This is going to be a story about the time when I went swimming with whale sharks. Okay, lets first back track a little. So, over the summers of sixth and seventh grade, I went and lived with my parents friends in Cancun, Mexico for one month each time. The family includes Justice (who is my age), Trinity (who’s four years younger then me), their parents (Darren and Toby). A boy two years older then me named Brian also came along. Well, I went to Mexico in the month of July. Well, guess what, my birthday is July 29. So because of this, everyone asked me what I wanted to do for my 12th birthday. Me being me, and having the pressure of choosing things, I said anything really. So, Darren and Toby tricked Justice, Trinity, me and Brian that we were just going to have a small party with some of our other Mexican friends.
The morning of my birthday, Darren and Toby woke us up super early. We all complained because we rarely got to sleep in, and we thought is was only fair because to sleep in because it was my birthday. But, they convinced us to get up because they said it would all be worth it in the end, and boy were they right. Well, we all piled into our friends mini van and started heading out of the city of Cancun. We all begged to know what was happening. And, right when we got to the place, everyone knew what was happening. Everybody flipped. I mean, who wouldn’t? We were going to swim with freaking whale sharks.
We all went through the safety procedures that know one really listens to anyway and then hopped into the small boat. It was all six of us plus another family with, well, if my memory is right, four people. I remember it was the longest boat ride of my life! Or, maybe it just felt that way. On the way there, Trinity and Justice both got sea sick, which was really too bad for them.
When we finally arrived at the place where all the whale sharks were, everyone was so excited. There were so many. So many whale sharks. And let me tell you right now, they are huge. Just absolutely gigantic. Unfortunately, at this point Trinity was really sick. Little side note, I remember her throwing up on my water bottle and being just a tad bit disgusted haha.
Anyway, now on to the good part. The instructor dude, Darren, Justice and I all put on our flippers, snorkels and then plunged into the freezing water together. When I looked down into the ocean, I saw nothing. It was pitch darkness and that was, well, slightly… unsatisfying. Sting rays swam around the whale sharks which is also pretty scary, but I wasn’t there for them, I was there for the whale sharks. Okay, they have huge mouths! Don’t believe me? Look at the picture below this…
I told you!
Photo courtesy: Sheraton
Well, we swam around them and it was... magical. I honestly don’t know how else to describe it. Sometimes we had to dodge them which was pretty crazy because you basically had to swim for your life.
We got back onto the boat and waited for another turn. This time, it was just me and Darren, because Justice was too sick.
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