Finding Wonder in a Single Eagle Ray

Every so often a single animal takes hold of your attention, and this juvenile eagle ray had me hooked from the start.

Last week I was able to fit in two days of diving at the famed C-56 wreck in Puerto Morelos, MX—my favorite place to encounter eagle rays in the Mexican Riviera. Visibility wasn’t the greatest either day, but on several of the dives the eagle rays were very patient and playful, allowing me to hover over them as they made their way around the wreck. I encountered smaller groups of 4–12 rays each dive, but it was a small juvenile eagle ray—barely half the size of the larger ones—that caught my attention.

From a distance I was captivated by its reflection in the water. Its white spots around its edges were so tightly grouped that they created a white aura around its shape. Then, in the middle of the body, the spots thinned, forming almost an embedded shadow—as if two rays overlapped into one. The patterns were wreaking havoc on my photos, making it hard to balance the colors in relation to the other rays. I decided I had to get an arm’s-length view of this ray, and luckily its moxy gave me the chance, allowing me to take this shot in the caption.

Juvenile spotted eagle rays often shadow larger groups for protection, but this one took the lead.

I was also amazed by this ray’s audacity to constantly find itself at the helm of the formation. “What guts,” I thought to myself, “to take charge of these older and more established rays.” Juvenile spotted eagle rays often shadow larger groups for protection, but it’s rare to see one take such a forward, confident position within the formation. It seemed this fever had its hands full, and I hope to have the opportunity to run into this ray often during peak eagle ray season this winter.

Every animal in the ocean reveals its true character if you take the time to observe them with an open mind. Whether it’s a shy shark, a curious manta ray, or a bold and fussy sea turtle, every animal will interact with you if you show them the respect they deserve. This particular eagle ray epitomized that—how you can pick out a single element among many and find yourself amazed and fulfilled for a period of time.

People often don’t understand how a person can find themselves connected to these random ocean animals. I’ve written in the past about my bond with a particular shark, or a moray eel, and also about how even the briefest encounters can shape memories that last a lifetime. That’s the magic of the ocean for me—a place where a single moment with a single animal can feel unexpectedly personal, grounding, and unforgettable. I didn’t expect to walk away from these dives thinking about one tiny ray more than the entire fever—but that’s how the ocean works. It chooses the moments for you. CaaS