It’s early in a Sunday morning and the plan was “let’s go see whales!” We just couldn’t resist the temptation. While many people in the big cities can’t venture out of their cement blocks, around here we can still do things we truly get a kick out of, one of those gifts of nature we can’t pass up. We hopped on a boat with our camera, our sight well focused, our skins smeared in tan lotion and eager to make out a jumping whale. The day was bright and it felt so good to sail with the breeze blowing against our faces. We quickly spotted a bunch of vessels, their passengers also waiting to see one of those incredible creatures. There were too many of us already, so we sailed on a little further ahead. Suddenly, we saw something that resembled a back jutting out of the water and we all remained quiet. Yes! it was a mother whale with her offspring in tow. She showed off a side and then the tail. We were so excited that we nearly missed out on the whole thing. Someone shouted, “Look to the other side!” and there he was, a humongous male humpback that leaped out of the water, so quickly and so high that he left us all speechless, all shook up. I’d never been so lucky to catch sight of a whale like this, so this one was simply one to remember. Unfortunately it all happened to fast that we couldn’t take any pictures, yet the memories will last forever in our heads. Right after this sighting, we waited a little longer and headed for the Cross of Huanacaxtle. On our way, we spotted a swimming turtle and a giant stingray so big that made our jaws drop in awe. We arrived in the new marina and went down for breakfast, so necessary to retell all the things we’d just seen and enjoyed in this new zone that’s growing so unnoticeably. The return ride was so delightful, with seawater drops rolling down our skin, the sun, Vallarta in the horizon. It was indeed a genuinely deluxe morning, a plan all visitors or locals should wallow in at least once in their lifetimes.

Someone shouted, “Look to the other side!” and there he was, a humongous male humpback that leaped out of the water, so quickly and so high that he left us all speechless, all shook up.