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Planet Ocean

Few people have taken the time to think about how fortunate we are to live on this enormous bay. Because of its geographical location and characteristics, Banderas Bay is surprisingly rich in marine life. In commemoration of International Oceans Day, here is your formal introduction to Banderas Bay:

A Large Bay in a Huge Ocean
We live in a world of salt water that we have divided into oceans for better understanding. But as incredible as it may seem, we know more about the moon than we know about our oceans. What better example than our own bay, whose depths have never been explored!

It really doesn't matter if Banderas Bay is the deepest in the world or the largest in Mexico. The important thing is its diversity from north to south and east to west, which allow whales and dolphins to choose their favorite places, as do reef fishes, turtles, manta rays and many others. There is enough space for all here.
Shaped like a horseshoe, the bay is about 115 kilometers long, stretching from Punta de Mita to Cabo Corrientes. And if we were to draw an imaginary line from Puerto Vallarta to the Marietta Islands, it would be almost 40 kilometers. Its deepest point is in front of Yelapa. Almost 1,500 meters deep, it is part of a long underwater canyon that starts near Los Arcos (better known as "the devil's jaw") and runs along the coast, ending in the Pacific Ocean.
It is believed to have been formed some 185 million years ago, while the dinosaurs still roamed the earth and the Marietta Islands were taking form, in a volcanic zone known as Cerro Careyeros (Punta Mita). Little by little, the bay began to take the shape you see it today.

Whale Bay
Today, the bay officially shares the name of the Municipality of Bahía de Banderas in Nayarit, which generates some confusion since the bay includes two states and three municipalities, among them Bahía de Banderas. However, it was originally named Whale Bay to honor its importance as the place of choice for the humpback whales, who continue to visit our waters every winter. At some point, Whale Bay was much later renamed Banderas (Flag) Bay commemorating a battle between the Spanish and the indigenous people of the nearby Valley.

We must continue to honor the whales' winter visits, appreciating their presence, despite intense harassment by whale watching boats and to support those who contribute so much to their care and conservation. Thanks to them, we now know that 2,500 different whales have been sighted here in the past 12 years.

Multicolored Fish from North to South
The characteristics of the bay have allowed hundreds of different fish species to develop near the Marietta Islands, known as the rocky reef, as well as places like Los Arcos and the southern coast. This bounty of species prompted a study some years ago of the fishes of the reef, identifying at least 159 species, the same richness as the coral reefs in the Bahamas and Hawaii.

A "Virgin" Paradise (?)
Have you ever thought about the numerous deceptive advertisements and publicity announcements that invite foreigners to visit this "unspoiled" natural paradise? In reality, the bay has serious environmental problems from contamination. But because of its size and volume, the damage isn't as obvious and the authorities are able to ignore it.

The drainage of untreated wastewater, excessive sport fishing, obsolete boats spilling diesel and waste, erosion and "privatized" beaches, excessive light and noise, as well as the effects of eco-unfriendly tourist corporations are just a few examples of what is happening on a daily basis around our still beautiful bay.

We must continue to repeat one phrase to ourselves until it resonates in our selfishly deaf ears:
"Do your part! Be aware and take care of it."
Don't forget that this bay is the reason people come here with their tourist and investment dollars!
*Oscar Aranda is a biologist dedicated to the conservation and respect of nature by actively promoting environmental consciousness, who is also dedicated to the protection of sea turtles in Puerto Vallarta, responsible humpback whale watching and environmentally friendly tourism.
For more information, visit his Website www.vallartanature.org.

Planet Ocean

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