Thrilling shark encounter has a happy ending

September 5, 2004

Romeo waited under the hammock at my seaside cabaña. When I opened the door, he rushed to the bed and plopped on his back, bewitching me with his come-hither purr. I didn't expect to be seduced by a black cat on Isla Holbox. I had something far bigger in mind.

Docile white-spotted whale sharks – the biggest fish in the sea – were swimming with humans near the island. "They're vegetarians," I told anyone who questioned the wisdom of my quest.

After three hours on a crowded, poky bus from Cancún and 30 minutes in a fast boat, I jumped knee-high into the sea off Holbox and walked barefoot across a shoreline covered with tiny shells. My shoes stayed under a shelf for the next three days.

Isla Holbox (pronounced HOLE-bosh) sits eight miles off the northeast tip of the Yucatán Peninsula where the Caribbean Sea meets the Gulf of Mexico. The leeward side of the 26-mile-long island is lined with mangroves, where white pelicans, pink flamingos and black cormorants nest.

A white-sand beach popular with pregnant sea turtles fringes the windward shores. About 1,200 Holboxeños and expats live here year-round, fishing and tending to travelers who've discovered the Mexican Caribbean's last fantasy island.

Cell phones don't work on Holbox. Cars and TVs are virtually nonexistent. Fishermen repair their nets with treadle sewing machines in their front yards. Markets display whatever produce comes over by boat – mangoes were plentiful during my stay.

Fish is the dietary staple, naturally. I devoured conch and octopus ceviche, pasta with fresh tomatoes and lobster, shrimp sautéed with garlic and butter. Not in one meal, mind you. Though I could have after chasing whale sharks one morning.

Ballenas tiburones migrate near Holbox's shores from May to September, coming close enough that local fishing boats can reach them in less than two hours. Shark tours have become big business for the island's fishermen, and an increasingly popular day excursion from Cancún. Unwilling to take my chances on a one-shot deal, I booked three nights at Xaloc, an idyllic, 18-bungalow hotel on the beach.

Captain Alfredo Jimínez Gasta and his son, Ali, greeted me in the shallow water outside my cabaña my first morning. Biologist Graciela Ugalde Caballero (better known as Chela) joined our group of six passengers, handing out life jackets. Alfredo showed off his boat's shade awning, radio and GPS as we coasted to the town pier to check in with the harbor master; then we were off to the open sea.

Chela distributed masks, snorkels and fins as we raced through the glassy water. After an hour or so, Alfredo spotted the head of an open-mouthed whale shark inhaling water. It looked almost disappointing, just a gray wedge in murky water. Then it slowly swam toward the boat, gradually revealing the white spots that inspire the nickname ballenas dominós (domino whales).
Ali cut the engine as another shark circled the boat, then another. I couldn't pull on my fins fast enough. Perched on the side on the boat, feet dangling in the water, I held on until Ali jumped. I followed, gasped at the chill water, and couldn't find the darn whale. Ali grabbed my hand and we swam full out toward a waving tail.

Then I was floating beside the shark's gills as they gushed water while filtering plankton for nutrients. A second later, I was dodging a swaying tail – amazing how fast a 60-foot-long creature can swim beside a 62-inch-long human. Ali made me get back on the boat far too soon.
Regulations allow only two people and a guide in the water with the sharks. Fortunately, most of my fellow passengers were content with a single 10-minute session.

Alfredo repeatedly guided the boat through still water while I waited eagerly, then leaped into the water beside a shark. I swam and swam like a madwoman toward the head, gliding underwater to gaze at eyes like black marbles. Then I'd be over the head, holding my arms in the air to prove I wasn't touching (contact is taboo). Couldn't help it if he (or she – it's hard to tell) brushed against by body. It was all over in less than a minute, the dorsal fin seeming to curve around me as the shark moved on.

I'd look up, and another would be heading my way. Chela said I swam with maybe 10 sharks in all before I collapsed into the boat.
The next morning, thunder rumbled and rain splashed in the swimming pool beside my front porch. Another shark encounter was out of the question. My feet and ankles were swollen and stiff anyway. Truth be told, my aching body was quite content swaying in Romeo's hammock.

I walked barefoot to town for ceviche, back for a nap and so on until sunset turned the silver sky to gold.
I felt like I'd discovered the Mexico I thought was lost forever.


Details

Xaloc: Goncha Juan Sabater and Juan Felix Sanchez moved from Spain to Holbox four years ago to create their dream, a cluster of 18 white bungalows along sandy, palm-lined paths by the beach. Mosquito nets cover king-size beds set in the middle of circular rooms. Bathrooms have two sinks in a long vanity counter, powerful hot-water showers and enough shelves and hangers for bathing suits and shorts.
Ceiling fans stir the air, which is oppressively hot in summer. The owners are considering adding air-conditioners to some rooms, a development that is spreading through the islands' small hotels.
Amenities include two limestone-bordered pools, a restaurant, and an airy second-story loft with hammocks and reading room.
Biologist-led whale shark tours and other activities, along with transportation to the island, can be arranged in advance. Rates start at $70. (877) 278-8018, www.mexicoboutiquehotels.com.

Tours: Well established as the area's best ecotourism company, EcoColors offers weekly trips to Holbox from Cancún. Trips include the whale sharks when they're around, and concentrate more on the aquatic bird nesting on Bird Island the rest of the year. 011-52-998-884-3667 or
www.ecotravelmexico.com
Island info: The best overall site is www.travelyucatan.com/
isla_holbox_mexico.php.

Maribeth Mellin's column is published the first Sunday of each month. She is the recipient of Mexico's prestigious Pluma de Plata award for her "Traveler's Mexico Companion" (Globe Pequot) and the author of several books on Mexico. Her latest is the "Unofficial Guide to Mexico's Best Beach Resorts" (Wiley).

By Cindy Ross.

The ferry rose and fell with the heaving sea. I steadied my bicycle and stared over the turquoise water to the approaching land on the horizon- the Island of Cozumel. In pre-Hispanic days, it was a sacred place for Mayan women. They came from all across the Yucatan Peninsula to pray for fertility, pregnancy and childbirth. Instead of a ferry boat they crossed in long canoes made of hollow logs. Instead of cycling, they walked the sacbes, sacred white roads made of white limestone.

My family and I chose the Yucatan Peninsula for a 3- week cycling adventure because our 12 and 14 year old could easily ride their own loaded bikes on the flat terrain. December temps are in the 80's and breezy…a nice break from winter in Pennsylvania. Each day we cycled a half day to a new destination, then snorkeled, swam with sea turtles, caved, and visited the Mayan ruins the Yucatan is so rich in. Besides a side trip to an island or two like Cozumel, our main cycling was down the exquisitely beautiful Riveria Mayan coast, from Cancun to Tulum, a 160-kilometer strip. Then we left the shore and headed inland to the ruins of Coba and Chichen Itza; finished up to with a jaunt to the north to see the pink flamingo preserves before heading back to Cancun and the airport. The idea was to have fun, learn about the Mayan culture, and get some exercise.

I went to the highly recommended EcoColors , an eco-adventure travel company based out of Cancun for advice and help. Their tours combine the natural, cultural and adventure attractions of the region, which is the kind of trip our family is interested in. Instead of hooking up with one of their organized cycling trips, we consulted with the director, Kenneth Johnson. We gave him our ideas, budget, and general desired route around the Yucatan and he designed our itinerary and made the necessary connections and reservations. Many of the hotels have employees/owners speak (and write) only marginal English. We believe in a certain amount of "winging it," when it comes to a cycling adventure but we also wanted to have the best family experience with a minimal amount of stress.

Many of the visitors to Cozumel cross the 18-kilometer canal on cruise ships that stop at the little town of San Miguel. The passengers fill the few streets to shop and rarely see the rest of the island, which is vastly wild. On a bike, you can cycle the quiet 40-mile blacktop road that circles the southern perimeter of the island and find another world. First stop, the Mayan ruins of San Gervasio.

As soon as we rolled our bikes onto the sacred site, a 5-foot-long iguana greeted us with bright orange spikes rising from his back and head. We followed the white limestone path to the sanctuary, passing through the entrance arch as so many had done before. It is customary to deposit gifts or offerings on the shelves of the shrine's vaulted passage. I placed a leaf on a ledge and said a prayer for a rich and meaningful visit to the Yucatan. San Gervasio's ruins are modest compared to the "biggies" like Chichen Itza, which we'll visit later in our trip, but they are archeologically significant and worth a visit.

Cozumel's east coast has a scattering of small public beaches where you can swim all by your lonesome. Chen Rio has a fantastic beach shielded by rock formations that break up the waves and form a cove. They also have a beachside seafood restaurant that offers whole fish platters that were alive only minutes ago. Our gear included snorkeling gear and flippers for the entire Yucatan Peninsula and Cozumel is ringed with the gigantic Mesoamerican limestone Reef, second largest barrier reef in the world, offering some of the best snorkeling (and diving) in the world.

We asked EcoColors to schedule us with hotels that are cyclist friendly and the Hotel Meson de San Miguel, with its English-speaking staff and central location right on San Miguel's lively square is a fine introduction to Caribbean life.

A breeze off the ocean and live marimba music below our window coaxed us outdoors, along with local families who came for a bite to eat, a chat and a stroll. The Yucatan has some of the friendliest folks in the world and is one of the safest places, crime-wise in all of Mexico- a good choice for a family on bikes.
From Cancun down the entire length of the Riveria Maya, we followed Highway 307. It has a wide breakdown lane that makes cycling very safe (although noisy.) Before boarding the ferry to Cozumel, we stopped at interesting towns along the way like Puertos Morelos, and took a jaunt out to the Isla de Mujeres off of Cancun etc that Kenneth advised us on.

After the cosmopolitan town of Playa del Carmen (jump off point to Cozumel), the truck traffic virtually stops. My husband, Todd, rode in the rear with his brilliant "high-vis" T-shirt, alerting motorists of our cycling caravan. We opted to eat where the locals eat- tiny, open air, no-nonsense restaurants where no one speaks a word of English but the food is authentic, cheap and delicious. The owners are always surprised to see courageous gringos out of their element and happy for the patronization.

Kenneth helped us select attractions and activities that would enhance our Yucatan experience. Two nature-and-Mexican culture theme parks, Xcaret and Xel Ha, we found to be exceptionally entertaining and well worth the entrance fee. Xcaret has over 6000 meters of narrow subterranean rivers, both underground and on top that you can swim/snorkel in. Since the Yucatan Peninsula is porous limestone, water seeps through fissures and crevices in the rock until it reaches the water table. There are virtually no surface rivers on the peninsula as water circulates underground through a labyrinth of channels and rivers. Swimming the rivers of Xcaret gives you a superb sense of how this cavernous limestone peninsula is honeycombed with waterways.

Xcaret also houses the largest butterfly nursery in the world- (50 feet high and 4200 sq ft) and is home to many rescued endangered animals (living freely on the property). The amazing night show that traces the history of the Mayan world in song, dance, and theatrical performances made our evening here the most memorable of the entire trip.

Farther down Hwy 307 is Xel-Ha- a gigantic natural lagoon brimming with colored fish and fascinating mangrove forests with their tangle of underwater roots like laced fingers. The park is one of the nation's showplaces and is an example of ecologically compatible development. It's safe and sheltered snorkeling is an excellent experience for first timers.

For the wild version, we headed towards Akumal (Place of the Turtle) Bay, where we found one of the oldest resorts in the Yucatan, run by a Texan woman! A comfortable bungalow with our own chilled drinking water cooler (a treat in a country where bottled water is a necessity) and amazing treasures awaited us underwater: Swaying sea fans, coral reefs, and sea turtles feasting on the long green underwater grasses. A visit to nearby Aktun Chen Cave and Nature Park showed us one of the most decorated and stalactite- filled caves I have ever been in. The jungle is pristine and rich in flora and fauna and the small regional wildlife zoo a treat. Friendly endangered spider monkeys live on the preserve and they took my children's hands in their leathery fingers longing to play like little kids.

After we reached Tulum on the coast, we headed inland towards Coba, Valladolid and Chichen Itza. The one other touring cyclist we met on our entire trip was equally amazed that there weren't more adventurers doing the same. It is a great way to travel in a 3rd world country for this simple mode of transportation connects you to the native peoples on an intimate, less intimidating level. They all cycle themselves (although their bikes aren't nearly as fancy as ours and they put shockingly little air in their tires!) they are very receptive to cyclists.

We were delighted to leave most tourists behind when we left the coast. With Kenneth's advice, we avoided the busy roads with no shoulders, and selected routes through tiny villages. We passed stick homes with thatched grass roofs, no doors and windows, little furniture and hammocks for beds. Children ran out to the streets yelling, "Hola! Hola!" as we cycled passed. It was beneficial for my teenagers to understand how much abundance we have in America yet how little these people need to be happy.

Once inland, we traded beach swimming for cenote swimming. Cenotes are sinkholes that formed when erosion weakened the walls and roofs of the underground caves and channels until they collapsed. These deep natural holes are a source of fresh water and great swimming holes. (Cenotes were considered fluid places to the underworld and were revered as sacred.) Gran Cenote, on our route to Coba, is rimmed in underwater stalactites and overhead stalagmites. These sights, along with its natural filtering sunshine and sugary sand floor took snorkeling to the next level. Although cumbersome and somewhat heavy, our flippers and facemasks proved to be valuable cycling gear, albeit not traditional!

The road to Coba is narrow and empty and a welcome break from the coastal road. We stop in the villages to see hammocks being hand woven, swing at the neighborhood playground with the local kids and feast on cold coconuts whose tops are hacked off with a machete and a straw inserted. Once drained, it's broken apart so you can spoon out the sweet white flesh.

Buses don't arrive at the ruins of Coba until later in the morning. Before 10 AM, you have this largest Mayan ruin in the entire Yucatan all to yourself. Chichen Itza may be the most famous with its excavated and restored buildings but Coba looks much like it did when the archeologists found it- reclaimed by the jungle with wild vegetation growing on the pyramids.

We had to pay to use our own bikes so we didn't subtract from the income of the bike concessionaire but cycling is the best way to see this expansive ruin. Miles of wide, shady, hard-packed dirt roads made this our most fun cycling.

We parked our bikes and climbed the 121 stone steps to the Grand Pyramid's top, taking in the commanding view of the surrounding jungle. Human sacrifices were regularly held up here by the Mayans- the victim's heart gouged out while still alive and then the bodies thrown down the steps, their vivid blood coloring the white limestone red. (Good stuff for imaginative children to ponder in this foreign culture). We used the rope to assist us in descending the extremely steep stone steps, keeping in mind that at least one tourist falls to their death here every year.

Further west lies the charming town of Valladolid. We headed for the square, the center of life where by day, women seamstresses dressed in traditional white cotton dresses (hipiles) embroidered with colorful flowers, sell their garments alongside the wrought iron park fence. Come evenings, the square fills with couples holding hands on benches, children laughing and on Sunday evenings (as is everywhere in the Yucatan) a live spicy Mexican band plays. Todd and I in our high visibilty jackets and tanned muscular cycling legs take a spin on the dance floor- to the delight of the locals and the embarrassment of our teenagers.

Kenneth set us up at the El Meson del Marques Hotel right on Valladolid's square, where ancient trees grow right alongside your dining table in the open air courtyard. The owner, Mario, shared that his great-grandfather bought the beautiful 16th century Spanish house which he was raised in and has since turned into a fine hotel. Leaving town was the only time we had to deal with any sickness (Bryce got intestinal trouble) and the hotel owner was very gracious in helping us.

We came to Mexico with only a smattering of leftover high school Spanish and using a combo of charades, convinced someone to drive my sick son back to the hotel. Buses are prevalent in the Yucatan, however, and they take bikes underneath, so you can usually hop on one instead of cycling.

Chichen Itza is the star of the Mayan world and no Yucatan cycling trip would be complete without a visit. Like Coba, early morning is best to walk around without interfering tourists (no bikes allowed). The Castle of Kubulan and Temple of 1000 Columns were very impressive with intricate carvings and lots of gory death and human sacrifices depicted everywhere. The Mayan Ball Court- largest in the Mayan world, was the most important. This ancestral 3500-year old game was played with a 9- pound rubber ball, whose purpose was to pass it through stone rings hoop high on the slanted walls- using only the hips. The ball reproduced the trajectory of the stars and planets and the players determining the path they would follow in the firmament. (We witnessed it at Xcaret's night show). Losers were sacrificed.

Our stay was at the nearby historic XVI colonial Hacienda Chichen. We slept in restored cottages that housed the Carnegie Institute's archeologists who excavated the ruins back in 1923. Colonial tile floors, wrought iron furniture, and carved accessories decorated the rooms while hand-woven cotton blankets on extremely comfortable beds made this our best nights sleep.

We took a last jaunt north to the Gulf Coast to see the pink flamingo preserve at Rio Lagartos- found an entertaining and very knowledgeable English-speaking captain- Diego Martinez- who drove us in his fiberglass launch past virgin mangroves to see the gorgeous brilliant coral-colored birds.

After three weeks of easy cycling, we circled back to Cancun and opted for the colorful downtown instead of the glitzy hotel strip. The Rey del Caribe Hotel, an impressive environmentally green hotel that is very unusual for Mexico, made us feel welcome. We secured our bike boxes from Kenneth of EcoColors who was storing them for the duration of our adventure. (Cancun's airport did not have boxes unlike our Phila. airport so they had to be saved, patched and reinforced). Packing up bikes in boxes before a flight is no easy task and a chore like this can be more stressful than the actual tour. With the help of Kenneth and the hotel staff, as well as all our hotel hosts, we were able to have a virtually headache-free adventure.

Some parents would think it completely daunting to bring their children on a cycling adventure to a foreign country like the Yucatan. But with a little help, our family enjoyed the freedom that independent cycling affords, and were able to create one of the finest memories of our lives.
SIDEBAR

The best months to cycle are in the dry winter months- Dec-April. The high season begins mid-late Dec. when prices go up. US Air frequently flies to the Caribbean and takes bicycles for free. Check for specs and the availability of bike boxes from your airport.

EcoColors can provide consultation services and contact arrangements on a personal basis or ceck out their site for organized tours.