‘The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever’. ~ Jacques Cousteau
“There’s plenty of fish in the sea” is an old saying, but there’s none bigger than the whale shark, which is the largest fish in the world reaching massive lengths of 40 feet (12 meters). Insert picture of school bus here!
It’s safe to say that not everyone would be game to jump into the sea with the largest fish in the world, but that’s exactly what my husband and thirteen year old daughter did this past July in the Riviera Maya. And simply put, it was one of those life experiences they will never forget. Our daughter has always had a fascination with whales, and my husband is a certified scuba diver, so the opportunity to see these gentle giants of the sea was a “must see/do” wildlife adventure for them.
Because whale sharks only visit the plankton-rich Yucatán Peninsula waters from mid-May to mid-September, we decided to spend our summer vacation in Playa del Carmen (MX). The warm Caribbean waters offer whale sharks an all-you-can-eat buffet of plankton for hundreds of migrating whale sharks. It’s amazing to think that the biggest fish in the sea eats the tiniest organisms in the sea?!
Before you report this mom to “child services” (smile), whale sharks are COMPLETELY harmless to humans, and they are actually very docile and curious creatures. They are so gentle and playful, much like dolphins, that they are known to perform stunts and even allow divers to catch a ride (which might I add is extremely frowned upon.)
The beauty of the whale shark is that it swims very slowly, peacefully filter-feeding near the surface, which allows humans to float alongside which these beautiful creatures up close in their natural habitat. Unlike swimming with dolphins, which is usually done in enclosed areas (or captivity), the extra thrill is to swim with whale sharks in the wild. If the fish are the tractor-trailers of the sea, humans are like dinky toys next to them, utterly unimportant when in the presence of such massive creatures.
Only two people are allowed in at a time with the guide, and luckily my husband and daughter went first enjoying 4 dives in all, with their dives captured on picture and video! For those that prefer staying in the boat, you can easily enjoy viewing the whale sharks feeding without being in the water. Let’s just say when they got back to our condo, we watched the video over and over, fascinated by their adventure!
My husband booked their tour through Contoy Tours (who operate at Calle 4 on the beach near Yan Ten’s Restaurant). A private van will take a group of up to ten people from Playa at 6 am (whales feed early in the morning), to Cancun and then by boat to Isla Contoy for the whale shark swim.
The tour costs around $125 per person which includes transportation, a light morning snack, sandwich and drink. After the tour, you can snorkel near Isla Mujeres while the crew prepares a light buffet lunch. Pictures and a DVD of you expedition are available along with T-shirts for any extra price. And in my husband’s opinion, it was well worth shelling out the extra money!
- Some important tips about swimming with whale sharks:
- It is forbidden to swim with the whale sharks without a life jacket or flotation device.
- Do not make sudden moves in the water when we are close to the whale shark.
- Swimmers must remain at least 6 feet from the whale shark and never touch them at all.
- Do not interfere with the movements of the whale shark by putting yourself in front of him.
- Biodegradable sunscreen is recommended.
For those of you with swimming with whale sharks on your “bucket list”, make sure you make plans to head off to the Riviera Maya next summer to experience this amazing adventure of a lifetime!!
“PLAYA Gal” (a very satisfied client working to promote Playa Beach Getaways!) 
salgal@playabeachcondo.com ~~~ PS Catch us on Facebook & Pinterest