maryruth1035
Registered
We just got back fom Cozumel (in Mexico, an island off the coast of Cancun and the Yucatan peninsula) where we took a fantastic day trip (via DUENDE TOURS) up to Holbox to snorkel with the whale sharks! The sharks had just begun to arrive to the area (a yearly migration to the plankton rich waters where the Gulf of Mexico (cold) water mixes with the (warm) Carribean waters. These gentle giants are actually both the largest fish and the largest sharks in the world. Whale sharks are not sexually mature until about age 30 and usually a length of 25-30 feet long (or about 10 meters). Momma whale sharks will give live birth to hundreds of 2 foot long whale sharks at a time! The sharks do have thousands of tiny teeth, but do not use them to feed. They are actually filter feeders that use their gills as a filter after their enormous mouths scoop up gallons of plankton filled sea water! They stay all summer long in the area, and although the international treaties do not alow scuba diving with the whale sharks, they do allow snorkeling.
Most people visiting the Mayan Riviera/ Cancun area actually drive up (a 3+ hour drive, Ugh!) and then take a chartered boat out, or else they boat up. In our case, we did NOT want to get up before 4 am to ferry over to the mainland and join a tour--Instead we found an outfit (DUENDE TOURS,) that flies directly from Cozumel, (for only about $50 US per person more than the cost of going with the mainland tours.)
It was a once in a lifetime sort of thing for us--Duende Tours flew us up to Holbox in a 4 seater Cesna (at low altitude) straight from Cozumel in about 45 minutes. Ismael, our guide (and part owner of Duende Tours), was a great host and we HIGHLY recommend using Duende to go snorkeling with the Whale Sharks if you are planning a trip to Cozumel this summer!
Most people visiting the Mayan Riviera/ Cancun area actually drive up (a 3+ hour drive, Ugh!) and then take a chartered boat out, or else they boat up. In our case, we did NOT want to get up before 4 am to ferry over to the mainland and join a tour--Instead we found an outfit (DUENDE TOURS,) that flies directly from Cozumel, (for only about $50 US per person more than the cost of going with the mainland tours.)
It was a once in a lifetime sort of thing for us--Duende Tours flew us up to Holbox in a 4 seater Cesna (at low altitude) straight from Cozumel in about 45 minutes. Ismael, our guide (and part owner of Duende Tours), was a great host and we HIGHLY recommend using Duende to go snorkeling with the Whale Sharks if you are planning a trip to Cozumel this summer!
