Imagine to swim above thousands small Munk’s Pigmy Devil rays (mobula munkiana) gliding slowly in warm water. You cannot see nor the beginning nor the end of the massive squadrons moving along the south-west region of Gulf of California : an endless flow of rays dancing in mid water.

They are unique, unbelievably graceful : mouths spread open while looping for food, full of energy when they speed towards the motionless surface one upon the other, doing aerial twirls and ending to splash down with slaps and loud noises.

Little is known about these acrobatic and hypnotic small elasmobranchs, except they have strong aggregative behaviour, low fecundity and delayed reproduction. Few studies revealed that in the Sea of Cortes there are nursery areas and that juveniles spend half first year inside those areas, which offers protection and abundant food resources during the early life stages. Nobody knows why Munk’s Devil rays launch themselves into the air and spin at once out of the water, before slapping back onto the surface, which has given the nickname of “popcorn rays”. It might be for getting rid of parasites, or in the process of courtship and reproduction, communication or other needs. It is still a fascinating mystery.

In Spring, waters of the southern-west coasts become the scene of unbelievable natural events : mobula munkiana teem with the larger aggregations of the year. We will be there to experience the feeling of snorkelling, swimming and freediving among giant schools of rays, as if they were squadrons of birds flapping long wings underwater.

The group size is limited to max 5 participants plus the guides.