I could feel myself melting as we bounced on the waves, but the whistling wind blew the heat away. The water rocked us back and forth, and I could no longer distinguish the sea from the sky. It took some time for me to realize that the boat had finally stopped; we were in the middle of the ocean.
The water reflected the loneliest cloud in the sky, and it whispered welcoming words. My eyes met Rafaela’s, as if we could somehow read each other’s minds. We hurried to put on the snorkeling fins and to cover the glasses of our masks with toothpaste to prevent them from fogging. I was ready. Before my sister could think twice about going in, I pushed her out of the moving boat. The impact of her body in the water only made its movement stronger, taking away my balance. Splash! My body fell into the motionless waves, washing away the unbearable heat. Through my glasses I could see nothing but the sunrays piercing like knives through the turquoise water, and my sister’s chopstick legs dancing to the swiftness of the currents.
As we looked below us, our eyes were blinded by the intensity of innumerable different colors, some of which I didn’t know existed. Coral reefs blanketed the deepest grounds and starfish illuminated the path for the fish to fly in the transparency of the water. As we swam along the marine jungle, I caught the glimpse of a dark spot, slowly moving closer to us. As that spot began to multiply itself, I thought that my glasses were probably clouded. I reached out to the surface to fix them, when I heard Rafaela scream, “Sea lions!”
Before I could take in some air, she pulled me by my arm. I could not believe what I was seeing; we were surrounded by a pack of sea lions that swirled through everything that was in their way. Our bodies floated motionless at the spectacular show before our eyes. Big sea lions were followed by their babies, that danced their way through the crowd. As unexpectedly as they came to us, they disappeared into the depths of the ocean.