Layla and Roderik join our Internship Program

By Layla and Roderik Lebesque

Two hours after shutting down our laptops for a two-week break we have our first encounter with the biggest fish in the world. At this point our regular life in one of the largest cities in the world could not possibly feel further away. Life in Mexico City is great and for sure we enjoy a good cocktail on the beach, but for this vacation we preferred something different. So we hopped on a plane and headed off to Pelagios in La Paz to become interns once again. We wanted to see sharks up close, learn a lot more about these fascinating creatures and contribute to understanding them a little bit better.

In the water we try to maintain our distance from the SUV-sized whale shark, but this fellow is too inquisitive and keeps turning towards us. We gently follow the giant and take photos to be able to later ID the fish in the office. A rewarding job that basically anyone could pull off. We initially hesitated whether we could be of any use to the institute. But the organization makes it evident that there is a lot of work to be done, and on top of that every new background brings new insights to their line of work.

This feels reassuring and indicates how helpful and knowledgeable the staff is. We’re being taken good care of, and there is an inhouse expert for every question on almost every shark you could possibly encounter in the area. In these two weeks we only live a couple of blocks away from the ocean. Here great weather is a given, and the food is fabulous. Luckily, we get plenty of spare time throughout the week and weekends to stroll along the Malecón and explore everything else Baja California Sur has to offer. La Paz is very safe, has a good vibe and there’s plenty of activities in and around the city to fill a dozen of weekends with.

Having spent some days with the Pelagios’ team, it captivates us that there is still so much we don’t know about these animals. By counting and identifying sharks and documenting their behaviour, we slowly learn more about these animals. And although it’s only 2 weeks, it feels rewarding to be able to spend time here and contribute to something that’s bigger than us.

Finishing this blog, it is time to shut down our laptop once again, get our hands dirty and prepare ourselves for another trip on the water. At sunset we’re dropping baited cameras to explore the shark nurseries of La Paz bay. Being an intern (once again) isn’t too bad after all.

Blog publication date: October 20, 2020