The Magic Kingdom.

No, we did not visit Disney World.

We spent last Saturday swimming with the whale sharks in the extreme depths of the Caribbean Sea.

It was a magical, mystical moment in time.

We ventured out at 8am on our friend’s cruiser which has the distinct honor of being the fastest boat on the island…boys and their toys!

We rode the choppy waves on the 125 mile trip to swim with the whale sharks, ironically, the same distance it would have taken to arrive in Cuba just in a different direction.

Whale sharks are the largest living fish species.

They are docile and pose no threat to humans.

They can grow to over 60 feet in length.

We donned our life jackets, snorkels and flippers, jumped off the boat and went two at a time with our guide.

The zen experience was thrilling and they actually brushed up against us as we were swimming right next to them.

It is prohibited to reach out and touch so I diligently kept my hands to myself.

The whale sharks have silver spots on their body which appear to glow underwater.

A huge manta ray joined the party.

We were actually face to face with the whale sharks as they opened and closed their huge mouth literally seeing into the cavity.

On the way over we passed a pod of frolicking dolphins in the aqua water of the Gulf of Mexico.

The Caribbean Sea was a navy color in sharp contrast to the lighter shade of the Gulf water.

On the way back we stopped at the nature preserve of Yum Balam snorkeled and witnessed two huge tortoise getting it on and grooving to Sexual Healing.

Nothing beats the beauty and majesty of Mother Nature…we all must take on the individual responsibility of protecting and preserving our natural resources.

What a memorable day?

Photo: Aquariumofpacific.org