Swimming With Crabs

On Mazatlan's malecon (waterfront walkway), under the shapely tits of a mermaid sculpture, sat an abandoned seawater swimming pool.  Built between the large rocks, and just below the water line, it filled with the rising tide, and emptied when the tide was low.  Constantly pounded by the waves, it resembled an ancient ruin.

No more.  This year, the city renovated the pool, built a water-slide, and opened the Carpa Olivera pool to the public.  Kids line up to climb the slide, and the older generation enjoy watching the waves from within the safety of the pool walls.

The morning after I completed a three kilometer swim to the rocky outcrop which decorates the bay in front of our hotel, I came to the pool to polish my "smooth" style.  It is not often that while taking a breath (trying to keep my head as low in the water as possible), a large crab appears in front of my goggles.  It stayed on the pool's edge, enjoying the sunrise, while I worked on my drills.