Our amazing trip on the Laguna Manialtepec (20 min. west of PE)

Last Sunday afternoon evening, we took a tour to this amazing natural area about 20 minutes west of Puerto Escondido - La Laguna de Manialtepec.This is a large lagoon, surrounded by a red mangrove forest (pretty rare ecosystem), and an extremely productive area for birds and fish. The lagoon is about 14 kilometers in length, and at least a kilometer or so in width. The water now is brackish - somewhere between ocean water and freshwater.

Right now, during the dry season, the lagoon is isolated from the ocean by a narrow sand bar. But during the rainy season starting in June, the rising river breaches the sand barrier, and the ocean and fresh water mixes. Lots of adult fish, including red snapper for example, wait for this breach and swim into the lagoon to reproduce (it is probably a safer place to be a tiny fish than the ocean).

The dry season returns, the lagoon retreats from the ocean, the fish grow big in the lagoon, and then, with the return of the rainy season, millions of fish flood to the sea, while a new population of adults floods into the lagoon to reproduce all over again. Pretty cool, eh?

this is red mangrove seed. it will drop like a
spear into the mud in the lake, and begin to grow.

The lagoon is prized by local commercial fishermen, who have been fishing these waters for centuries. The area is also extremely productive bird habitat. Lots of food (fish). The mangrove forests are virtually impenetrable (and thus safe). On our three hour trip we saw nearly 40 different species of birds. it is home to more than 300 over the course of an average year.

Two interesting highlights.

First, our guide, Evi, grew up on the lagoon, and loves it deeply. He has been working with fishermen, tourism businesses, and local elected leaders to protect the lagoon from development in the immediate area that will begin to unravel this amazing system and its productivity, including facing death threats from angry businessmen who are used to getting their way. He explained how he has been campaigning to protect this area, leading with economic arguments about tourism and fisheries. He was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk to.

www.lalo-ecotours.com


Second, after watching the sunset on the beach, we jumped back in the boats to return home. We stopped, however, in the middle of the lagoon, in the pitch-black, to swim among its bioluminescence.

During certain periods of the spring, a type of phytoplankton population explodes that illuminates when agitated. Like stars, it is only visible at night, but it shines extremely brightly, before fading away.

As we skidded across the water in the dark, we could see the illuminated paths of literally thousands and thousands of fish swimming rapidly away from the approaching boat, underscoring once again how productive this area is.

The light in the water was a sort of neon-blue. We stopped the boat and jumped in to swim among it. With every splash, stroke and movement, the water immediately around our bodies - hands, legs faces - glowed like the northern lights. (sorry - cameras could not capture this phenomenon). It was magical. None of us wanted to leave.

But alas, we did. Both kids were asleep in the car ride home within minutes.

For you birders, below is a quick sampling of just a few of the 38 birds that we saw (which included 9 types of herons (!), 2 ibis, parakeets and parrots, the ringed kingfisher...:

great blue heron

tri-colored heron

magnificent frigate birds, roosting for the evening

black hawk

roseate spoonbill

woodstorks - pretty ugly birds really; featherless heads like vultures

tiger heron

cinnamon hummingbird