I stayed in El Paredon, Guatemala for three weeks, and one of my new Guatemalan friends, Walter, insisted that he take me kayaking through the mangrove canal before I left. I’ve kayaked through the mangroves of Kauai, and I’ve done a good deal of kayaking near my home in Ocean Park, Washington, so I didn’t expect anything different. But kayaking through the magical mangroves of La Choza Chula in El Paredon Guatemala was an incredible experience, and I’m so glad I didn’t miss it.
Getting There
Fresh bamboo poles near the boat launch
We drove just a few minutes away from Cocori Lodge towards the marina area to launch the kayaks. As we prepared to launch our kayaks, we watched young men working hard using sticks to pound the bark off of the freshly cut bamboo poles. The shore was a bit muddy, but Walter carefully maneuvered us into position, and suddenly we were off to enjoy a couple of hours on the water.
The Gorgeous Birds
Egret in the water of La Choza Chula (Image by Jim Bauer via Flickr)
The first thing I noticed was the birds. They flock to the area from around the world to mate, nest, and raise their young. Gigantic blue herons along the shoreline were busy scanning the waters for fish, while white egrets watched us from above. Smaller birds flittered by, singing sweetly, and another bird with a funny long bent beak stared at us with curiosity.
Fascinating Fish
Four-eyed fish
A couple of times I caught a glimpse of big fish skirting away before I got a good look at them. But the fish that stole the show was the four-eyed fish. Just like the name suggests, they have four eyes, two above the water (making them look like little alligators), and two under the water. They’re only about 6 inches long and hang out in large schools, and when you startle them they skip across the top of the water on their bellies! It was a spectacular and entertaining display of aqua acrobatics.
Magical Mangroves
The mangrove trees of La Choza Chula
The mangroves provide a perfect habitat for all kinds of wildlife. As we paddled up some small channels, I could hear frogs singing along with the birds. I asked Walter about snakes, but he said he has never seen any there. The way the roots of the mangroves grow outside of the water makes them look like tree skeletons clinging to life, and their images reflecting downward into the pristine still water made them look even larger than they were.
Walter and me enjoying the peace and quiet of the mangroves
Mostly it was quiet and still while we were on the waters of La Choza Chula until one of the many ferry barges went by. They look like floating docks that carry one car at a time up and down the canal to different marinas. We also saw occasional tours and indigenous men in little fishing boats with their nets ready to toss. Walter said that the four-eyed fish don’t taste good so apparently our lively surface racers were out of danger.
The tour was over entirely too quickly. I wished we could have stayed out even longer. Walter said there is another area, a bit further away, where the sea turtles frequent. He said if I ever return to El Paredon he will take me there. It was a fun tour, and I’m so glad I got to go kayaking through the mangroves and see the extraordinary beauty up close and personal.