Once more unto the beach (sic.)

We soon began to suspect the island of Holbox’s reputation as a haven for mosquitoes - embellished with peninsulas, t-shirts and even warnings in the guide book - was a conspiracy to keep the place from being swamped by tourists. Their presence (both tourists and mosquitoes), although undeniable, was not hugely significant on the calm-watered beaches of shells. In this setting we managed to occupy our first two days with very little: a paddle here, some sea kayaking, a paddle there, hammock time, final chapters, the conquest of a sandbar and more paddling until sunset.

It was on Thursday that any concerted effort was made at organised activity. The result being we went on a utterly amazing voyage in search of Whale Sharks at the restaurant at the end of the Gulf Stream. At up to twenty metres in length, these domino-patterned beasts are the largest fish in the sea but, like many whales, eat nothing but plankton. We met up with a male of a (not very) humble ten metres and swam with the local shoals in his wake as he grazed on the rising plankton-rich currents.

Dolphins, a turtle, a ray, reefs full of rainbow fish and sunburn in a bio-degradable-and- waterproof-lotion-only-zone were all there for the taking too. It was a great way to cap days of inactivity and the trip before heading to Cancún and home.