and focus on the tasks at hand. Was this morning real life? It already feels like a dream.
In case you missed it on the last post, a video we made of our phenomenal Mobula ray experience:
What fantastic experiences you’ve had with the rays!
It was truly a once-in-a-life time experience!