December 23: Spectacular Swim with Sea Lions
As the slick, dense, wet fur of the South American Sea Lions slid under my hand in the choppy waters off the Punta Loma Provincial Reserve, my eyes watered with joy inside my scuba mask. When I first made plans to ride south on my motorcycle from Buenos Aires, I didn’t know I’d also be able to swim with these beautiful creatures!
Arriving at the Madryn Buceo dive shop in the morning, I layered up in a 10mm thick two-piece wet suit before heading out to the tour company’s rigid inflatable boat for the 15-17km windy ride across the uneven seas of the Gulfo Neuvo to the protected permanent sea lion colony.
On the tan rocky cliffs there, large darker colored male sea lions with thick shaggy manes and smaller, lighter brown females with wet glistening fur rested in the sun while penguin-like black and white chested cormorants stood upright alongside them and flew overhead.
Hopping into the frigid water I was immediately mesmerized by the playful, bobbing sea mammals popping their broad, whiskery snouts up out of the water and then diving effortlessly below to appear yards away only a second later.
Hoping to have an up-close encounter, I felt like I was playing a game of hide and seek with the playful creatures appearing and disappearing in a flash. Then one glorious moment, two of them twisted and turned right in front of me, allowing me to slide my hand along the lengths of their rubbery, muscular, fur covered bodies, from front to back flipper. What an incredible experience!
Peeking below the surface, I could see more of the pinnipeds traversing the sandy bottom below and propelling themselves through the dark murky seas. Swimming amongst them were several different sizes of jellyfish, their ethereal, white gelatinous bell-shaped bodies trailing long slender tentacles as they elegantly undulating through the water.
Riding back in the boat with the sun on my back and the wind in my face, I tasted the dried salt water on my lips, flexed my numb fingers, and luxuriated in the feel of the warm sun on my back. What a great day!
