Swimming in Yucatan´s Emerald Coast

A moment ago, I went for a swim in the open emerald sea. As usual, there was no one at the beach, I am lucky enough to live in a part of the Yucatan Emerald Coast where there are not that many people. Being in a place that is almost virgin makes me value nature a lot more and many other small things that we usually take for granted when we live in a city full of distractions.

Entering an almost virgin sea alone could be a bit scary at the beginning, one starts to think if there are any sharks around or crocodiles since I have seen videos taken by locals of these reptiles entering the sea looking for food. Scary Images of movies or documentaries of predators attacking people come into my head. However, reality usually tends to be different from blockbuster flicks, there are many articles and educational videos in many streaming platforms that inform us that the probability of getting attacked by any of these animals is actually null.

Frequently, we get scared of things we do not know. As my university martial arts couch back in Montreal used to say “Fear” means fake evidence appearing real. We tend to judge people or events before they even happen. The only way to find out is to face the challenge in front of you.

It´s always better to share a fearful new experience with someone else, for my good or bad luck, my girlfriend does not know how to swim and is scared of whatever you may find in a virgin sea. For this reason, I started this new challenge alone, I began swimming close to the shore, when the weather is good you can see everything in the crystal-clear emerald water, however when it´s cloudy you don’t´ really see much in the turbulent water. There are only 2 choices, not getting in the water or jumping right in and start swimming along the coast enjoying the vast sea ahead of you, the waves and the virgin environment where you are at. I love the feeling of focusing on my swim, letting go of my fears, move forward concentrating in my goals, let the adrenaline and the endorphins kick in and go as far as I want to go in the endless sea.

I am more confident now in the ocean than when I started. I like to go deeper since I am more familiar with my surroundings. Going back to the swim I had an hour ago, I had the beautiful experience of encountering a black seagull floating a couple of meters away from me when I emerged to surface. It was a very unique moment because the more I swim in this virgin sea, the more I love the environment and the virgin ecosystem that surrounds me. It is a true paradise and I hope it stays like this for a very long time.

Will I get the courage to swim at night?? I have wondered how that experience may be. There is only one way to find out!