Keeping whale shark speed in the Mexican Caribbean

Photo: Magnus Åkerblom-Wiker

It was one of those days you start very early and with a bad feeling, as if it would have been better to just continue sleeping. Maybe it was the wind. Or the mosquitos. I don't know. We had planned to go swimming with whale sharks (if it is now possible to plan a swim with wild animals...?) and went down to the sea to be picked up by the boat. We waited and waited, no boat came. And even though we had a lovely morning at the jetty, it just felt like waste of time. Not until we gave up after an hour and went for breakfast, the boat showed up after some kind of misunderstanding. The wind was strong and the sea was rough. People were seasick, hanging over the railing. It started raining, we were awfully wet, people were now lying down on the boat floor. No whale sharks out there, what so ever. I guess it was understandable. I didn't want to be there either. This day that just started with the feeling of uneasiness. 

And then we saw the fins... Probably more than fifty of them. These enormous sharks; friendly, happy and adorable with their dotted skin. We jumped in and we swam and swam as if there was no tomorrow. It takes some finning to keep whale shark speed in the Mexican Caribbean. And for those who can can stand the waves, I have made a short movie... Release me!