Whale Shark Tour

[Anne]

By Jane

Whale Shark Tour, July 2017

We used Eco Tours for our whale shark tour, and they were fabulous. If you’re staying at the Palladium, since it is so close to Akumal and usually the farthest pick-up spot for the transport, be prepared for a very early morning pick-up (5 a.m.) and a longer drive to the docks in Cancun—near Puerto Morelos I believe(you can try to sleep for an hour or so). The van stopped to pick up guests at two other resorts along the way to Cancun, and we were given the opportunity for a “comfort break” at one of the resorts (the Sandos Caracol—where I have actually stayed before discovering the Palladium!). After pick-up, we were taken to a dock in Puerto Morelos/Cancun for picking out wetsuits and boarding the boat for the hour-long boat trip, which passes Isla Mujeres before continuing out into the open water to where the feeding area is located (feeding area changes daily). A continental breakfast was provided at the dock, which was devoured pretty quickly, so if you need more sustenance, I suggest taking along some snacks in a backpack. Also while at the dock: this is the time to take your sea-sickness medicine. The boat trip to the feeding area is a very fast choppy ride—it almost seemed like the boats were in a race to get there first—the boats that make this daily trip are in communication with each other and radio out where the whale sharks are feeding on that particular day. Two of the 10 people on our boat did become ill, and they had declined the sea-sickness medicine (coincidence?). However, the boat crew is experienced at dealing with sea sickness if it does occur, and have tips for recovering quickly and will help you out. Very important: if given the chance to use the restroom at the dock—DO IT!!! Although the boats supposedly have some kind of a toilet, this is not recommended, and you’ll be told to use the ocean! Also—bring plenty of ocean-safe (mineral) sunscreen. The sunscreen we were given by the guides absolutely did not work at all, and my daughter ended up with the worst sunburn of her life. I had been reluctant to take my own mineral sunblock, fearing it would be confiscated by the guides! Only to have our own guide pull a bottle of it out of his pack and remark how it is the best sunscreen! (p.s. it is Neutrogena Sheer Zinc!). Back to the more pleasant stuff: We were one of the last boats to arrive at the feeding grounds, but this didn’t pose a problem as we were able to remain on the outskirts. There were at least 30 other boats present in very close quarters. There were numerous whale sharks present (50 or more within an hour) and they keep arriving and departing and swimming up from the bottom, so there was no lack of ocean life! My suggestion is to “keep calm, keep up with your guide’s instructions, follow his/her lead, and let him/her know if you are struggling with anything”. Somehow, the guides have “whale shark ESP vision” or something, because they will tell you—“OK, there’s a big one coming over on your left side”, or “Let’s go over there, because I see a couple coming in behind that boat”. You don’t usually have to swim very far—you can remain in place for the most part and the whale sharks swim by. The swimming you do is to follow the whale shark as it swims by and the goal is to follow along as close to the whale shark’s head as possible, avoiding the tail. Although the whale sharks are huge and appear slow, they are really very fast and cover a lot of ocean fast! You ultimately can’t keep up at it’s speed, so you then let the whale shark swim off. It was truly amazing—our guide (Raoul) seemed to be some kind of “whale shark whisperer” and by following his instructions, we were able to swim with several whale sharks on each “jump”! My snorkel gear was basically non-functional, so I had to swim with only a mask and hold my breath most of the time, but luckily I am a good swimmer. This said, it can be a little tiring for even the most experienced swimmer, so they usually limit your time in the water to 10 minutes or so, then you get back on the boat to rest a bit before your next “jump”. Be prepared to jump (or slide!) off the boat several times during your trip. (I don’t know how deep the water was out there in the middle of nowhere, and didn’t want to ask!) At first, jumping in was a little scary, but after jump #3 or so, you’re better prepared and can get in position to see the whales much faster. I would mention that swimming with the whale sharks can be a little overwhelming and intimidating at first—the guides are very experienced at knowing when someone needs a bit of help—so you are never left alone. There were some very experienced divers on our trip, and the guides were able to let them swim around solo for the most part. Also—unless you are in the latter group of “experienced”, do not even attempt to take photos! The guides are well-equipped to take photos of the whale sharks, and photos of YOU with the whale sharks—so let them do their part. Somehow, the guides are able to take photos of each group with the whale sharks. The photos were well worth purchasing. And if you are really overwhelmed being in the water, you have a great view of the whale sharks surfacing while you are ON the boat. The whale sharks surface right next to the boats, so you are almost able to touch them at times (but don’t!). You are in control of how many times you jump, so if you are done after 3 jumps, you can chill on the boat and watch while the rest of the group jumps. It is a fair amount of physical work, so it is better to be safe on the boat than attempt jump #8 when you are tuckered out! Trust me, you will know when you are “done”! Once the feeding activity starts to decline (usually late morning), the boats make their way to Isla Mujeres where you float off-shore in chest-high water and are served lunch—either on the boat or in the water. Most of the tours provide some kind of sandwich & chips lunch, which you will really appreciate after the strenuous activity of the morning! It was a nice interlude in the day. This area was crowded with boaters and also people from the shore, and has a party-like atmosphere, which some will like and others not so much. After an hour or so here, you make your way back to the dock in Cancun where you’ll tip the boat captain and crew and board your van back to the resort. The Palladium was the last stop on our van, and I think we returned around 3:00 p.m.—exhausted. This was just in time for a shower and short nap before dinner—perfect! All in all, this tour tops my personal list of adventures—really the adventure of a lifetime–and I highly recommend it. Looking back, you will be awestruck that you were able to swim with these beautiful creatures.

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