I love our aquatic neighbors.
They don’t wake you up in the middle of the night with loud music or yelling matches.
They don’t almost set your home on fire with rogue fire works.
They take good care of their home and never leave things lying around.
They add to our view rather than obstructing it.
They’re curious but they usually maintain their distance.
They mostly keep to themselves but sometimes they’ll swing by to check us out or bring their kids around for us to gush over.
They’ve traveled all over the world and presumably have interesting stories to tell, though we have encountered a bit of a language barrier.
They wave or say hello when they pass us by.
I was preparing coffee after a long night of not sleeping at Islas Bolanos due to the lack of protection from the swell. It had been a long and rolly night and we had a long day of whale watching ahead of us. Not knowing where they were, we were prepared to sail around most of the day to see the Humpbacks that populate the Gulf of Chiriqui for nearly half the year to feed and give birth. I groggily filled our tea kettle, clumsily emerged from the cabin and was greeted by Humpback whales less than 100 meters from the boat – a mama and her baby led by a procession of dolphins. Jeff was in the cockpit seconds later after I excitedly announced their presence. I’d say that’s a pretty good start to whale watching season.
Whales and dolphins make the best neighbors. And while we love most of our neighbors (mammalian or otherwise), we have been a little less welcoming of some other critters that have paid us a visit…
A sea snake that somehow found its way onboard (how snakes climb on boats totally beats me). Jeff shooed it away with the boat hook.
An opossum that clambered into our dinghy in the middle of the night. She had little babies still suckling who somehow managed to hold on when she swam away up river.
Giant water beetles and spiders that were thankfully deceased upon discovery.
All these visitors keep life full and interesting.
