This last September, my dad and I visited the small village of Puerto Lopez to scuba dive and see our first tracking device attached to a giant manta ray.
On the boat to Isla de la Plata, a small island off of Puerto Lopez, I was able to see three whales break the surface of the ocean just fifty feet away. That's not all, while scuba diving, I could hear the faint sounds of the whales from further out in the sea. But I didn't go to see the whales, although it was an amazing sight, I went to see the giant manta rays. After waiting in the freezing cold water, finally the first approached. It rippled through the water, its movements slow and majestic. I couldn't believe it! Soon after, four more came and began to circle us curiously.
Even though I had already seen a giant manta ray before, I couldn't help but gasp in wonder. As soon as we surfaced, my dad and I immediately began to talk about how amazing the experience was. Shivering, we climbed onto the boat and even the guides were wide-eyed at how many mantas approached us. This experience is one that I will never forget, and hope to have again next manta season!
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