The last few times we’ve returned home there’s been a guest waiting for us. A mega mouth whale shark just off the reef. Two years ago she came and went in a day. Last year she was here waiting for us when we arrived and stayed two days. Not wanting us to approach her we kept our distance. Moving up and down the reef I imagined her as eating the small fry hatching out in abundance. This year there were two, again spending over a day just past the drop off about half way down the reef. Special moments. I’m thinking she gave birth threw the year and felt this to be a safe place. Most of the small hatchings should be around Isla Verde, in the middle of the straight just east of our reef. there has been plenty of Dulong hatchings. Their very popular with the people as well.
Amazingly this year I saw my first ray, just buried under the sand , out far enough to avoid kids playing along the shore. I tried to get my camera up and ready but lost the ray . It all happened as I was entering the water, totally unprepared. At least I now know it’s there and there may be more. Then a most unexpected event, a pod of Orca whales swam through the straights.
I was amazed at the sight of these beautiful whales breaching and playing right in our back yard. At first thinking they were dolphins. usually we see a school pass by and chase reef fish, or mackerel, at times a school of blue fin tuna or a white fish. there are a number of species birthed among the reefs that surround Isla Verde and along our shore. Plenty for hungry Orca as well. Though I thought the Orca spent their time up north in the cooler Alaskan waters. Along the coast where Seal or Walrus give birth and raise their young. So you can imagine my surprise when there they were. another thing I recognized was their size. They were small, like teenagers . Possibly a group of young males broken off from a larger pod ready to give birth again or just have. That seemed most likely. We were lucky enough to gather some video from a local boat heading to the Island of Isla Verde that passed just by them at the perfect time. pics are in the last film posted.
That has been our trip so far this visit, hope you enjoyed it as much as words and pictures can possibly display. We had fun bringing it for your entertainment. We leave for the west coast in just over a week. Thank You.
