Home > Amos Nachoum > Big Animals Expeditions

Sailfish Run

Big Animals Expedition, Isla Mujeres in Mexico

Sailfish Run - Big Animals Expedition
experience	7 years
where	Isla Mujeres, Mexico
max no. of guests	4 guests
departure	Feb. 24 - March 3 , 2014; March 3 - 10, 2014
duration	7 days
pricing	$5,900 per person
vessel	MY Lilly ( 36 feet sport fishing vessel )
activities	Snorkeling, Diving
temperature	In Water: 80°F;   Air: 70 - 90°F

Location Details

Isla Mujeres is a small island town a short distance off Cancun on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea. A traditionally rustic Mexican town, Isla Mujeres - "the Island of Women" - has blossomed into a center for fine Mexican crafts and international beachcombers.

Witness Amazing SailfiIsh Feeding Behavior

This expedition of only four guests - like all Big Animals expeditions - is created to experience intimacy with the grace and power of special sea creatures - sailfish, mantas, and the occasional whale shark. Even to see one sailfish underwater is an experience few people have. But to witness thirty, forty or more, stretching out as far as the eye can see, feeding in coordinated frenzy on a sardine bait-ball is truly a mind-bending experience - one that no one could deliver - until now.

On this expedition you swim, snorkel and dive with a school of sailfish while they are gathering, hunting and feeding on the helpless Brazilian Sardines. With patience we can see them face to face from only an arm's length away. You have the opportunity to observe and experience the thrill and enjoy the dynamics of being surrounded by sailfish while they engage in the unique feeding strategy unlike any other fish predator - very similar to the cooperative feeding activity preformed and always thought exclusive to whales and dolphins.

The Majestic Sailfish

Sailfish have been clocked at 65 miles per hour running speed - underwater. They communicate with one another through pulses of pigment. To sardines, they are devastatingly deadly. The most graceful, powerful, elegant, and beautiful hunters in the underwater world have always entranced me. Five years ago, I discovered that the best encounters with the speediest fish in the ocean were taking place in our own backyard - in Mexico on the Caribbean side, near Cancun, of f the rustic island of Isla Mujeres.

Fast-Paced Excitement

When we are ready to dive with the big animals, you and another snorkler slide into the water - with camera-at-hand if you wish. I join two guests at a time to chase af ter the ball of sardines. Since most of the feeding and action is close to the surface, we never dive deeper than 30 feet.

When the spectacle is complete, as the final sailfish takes the last wounded sardine into its bill and swims away as if you've never been there - you'll be left hovering in the water with memories to last a lifetime, images that are truly unique, and a satisfying ache in your limbs from keeping up with the action.

General Itinerary

Day 1: ARRIVE Cancun. Your transportation from the airport to the ferry has been pre-arranged. The ferry ride takes about 15 minutes from Cancun to Isla Mujeres. Upon arrival, take a taxi to the Hotel Playa la Media Luna, about 5 minutes away. We meet in the late afternoon with the skipper and review our logistics.

Day 2-7: Early each morning, we depart about 6AM. Depending on wind and water conditions, the skipper decides if we head out to sea or wait until the wind dies down. Our skipper is one of the most accomplished sportfishing captains there is - meaning, he really knows how to find the fish. Working with Amos, and being openminded enough to adapt his craft to our needs, we have at our disposal a perfect dive boat for finding and photographing sailfish (i.e. see Amos's award-winning images from past sailfish expeditions.)

Providing weather conditions are safe, we'll race out anywhere between 10-30 miles offshore looking for frigatebirds hovering over the water. While on the search, we suit up in our snorkeling gear and get our cameras ready. The point is to be prepared for the opportunity, because when it comes, the action is fast and unpredictable. Only four guests on this trip, because otherwise, we'd all be in each other's way when it's time to go-go-go!

When we spot what looks like sailfish activity, the skipper will maneuver the vessel to give us the best position according to his estimated movement of the bait ball. Once the skipper gives the word, two guests plus Amos jump into the water, and swim as quickly as possible to get close to the action.

The sardine bait ball is moving, and the sailfish pack is chasing the bait ball. This is a very dynamic and fast-moving encounter. Sometimes we'll be in the water five minutes and it will be all over, and sometimes, if we can stay with them and we're positioned right, we'll get 30 minutes to an hour observing the sailfish hunt.

When one team returns to the vessel, the second team is ready and waiting for the skipper's instructions. This is how each day proceeds. We'll have lunch on board as well as water and soft drinks.

The day ends around 3 or 4pm - by that time the water becomes cloudy and is not as clear and blue as in the morning. On returning to shore, we head back to our hotel. With enough time on hand, and if you're not too tired from swimming with sailfish, the charms of Isla Mujeres village life are there for you to enjoy. Some evening we will meet for sunset drinks on the beach and have dinner in town.

On board the vessel we have four small scuba tanks for each person, plus a weight belt. Amos recommends swimming with no BC - all our dives will be at 20 feet or less, and mostly at 10 feet. However, this means that each diver must be a strong enough swimmer to be able to stay afloat with camera and weight belt throughout the encounter until the vessel comes around to pick us up. Most of the encounters can be done with snorkeling gear only and no scuba gear at all.

Day 9: DEPART from the hotel according to your flight schedule back home. We'll provide your transportation from the hotel to the ferry and from the ferry to the Cancun airport.

******

Included in tour price:

• Seven Days Charter
• Eight nights at the hotel (Accommodations are based on shared rooms. Single occupancy is available for an extra fee)
• Breakfast and Lunch Box
• All diving equipment: tanks and weights
• Ferry - Cancun Isla Mujeres and return
• All transfers from Cancun and back

Not included in tour price:

• International or domestic flights
• Excess baggage charges on flight
• Single occupancy
• Dinners and other meals not specified above
• All items of a personal nature such as laundry, meals ashore, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges
• Loss of dive gear and equipment
• Gratuities

For more information
Contact:
Dive Discovery
@
1 800 886-7321
(415) 444-5100
or
Request Info