Our HAL tour today was not until 11:00 so we slept late and had a very late breakfast in the Lido. I missed the sail-in to Puerto Vallarta and was greeted by a familiar sign when I did go out on the balcony.
I was really looking forward to today’s HAL tour: All-Inclusive Sea Lion Encounter in the Water
ABOUT THE EXCURSION: Sea lions are lovable rascals — comical, mischievous, playful and very friendly. They are also fast, agile and adorable, and their inclination to engage in play and include humans in the game makes this sea lion encounter so exhilarating.
A trainer will brief you on sea lion physiology and behavior before you enter the water and have an opportunity to play, pet, shake a flipper, and possibly receive a big fishy kiss. You are sure to cherish this encounter for years to come.
See photos of your experience and enjoy lunch and a beverage at the sea lion facility before returning to the ship.
Notes: Maximum group size of eight people in any one session. Do not wear sunscreen or jewelry as these can injure the sea lions’ skin. Wear your swimsuit under your clothing; bring a towel and a hat. To avoid sunburn, bring light, long clothing suitable for use as a cover-up. Cameras are not allowed in the pools. Photo service images are available for purchase. Pregnant women or guests with back, neck or heart conditions are not allowed to participate. Waiver must be signed and medical conditions disclosed. Minimum height 4 feet. Minimum age is 5 years. Children must be accompanied by a participating adult in the water.
Vallarta Adventures was the vendor who was handling this tour today. We walked as a group to an area to board a large catamaran. I thought it was a very large group that was going to do the sea lion encounter. Then I found out that some of the people on the catamaran were doing a dolphin encounter.
We were heading to Nueve Vallarta. The guide said that we could have gone by bus, but it would have taken over an hour. It took less than 30 minutes to get there by boat.
Once we were at the dock, we were divided into sea lion encounter and dolphin encounter and boarded smaller boats that sailed us directly to the Vallarta Adventures compound. Then, the the two groups were directed to the appropriate venue in the compound.
We had time for a bathroom break and then we were given a safety briefing before being allowed to enter the sea lion enclosure. They reiterated that we could have no jewelry, no glasses, no perfume, no hats, and no hair ties or rubber bands. One girl who had her hair in elaborate braids was kind of upset about the hair ties, but she took them out. We all had to stand under showers to ensure that we rinsed off all sunscreen.
Our group of 10 was divided into two groups of five. One trainer stayed with us and the other trainer took a group to the opposite side of the very large pool. The two sea lions who had been swimming in the pool jumped out of the pool when we got in.
Our sea lion was Kaila who was 12 years old. She had been born in captivity and was expected to live until she was twenty or so. The trainer talked about how to tell the difference between a sea lion and a seal. He also talked proudly about their Center holding the Humane Conservation certification with the American Humane organization and how he was also part of their Rescue Team who assists in freeing marine wildlife entangled in ropes or debris.
We all formed an arc in the pool, and Kaila was allowed into the pool. She floated by all of us and allowed us to stroke her back. Then the trainer allowed her to swim around and she kept swimming up next to Chuck and bumping him. She didn’t really like me getting close to him and would put her flipper out to keep me away.
We were all allowed individual sessions with Kaila as the photographer snapped away.
Once our session ended, we showered again and got our stuff back. We had an hour to look at the photos/videos taken and to eat lunch at the buffet.
I went to the photos and there were so many I got overwhelmed and couldn’t pick just a few. I ended up signing up for the whole photo and video package which would be close to $200. The lady next to me bought that package along with a photo book and some souvenir things like a photo paperweight – it was close to $500.
You don’t get the photos right away. You get a receipt and they take your email. You are told you will get an email in 24 – 48 hours with a link to the photos and videos to download. I don’t know what happens when you order the photo book or the souvenirs.
I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t get the link but I figured the company has been in business for quite a while and wouldn’t jeopardize its reputation by not sending the link.
The buffet lunch was excellent. I had ribs, chicken nuggets, chips with cheese and guacamole, fruit, and cheesecake. There was fruit punch to drink.
Soon the guide rounded us up and we reversed the order – small boat to the dock in Nueve Vallarta and then the large catamaran back to the ship.
We were back well before the 5:30 all aboard time. We got cleaned up for the evening and decided on a late pizza dinner. It was a fun day. And, I got the link to my photos that evening.
Next Up: San Diego, California