Boat International – April 2018

April 2018 | http://www.boatinternational.com

n my first attempt, I nearly leap right on top of a massive

whale shark; one of my flippers skims the dappled

grey skin that is as unique as a human fingerprint. One

moment it is there, taking up the entire view through my

mask, the next it’s a blur receding into the sandy shallows.

We have been hunting them all morning, armed

with the lens of an underwater camera. We stand on the

raised bow of the boat and peer over the rails. Flippers

on, masks perched on foreheads, ready to jump in the

moment we spot the large shadowy mass or, if we’re lucky,

the more telling sign of a grey tail fin cutting through

the blue green water.

Spread across a long bay within the Sea of Cortez the

whale sharks are not easy to find despite their impressive

size. It is a quest that requires patience and speed. Fifteen

minutes pass between each sighting but, when one

occurs, everything happens in fast forward. We pile into

the water and then swim as quickly as possible to keep up

with the magnificent specimen.

It goes against human instinct to swim towards a

shark. Fortunately, even though these creatures are

enormous – the ones we see are six metres and most grow

to 10 metres – they aren’t man eaters. However, there are

rules to protect both the sharks and their admirers. Only

five people are allowed in the water at once, and you have

to avoid their strong tails, which can knock you out.

Our guide, Raul, eventually says that we need to find

bigger whale sharks, which are

slower. Finally, we spot our Moby –

a behemoth swimming languidly,

which could not care less about a

pack of snorkelling stalkers. For

all its mass, the shark moves with

grace, giant tail swaying. It is easy to keep pace with this

one, and I am hypnotised by the steady flutter of its gills.

It opens its mouth, water pouring in, filtering out food –

plankton, but also algae, shrimp, sardines or fish eggs.

I look around and realise my fellow swimmers have fallen

back; it is just me and this shark alone. If I could I might

follow it for ever.

Swimming with whale sharks is just one of the

miraculous aquatic activities experienced in the days I

spend cruising the Sea of Cortez on board the 40 metre

Horizon motor yacht Komokwa. The sea is a veritable

aquarium, filled with humpback whales, sea lions, giant

rays and protected dive sites brimming with tropical fish.

Even snorkelling of the yacht in a quiet anchorage reveals

an exquisite carpet of yellow and orange corals.

And during this adventure we’ve seen few tourists

and no other superyachts. The seclusion is perhaps not

surprising considering how few people even know where

the Sea of Cortez is. The narrow strip of water between

Mexico’s Baja peninsula and the mainland, which is also

The Sea of

Cortez is home

to a stunning

coastline and an

extraordinary

range of

tropical fish

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