This Week's Excursions

My sister Pat visited us this last week and we really enjoyed our time together. Pat especially loved our morning swims in the ocean when we thought the waves weren't too crazy. While we haven't mastered getting in and out we have become better at timing our entry and exit. I still get a load of sand stuck in my bathing suit but no matter. Everyday we see some wonderful sea life - Humpback whales and Orcas, dolphins, rays and fish leaping out of the water. It's very exciting and we don't seem to tire of the daily show.

We went on a boat tour of the Manialtepec Laguna to see the many birds that inhabit the area. We were surprised to see how big the Laguna is. We saw many different kinds of herons, kingfishers, egrets, eagles, vultures, storks and of course cormorants. We went into the mangroves that are along the shore and spotted very well camouflaged birds inside. Ernesto, our boatman, was very skilled at finding these birds. As sunset approached we made our way to the ocean and it turned out to be the same place we had gone to a week or so ago, Puerto Suelo. We just got there a different way. We watched the sunset and met some other people who effortlessly built a bonfire on the beach using some dried palms and coconut husks. After it got dark we went back to the boat and stopped in a small area. Ernesto drove the boat in circles stirring up the water. When you put your hand in or jumped in to swim (Ernesto did the swimming) bioluminescence  appeared like bright lights in the water and followed the disturbances in the water. It was so amazing to see. As we picked the water up in our hands and let it fall it was like fairy dust. I'm so glad we got to see this.
My sister Pat had to leave on Thursday and there were no turtle releases for her to see. As luck would have it they released some on Thursday night.
On Thursday Tom and I went grocery shopping but decided to look for a beach he had heard about called Agua Blanca past Puerto Escondido. We found it and were happy we did. There are volcanic rocks near the shore that break the waves and form pools where fish gather. You can put on a mask and in very shallow water see many fish. We didn't bring our bathing suits or snorkeling masks but we enjoyed it anyway. There are many restaurants along the stretch of beach. We had a cold drink and excellent fries. Then we drove back and did our shopping. A good day indeed. Pat would have liked Agua Blanca.