The Whale Shark
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" Often, what matters is not how we experience things, but what happens within us when we experience them. "
Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra, explorer and documentary filmmaker.
The Whale Shark - Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra
The whale shark is an animal that never ceases to amaze me. I remember the first time I saw one of these animals. When I was very little, my father introduced us to a man named Alberto Friccione, a very kind gentleman but passionately in love with nature. Everyone was very excited and enthusiastic about swimming with this enormous animal; I, to be honest, felt scared. I couldn't quite understand why they found it interesting to jump into the water with a shark. What I knew about sharks back then was that they ate things. They had a terrible reputation; movies always portrayed them as great killers. And in my innocence, I couldn't tell a whale shark from any other shark. The word "shark" filled me with fear.
As we boarded the boat that would take us closer to this animal, I began to understand that this was not just any shark, but rather the largest fish in the ocean, and that it did not have sharp, dangerous teeth like other sharks.
I heard them telling us that this animal filtered food and was very gentle, a calm and peaceful creature. I felt a little peace, although the unknown still made me wary and a bit nervous.
I was about to witness a being that would change the way I saw the ocean, to live an experience that would change me forever, that would make me fall deeply in love with the ocean and its waters.
We got ready by adjusting our fins, putting on our masks, snorkels, and life jackets. I remember we were the only boat there. Those were different times; mass tourism hadn't yet found interest in these kinds of experiences. It's a shame that things have changed now and that respect for the activity has been lost.
Between the discomfort of being fully equipped on board the boat, the excitement and nerves grew. Everything seemed to accelerate; my heart was racing, white foam splashed around us, and the boat moved forward at a moderate speed, while in the distance we watched the land recede and pass by. It was a day that wasn't entirely sunny, which made the coolness and temperature of the water create an atmosphere that was neither too warm nor too cold. And when the biggest wave crashed and white foam hit my visor, someone shouted excitedly, "There it is!" At that moment, time disappeared, things moved very quickly, and the next instruction was: "Get in the water!" So, without making much noise and following the instructions we had been given earlier, we cautiously entered the water.
The moment I put my head underwater and opened my eyes, searching the depths for the enormous whale shark, something unexpected happened. A huge manta ray swam swiftly toward where I was floating, and before touching me, it turned around, revealing its black and white patterns. I was stunned because I didn't know what this animal was, and it didn't resemble the whale shark everyone talked about at all. A few seconds later, the giant manta disappeared, and beside me, what we had been waiting for happened. An enormous silhouette filled my vision, a rough black texture with white spots encompassing my entire field of sight, and swimming peacefully but swiftly, the giant passed by me. I could feel its presence, forever etched in my memory. What was happening in my mind and before my eyes was beyond comprehension; no matter how much I had been told about this animal beforehand, reality surpassed any explanation. It was like watching a train pass by, an animal of a magnitude that exceeded my imagination. And that, far from wanting to eat me, it just walked past me.
Sleep Patterns - Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra
I came out of the water thrilled, wanting more, not understanding what I had just seen, not understanding why no one was mentioning the giant manta ray, which for me was just as, if not more, important a sight than seeing the whale shark. Everyone was shouting, laughing, and celebrating. Excitement and joy filled all time and space. And when I least expected it, they shouted again: "Now! Back in the water!" And on that second jump, I saw a huge white circle approaching me. The great whale shark was coming straight at me, its mouth wide open and all around it teeming with fish, swimming with incredible agility and speed, while the giant swam at the same speed but calmly. I could have easily been sucked into that mouth; I was just a child, a little boy overwhelmed by such an experience.
That day, everything changed in how I saw the ocean. I knew there was more, I knew there was so much we hadn't seen yet.
I understood that although we expected one thing, the ocean gave us that and much more.
And although these memories live on in my mind, they remain somewhat hazy, but each time I try to recall them, a feeling of peace and tranquility washes over me. It was a moment that ignited my curiosity and wonder about the marine world.
This story is important, not because of what I learned, but rather because of the curiosity it sparked in me.
The Giant's Tail - Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra
I'll tell you more about these animals later… I'll tell you about the magnificent Dance of the Ocean.
"Often, what matters is not how we experience things, but what happens inside us when we experience them."
Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra