Wednesday, August 15, 2012

THE LIGHTS OF RIA LAGARTOS

Friday afternoon…
I was frustrated because I still had no Internet…  
(just got it back last night)
So I decided to accept an invitation for the weekend…
And go to
Rio Lagartos…
A small fishing village on the Gulf of Mexico
Just two hours from where I live, across the Yucatan.
There, the fishermen catch a variety fish in the day…
And at night, octopus, lured by crabs…
Attach to bamboo poles on both ends of their boat.
Saturday, ten A.M., Alberth, my guide for the day arrived.
I climbed into a small motor boat…
And off we went to the brackish waters of Ria Lagartos…
A biosphere reserve...
And a nesting site for flamingos…
Osprey, egrets, eagles, cormorants…
And some 383 other bird species.
From there we went across a stretch of the Gulf...
To a secluded beach Inhabited by no one.
I was mesmerized by the sheer isolation.
After a few hours…
Alberth took us across the Gulf again to San Felipe…
Another fishing village. After dining on the fresh catch…
We headed back to my quaint hotel…
Only four rooms there; mine with a view of the docks.
I thought the day couldn’t get more awesome…
But around ten in the evening…
Alberth arrived with a bottle of tequila…
I drank a shot, he three…
And we headed off again for the inlets.
But now, everything around us was dark as pitch…
Didn’t matter…
Alberth zoomed the small boat across to the lagoon.
I wondered if he really could see where he was going…
Or was the tequila giving him a bravado I wasn’t feeling.
Abruptly he cut the engine…
And the air exploded with movement and light…
Flying fish flew everywhere…
And as they emerged…
The water’s spray glowed whitish-green…
Caused by one-celled organisms called dinoflagelletes.
Alberth then shone a spotlight…
Scanning the mangroves looking for the green eyes…
Of Caribbean crocodiles.
We no sooner spotted a pair…
Then Alberth aimed the boat towards the croc.
I held my breath not knowing what to expect...
Because, OMG! I was told these crocs can leap 4 feet!
Alberth cut the engine and the boat eased towards the croc…
I could see the whole body of the beast…
But as we inched got closer, the croc submerged.
Alberth then shone the spotlight down on the water…
And beneath, a whole other world…
So many crabs, catfish, gar and other fish…
That I could have reached down and scooped them up.
Nothing however…
Compared with show up above.
With no town lights to interfere…
The Perseid meteor showers played out in the heavens...
More stars than I’d ever seen in my life.
After an hour, we headed back…
I was thrilled that I spied at least ten shooting stars…
Their tails visible across half the sky.
Alberth claimed to have seen twenty-six.
Truth or tequila? I have no idea.
Didn’t matter…
It was the most magical night of my life.
So, tell me…
Did you see the meteors?
And have you ever had a magical night?

Always, Em-Musing

P.S. Rio Lagartos is the town, 
     Ria Lagartos is the lagoon.

11 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

What an experience! You need to write about that, add it to some story somewhere. Not sure how well I would've held my cool with the crocodile, but it would've been an amazing sight.

Sarah said...

That is the coolest experience ever--and as always, I LOVE how you write about it. Wow.

Suzanne Furness said...

Oh my goodness what a fab story. Not sure I want to go head to head with a croc though! It sounds very magical and something you will remember for ever.

mshatch said...

I've never seen anything as lovely as what you've described. Thank you for sharing :)

farawayeyes said...

Bio luminesence is awesome! Crocs not so much. Fortunately where I live we have one without the other. The stars on the seas are beyond belief. Great post!

Mis Anthropy said...

Wow! Who knew no internet could be that good!

Arlee Bird said...

I so envy that experience. You described it beautifully and with such drama. I'd really like to go there.


Lee
A Faraway View

Jennifer Shirk said...

WOW, sounds amazing! I bet this was the first time you were ever glad to not have your Internet. LOL

And I didn't know crocs could leap that high!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Oh, what an amazing experience! Sounds breath taking. I was never able to see any meteors, but it was cloudy.

Intangible Hearts said...

What an exciting story and I did see a shooting star last week!

A Beer for the Shower said...

Shannon stole my words - all I could think of was how breathtaking this was. AND to have enjoyed the whole thing on tequila? What an adventure.