Whale Sharks!

First of all, thank you for all of your comments. I love reading them and I am glad that so many people are enjoying my stories.

Things have been pretty steady here in La Ceiba. I have school in the mornings, study in the afternoon and hang out with the ever changing gang at night.

I went back to Utila last weekend and stayed at my usual hotel on the Cays. I was able to stay Friday and Saturday night, which was a lot of fun. The hotel was full, so there were quite a few people to talk to and it is alway interesting to hear of the different experiences they have had. The type of person who visits Utila, and especially this particular hotel, is typically very adventurous and most of them have been backpacking their way across Mexico, Central and South America. I have learned so much about travel just by talking with these people.

On Saturday, I did 2 fun dives and was very proud that I have finally figured out how to control my buoyancy and can now fully enjoy all that the ocean has to offer. I saw many cool fish and underwater creatures, but still have not seen the sea turtle that I am seeking. However, the day was not a failure because instead of a sea turtle, I got to swim with whale sharks!!! It was amazing. After our first dive, our boat driver, Louis, rushed us back into the boat and we were told to take off our tanks and get ready with just our masks and fins. He took off in search of the whale shark, which I guess is easy to find because birds are circling around the area. We spotted him and on Louis´command all slipped into the water where the whale shark swam right by us! It was huge! I would say it was the same size as our boat if not bigger. After losing sight of him, we dragged ourselves back onto the boat and went off to follow the shark. We swam with him 2 more times, each time getting closer and closer. On the final time, I was first in the water and was able to postion myself directly over the path of the shark. He went right underneath me. I had to hold my arms close to my body to keep from brushing up against him. It was very thrilling!

We spent Saturday night at the Cay View resteraunt as usual having dinner, drinks and dancing.

On Sunday, I decided to hangout at the hotel and layout on the dock all day instead of diving. It was a beautiful day and there were plenty of people to talk to on the dock. At the height of the day, I slipped into the water with my swimming goggles and did some laps between the dock and nearby island. It was great to swim again and a very enjoyable workout. It was very different from swimming in dark, cold Lake Michigan. I was able to watch the fish swim through the coral underneath me. There were even some small fish that brushed up against me. I never quite got used to this and freaked out each time. Of course, the day wound down and I had to take the ferry back to the mainland. Again, I was very sad to leave. Hopefully, I will return someday.

Well, this is the end of my time in La Ceiba. I will be moving to Tegucigalpa on Saturday to begin my job. Hopefully, I will a lot of new adventures to share with everyone.