La Paz Lovers

LaPaz Lovers

Amanda and RJ had made arrangements for a group of eight to go on a snorkeling excursion in the Sea of Cortez at our stop in La Paz, Mexico.  As I started to prepare what I would take on the all-day outing, I grabbed my mask and snorkel as well as my “shortie” wetsuit for the day and then decided to take a couple of things that I never take:  a space blanket and a very strong topical anesthetic for severe bug bites and stings.  I just had a feeling that I might need them.

The bus ride into town from the port took about twenty minutes. It wound us past some resort areas where the more affluent had put up nice retirement homes along the hillsides overlooking the clear blue waters. The guide with the loudspeaker hanging on her chest and a boom mike in front of her mouth managed to stand very near Ellie and me as she told us a bit about the area we were driving through. I spent a bit of time with my hand over the ear nearest our guide.

The drop-off in town was only a few blocks away from where we would start our day at sea, and the walk along the waterfront set the mood for a memorable day in the cool Mexican waters. Tourist bars with the daily specials written in bright colors on blackboards invited the thirsty and the soon-to-be-drunk inside. The shop for the excursions had shirts, souvenirs, and snorkel gear hung all around, and we entered to prepare for our outing. On the counter was a display of sunglasses that caught Ellie’s eye. One in particular had her name on it. Since she had gotten a black and white striped swimsuit in Martinique, we had teased her about looking like a famous celebrity. The look was the original Barbie from 1959. We talked about picking them up after our snorkel outing.

After getting what we needed for the day’s outing, we took the short walk to the boat with our guide and driver. The long boat had a big Mercury engine and a long cover to protect us from the hot Mexican sun. Our guide told us we would be approaching groups of mobilus rays that were plentiful in the area and getting in when we were close to a group. There would also be opportunities to see sea lions and the possibility of whales as well, even though it was past season for them.

In spite of the heat along the shore, when we got up to speed on the boat, there was a chill to it.  They took us by a small island where boobies were nesting.  We were told that after trying to impress the females, a male would offer a rock to the female.  If she was properly impressed, she would accept the gift, and mating could follow.  It was commented that among humans, a similar effect could be seen. A large rock on a piece of metal could also lead to mating.

It wasn’t long before we started to see rays leaping out of the water. As we motored toward them, it seemed there were not enough of them to merit jumping into the water just yet. A different sight caught the eye of our pilot. There was a group of black objects poking up out of the water. It was about a dozen sea lions floating in a group, called a raft.

They did not seem to care as we slowed near them and slid into the water.

Our guide told us to follow her and not approach too near. Our little group approached their little group and nothing happened. No drama. No noise. Just looking on in amazement at the beauty of nature floating in the sea under a sunny sky. We followed that with about 20 minutes examining a lovely, healthy coral reef full of fish that also seemed unfazed by our presence.

We moved again and tried to get near a few rays that we had seen jumping.  I was following close to our guide while I noticed Ellie and Gill were closer to the boat.  I looked back to check on them and saw Ellie wave in our direction and then point toward the boat.  I started back in their direction and saw both of them getting into the boat.

Soon I learned that Ellie had gotten wrapped up in the tentacles of a jellyfish and was stung on her face and hand.  I got into the boat as quickly as I could and started for my waterproof bag.  Knowing how terribly jellyfish stings hurt, I was after the anesthetic ampule that was inside.  While the guide was looking for the vinegar to treat the too common problem of these stings, I had already cracked open the vial to apply the topical pain reliever.  In seconds, the anxious look was off Ellie’s face, and she was already concerned about Gill.

Gill was shivering violently, and her feet were turning blue. She had every sign of hypothermia. I mentioned that there were two items that I had with me that day that I seldom bring on outings. The anesthetic was the first, and the second was a space blanket. Ellie insisted that I get it out right away to help our new British friend warm up before her condition became more serious.

Gill had never heard of a space blanket, but the Mylar sheet wrapped around her kept the wind off her, and soon her shivering reduced. She insisted that we not go back because of her. Instead, we got a bit of food into her and planted her in a sunny spot before taking another run at swimming with the rays.

We did manage to get a swim with a few of them before our pilot heard something over the radio that had us changing our plans.  When you are at Disneyland, you know what is around the next corner.  The story is prewritten.  That is not where we were.  In the real world, opportunities happen, and you grab onto those opportunities.

As we were getting back into the boat, I heard Amanda yell and looked over at her. She said she had lost her fin and jammed her finger trying to grab it. I could still see the yellow fin slowly drifting toward the bottom of the sea. I took a deep breath and dove after it, grabbing it just before I ran out of air.

Back in the boat, Amanda was saying that her finger was bent and hurting. After a quick look, Ellie said that she really needed to get an X-ray because it was probably broken. Amanda insisted that it was probably just a sprain and that it would be fine in a couple of days. About two weeks later, Amanda sent us an X-ray from the United States. It was broken and would need surgery to get it straightened out.

There was a pair of whales breaching only about fifteen minutes from where we were.  We hoped that we could get to see them before they stopped their display.  We wrapped Gill tighter and held on as we made our way to the channel leading into the port.

From a kilometer away, we could see splashes coming off the water. As we got closer, we saw the gray cylindrical shape of a humpback whale rising up out of the water and crashing back down, creating a huge spray of white water into the air. The pilot reduced power and eventually stopped about one hundred meters from the activity.

Our guide pointed out that one was a male and the other a female.  They appeared to be engaged in courting activities.  He was trying to woo her, and it seemed that she was impressed with his leaps.  She was slapping the surface of the water with her tail and then with her pectoral fin.  All of this was close enough to hear the slaps and splashes as they continued their dance.

Everyone on our boat was laughing and going on about how amazing this sight was.  After about fifteen or twenty minutes of this, I asked our pilot if this was something he sees often.  He said he had never seen anything like this.  We were especially fortunate to be at this place at this time.  I could feel how special this was.  This was a rare moment in my life.  All the challenges had been worth this payoff.

On a nearby beach, we pulled ashore and set up for lunch. Fresh ceviche and stuff for a few sandwiches and chips. Nothing gourmet, but the serenity of the space and the experience we just shared made it a memorable lunch and a rest from some stress that morning.

Our return to the port would not have time for another swim because we had spent so much time watching the whales dance.  We would just head on back until the radio crackled with Spanish voices again.  Another whale sighting.

Before we returned to the dock, we had another pair of whales to watch.  This time, it was a mother and her baby.  Mom would do a splash or a jump, and the baby would try to do the same thing.  I could not believe our good fortune.  The whales were supposed to be gone.  When fate sends you a gift, you just accept it and be happy that it came your way.

Gill was still weak when we got back to the dock, and we made sure to hurry along and get her to the last bus going to the ship that day. The Barbie glasses would have to wait, and we did go back the next day to get good Mexican food and the glasses with our friend Shirene.