seemed to be a quiet Saturday afternoon like many others, I was sitting on the floor, on the dock of my two-story school in Sub. In the shadow of the great umbrella of straw, with my friend Antonio and Tony, my instructor, we were going over the lessons of physiology and correcting some exams.
Tonio was wearing the usual sunglasses with red frames, a green shirt and his favorite costume. Her hair blowing in the wind and the sun brightened the long beard covered his face from what appeared, in a consistent manner, his broad smile.
distracted me for a moment remembering the afternoon previously spent by the best barber in the world: Vess, a Finnish girl who is following my own way and who offered to cut my hair. Vess has an athletic body highlighted by bright red bikini, long blond hair, tied back to the framing her face, her features perfect, delicate, delightful, are carved around two large blue diamond, his eyes shining like ocean water lying at my feet.
I brought to school in the machine with which I shaved a little hair left.
was about 17.30 and I sat on a wooden chair, watching the sunset on top of the pier. I wished so much that someone would make me a picture at that moment because, in opinion I was a very unique scene. Instead of combs, hair dryer, leather seats, mirrors, sinks, magazines ....... immersed in a cloud of hairspray from the pungent aroma, I had only one chair.
The sun was setting slowly and the colors of the sky were mingled with those of the ocean, creating a background with shades of red and orange.
I looked around and smiled, enchanted by the scenery of that place at that time.
"This is the best hair salon where I have been in my entire life!" I thought while brushing Vess was spinning around with her body making me shiver and covering for a few moments, the wonderful view that every night, gives me a perfect picture.
to interrupt my journey with the fantasy was Mitch, the owner of the school.
We felt that the other school of boat out for diving in the afternoon, had just called to inform us immediately that they have spotted some WHALE SHARK (whale sharks), off the north side of the island. He told us we had to prepare quickly and help the other participants, guests of the school.
After exactly 30 minutes everything was ready and out to sea at 16:15.
Go on the north side of the island involves a large expenditure of fuel, and only when business is good, takes place every morning. There, sites for diving are the most beautiful and full of life, but some schools, because the slowness of the boats, there are practically never.
Then, starting in 20, 4 pm, without intending to go diving, but with the sole aim of seeing the whale shark is very rare and unmissable opportunity, and in other parts of the world can have price exorbitant.
After circumnavigating the island for half along the coast, we arrived at the point where our comrades were already doing the 2nd dive. We greeted the two boats and then take off and hopefully encouraged by the smiles of our friends who had just gone through that experience.
Mitch gave directions in English and told everyone to get ready.
With the help of Simon, another instructor, we settled sitting in the middle of the boat, arranged in two rows. Facing aft, wear fins, mask and tube, we were all ready to dive, as quickly as possible upon receipt of the signal.
Captain, Mitch, Simon, Tonio and other instructors were scanning the sea in search of the shark. The great fish rises to the surface to feed on small fish and plankton. To follow and take advantage of this moment, there are also tuna rising rapidly and begin to jump out of the water creating great looking frothy. Under one of them you can find him, the whale shark. They were, by now, after 20 minutes and hope inside of me and behind the masks of my companions, was fading slowly.
Someone cried out from the roof of the boat, I turned to see what was going on. All those left standing were looking at the same point and indicated that something in the sea could not see. Below me, the engine roared and the boat started to go faster with a circle.
"Ready? Ready ?.... OK ... gogogogo!" Mitch yelled when the engine went out. We started to enter the water in quick succession in a more orderly as possible. I was very excited, maybe even a little 'confused and afraid of doing the wrong thing being my first time. My head was full of signs in English that I understood only half. By the cries of the boat, from engine noise, agitation collective and the frenzied atmosphere, freed myself in just a second: when I put my head under water. In that silence, in that peace, in this fascinating and mysterious underwater world saw something quite amazing: it was about 5 / 6 yards from me, almost vertical, intent to eat. It was HUGE! But, I mean, HUGE! Length of about 8 / 10 meters and the size of a minivan.
The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest fish presently known.
It is believed that some samples may exceed 100 years and reach a length of 18 meters (the largest living animal is instead the blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus, up to 30 meters in length). The whale shark swims
in all tropical and warm temperate seas and is shown with its characteristic bluish back with strips and round spots. The belly is white and has mimetic functions, in fact, from bottom to top, the white color blends with the brightness of the sea surface, while from the back with blue spots and stripes simulates the reverberation of the sun on the water.
Despite its size, the whale shark is harmless, it is a filter feeder fish that feeds on plankton and small fish that swim with their mouths open catching and passing the water through the filter feeder apparatus connected to the gills.
Disturbed by our presence, he resumed the horizontal position and, without haste, you away.
We were all, attracted to the boat quickly, where rising and position us for a "second round". The enthusiasm was sky: all were laughing, shouting, whistling, they hugged, still incredulous of what we had just seen.
The same procedure was repeated 2 additional times with the same, good, results. I could see that being very closely, staying each time impressed by its majestic grandeur.
Back at school, mad with joy, we all went to celebrate on the BUS CRUS. The Bus Crus is the brainchild of Mitch. Every Saturday evening, around 17:00, the biggest boat of the two schools, serves as a floating bar. Charge people and, with the music blaring, along the quays of the other schools and bars along the coast, and every 20-30 minutes, complete the ride back to school to pick up other people. It was only the 2nd time in it and I enjoyed very much. It was another opportunity to speak in English and be able to tell you about my adventure in the afternoon with a pair of newly arrived Canadians.
At 19:00, when the sun was now dropped, I went to the office to sign up for diving the next morning, hoping that, being a Sunday, we would return to the north and, perhaps, we could review a WHALE SHARK.
So it was even more fun the day before. After two dives where I swam in the middle of a large silver carp like me, we went off. In the front row were Tonio and Dom, another instructor who had priority because it fitted with underwater cameras.
In the first round, so I only saw the last seconds of the "show" and I could not come close to the large animal. There was Mitch and instructors present were too busy looking for the shark to watch me. So, with the permission of the captain, I prepared to descend from the top left of the boat, where I had to do a jump of about one meter to enter the water, trying not to make too much noise not to scare the Pescioni. "Now I'll get into the shark's mouth", I cried the captain, laughing. After a few seconds, I saw the shark's head, out of the water, right under my feet.
"Ahora! Ahora! - I cried! And I, without thinking, I fell.
I had the hose in his mouth like that, once in water, no longer had to pull his head out.
found him BEFORE ME, A 2 meters from me. He was upright, as if he were standing. I was at the level of his huge white belly and I could almost touch it. When others started to gather, as they came down the boat began to move into a horizontal position, lowering his head toward me. I stepped back a bit ', and frankly, I had a moment of fear.
I was able to look into his eyes, to see his great mouth, and strong fins and shiny. I began to climb in his direction, as fast as I could. He stood a few feet below me and it took more than 1 minute before walking away.
I saw him swim, always under me, and move that body with enormous grace and power, at the same time. I felt insignificant in the face of one so majestic.
I hope, heart, you can relive this experience, as many times as possible during my stay in Utila and able to give me some videos and some pictures from my friends inquiry, as a memento of this unforgettable weekend .
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