Tag Archives: bioluminescence

We were in Pinotepa Nacional on our multi-day Oaxaca Coast Textile Study Tour for intrepid textile travelers — sixteen of us — exploring the weaving and natural dyeing culture of the Costa Chica, when I started to sneeze, get sniffly and then was hit with extreme tiredness. I am always super careful, completely masked. And, yet, I tested positive for Covid. Of course, I dropped out of the tour and spent 24-hours curled up sleeping in the hotel room as the rest of us carried on further north into Zacoalpan and Xochistlahuaca, Guerrero.

After almost three years of managing to escape the dread virus, I am now sequestered in Puerto Escondido at Hotel Santa Fe, resting, drinking lots of fluids, and taking it easy big-time. My symptoms are mild — no fever, slight headache, tired, tired, tired. My son sent me a note: Congratulations on making it almost three years! I was beginning to think I was invincible or was one of those people with an immune system of iron. Having avoided it for so long, it’s a shock to think it finally got me. The good news is, I’ll recover because of all the vaccine and boosters I’ve had (all of them), and I’m not going to die from it. Though I’m hearing of people still succumbing. We must continue to be vigilant. Onward!

We gathered together a week ago to set out on this adventure. In the next days, I’ll be writing and sharing photos of our stops along the way.

We are scheduling this Oaxaca Coast Textile Study Tour for January 2024. Dates TBA. Get on the list. Send us an email.

For starters, we began with a Puerto Escondido market meander followed by an afternoon and evening on the Manialtepec Lagoon, which is really an estuary inhabited by plankton that glow in the water when the bioluminescence conditions are perfect. And, they were for us. A cloudless sky. No moon. A plankton rich environment in the brackish water. But, first, we began with a boat ride deep into the lagoon for bird-watching, followed by an amazing seafood dinner on the beach, and then, just before sunset, we gathered to release just-hatched Ridley turtles, less than two-hours old, into their natural habitat — the Pacific Ocean. There are only two places where this occurs in the world — here on the Oaxaca coast and in Puerto Rico!

Then, after dark, we rode out into the depths of the lagoon. Flying fish, shimmering with plankton, followed us. We found an ideal spot. I jumped into the water first. About eight others followed. There we were, flapping around and with every movement came sparkles that looked like Tinker Bell had waved her magic wand. The Fairy Dust was everywhere. Raise your knees out of the water and the residue droplets were iridescent on your thighs as if coated in glitter. Move your hands through the water and it looked like a radioactive reaction. Everything glowed in total darkness. An amazing experience!

Our go-to guide company is Lalo Eco-Tours. Consummate professionals. Thank you, Eve.