Songs that connect

Every night after dinner all together, grandfather used to tell about his adventures on the high seas. For a long time he had been captain of different boats and his love for the ocean and his experience were so great that he always had a different story to share with his family. That night he talked to them about Humpback Whales. For years he witnessed the activities of one of the largest mammals in the ocean.

What a coincidence, just a few nights ago one of his granddaughters, the youngest, had dreamed that she was a whale. She was so curious about the subject that, sitting almost to the end of the large table, she listened attentively to everything that grandfather said. At that moment she wished she could remember more than just fleeting fragments of that dream.

The grandfather began the talk by mentioning that humpback whales are travelers par excellence.

Their migration between oceans is called the whale conveyor belt. This species of cetacean each year, from November to March, travels up to 5,000 kilometers from north to south, to arrive at the Mexican Pacific coast in search of warm, calm and protected waters to reproduce and give birth to their babies.

In addition to being travelers, the grandfather mentioned that they had many similar characteristics to them.

We are like humpback whales, we always coincide in the winter season. It is at this time of the year when we usually return home and reunite with the family, and once the season is over we return to our path.

The grandfather paused and immediately asked them

-Did you know that whales have lungs? It is incredible, but these marine mammals have the ability to maintain breathing while submerged in water for 15 minutes to 45 minutes, and then come to the surface to take in oxygen.

At this moment, the youngest granddaughter, upon hearing that information, was able to remember the dream she had had. Suddenly the entire sequence of images flooded her memory.

She closed her eyes and when she opened them again she looked at the surface seeing how the sunlight crossed the water. She turned to her side and saw that she had a pair of long white pectoral fins. She began to move them and realized that her movement was smooth. At that moment, she felt the need to come to the surface and as she did so, she exhaled deeply and a jet of water gushed out from the hole in the top of her head and reached a great height.

She inhaled and with great emotion she submerged again, suddenly she appeared in the dining room again, the grandfather continued his talk and said

If one day you are lucky and dive into the sea, you will be able to hear the sounds that male whales make to court the females. They can sing non-stop for 24 hours straight.

I mentioned that the key to being able to listen to these melodies was knowing how to manage your breathing, immerse yourself without fear, and know how to silence your thoughts.

If you can hear them it is because the rhythm of your heart has connected with the song and that is a good sign, because a calm heart knows how to listen.

As soon as grandfather finished that sentence, a gust of wind coming from the sea entered the dining room, a salty smell filled the atmosphere. The grandfather smiled, and looking at them, he told them to take advantage of that moment to breathe deeply, inhaling as much oxygen as possible, since this oxygen came from the ocean, which had been generated from the cyclical and moving life of the humpback whales. Turning towards the horizon where the beach was, he said

-Thank you great teachers

The grandfather got up from his chair, gave the grandmother a kiss on the cheek and looking at his family, he finished giving it.

I hope that tonight everyone dreams with whales. Good night .

But the youngest granddaughter was restless, she wanted to continue hearing more about those wonderful aquatic beings. So when everyone got up and left for their rooms, she went straight down to the beach. She observed that the moon was growing and its light was reflected on the surface, illuminating the white foam of the waves.

She felt a great emotion that invaded her with infinite joy and gratitude she had never experienced, and without thinking about it, she jumped into the water. Being there, she let her body float and looking at the starry sky she felt at home.

She closed her eyes and when she opened them again she saw that she was not alone. Around her there were several groups of whales, one alone, in pairs and others with their calves. And in silence, she listened within herself.

It’s time to continue the journey

The magic of nature is what captivates us all in Punta Monterrey. This community located on the southern coast of the state of Nayarit is a territory that has a charm thanks to the great variety of trees, plants, fungi, terrestrial animals and marine animals that share their habitat with all of us. This biodiverse little corner is considered an Ecological Reserve.

The geographical location in which we are located is very special, here the mountains meet the sea. Technically we are between mountain systems that connect with the western Sierra Madre, the transverse volcanic axis and the southern Sierra Madre, and on the other hand, we are located very close to Bahia de Banderas, one of the largest bays in Mexico.

We love being surrounded by so much nature. A few kilometers from Punta Monterrey begins the limit of the Sierra de Vallejo protected natural area, this area covers and conserves around 30% of the sub-deciduous tropical forest. Only in the region where our community is located there are characteristics of great ecological and landscape value. An example of this is the Orbignya guacuyule palm grove, better known as the coquito oil palm, this species occupies 90% of the area (TEJERO, LEDESMA, TORRES 2008).

In this region, studies have been done on the variety of types of flora that we can observe, the results showed a list of 171 different species of plants, where the majority are wild legumes (Fabaceae) (BRAVO, GOMEZ, MARQUEZ 2013). The best time to see this variety of plants is precisely during these dates, where it is possible to see the mountain covered with fragrant and colorful flowers.

The floristic richness has allowed the development of an interesting variety of types of animals. Mammals, birds, reptiles, insects cohabit in harmony. It is fascinating to be able to observe a balanced ecosystem where we are all extremely important and key pieces for the development of a healthy environment.

Without a doubt these are the main characteristics that make Punta Monterrey Bay a little piece of paradise. In this sense, our community has the commitment and motivation to share an ecotourism project as an alternative against the degradation and overexploitation of nature, this from the creation of a sustainable and conscious hotel model.

To achieve this, we have been implementing eco-techniques such as bioclimatic architecture that takes advantage of sunlight and ventilation according to the location of our cabins and suites, as well as the use of natural materials from the region for their construction. On the other hand, we capture rainwater each season and we have implemented the use of dry urinals in most rooms to save water, as well as the use of gray water to irrigate green areas.

We have an immense love for this place full of life and shared stories, which is why we believe that together we can develop the responsibility to safeguard and conserve this territory that is so important for all the beings that inhabit it and visit it. We trust that we can contribute not only as facilitators of a space for rest and enjoyment of the holidays, but also by raising awareness by informing ourselves and contemplating the wonders that surround us. In Punta Monterrey it is possible to enter the natural rhythm that organically generates well-being.

We invite you to be part of our community, we will be happy to share with you this space that has allowed us to grow and develop together in harmony with the environment.

Bibliography

Tejero-Diez, J. D., Ledesma-Corral , J. C. & Torres-Diaz, A. N. (2008). El palmar de Orbignya guacuyule al sur de Nayarit, Mexico . Polibotanica , (26), 67-100.

BRAVO BOLANOS , O. S. C. A. R., GOMEZ FLORES , C., & MARQUEZ GONZALEZ , A.R. (2013). Composición floristica del ejido de Sayulita , Bahía de Banderas , Nayarit , Mexico : Un análisis especial . CONACYT .