Have you ever wished to go to a dream island and swim with the fish or bask in the sun? But those people who have traveled to the beautiful island called La Gomera will never forget their holidays. It is a part of the Canary Islands, aside from the incredible seaside and beaches, it has mountains for climbing, ruins and local villages to visit. Tourists get to dive, snorkel, fish, swim in the beautiful seas, or just walk around the fantastic sand of the beach. If you experienced going there, it seemed like you have been in paradise.
The Canary Islands In Spain Is The Paradise We’ve Been Looking For
La Gomera
La Gomera, the second-smallest of the main islands in Spain’s Canary Islands chain, is marked by steep volcanic mountains crisscrossed with hiking trails, dense forests of ferns. The Valle Gran Rey canyon leads past the whitewashed cliffside village of La Calera and ends at black-sand Atlantic beaches.
La Gomera
A Kid Named Joel
Joel, a local kid who had an amazing summer vacation and a video of meeting a strange creature, recently put La Gomera on the map, and the story went viral. This is the location where our story unfolded…
A Kid Named Joel
The Most Popular Spot
The island’s most popular place in Valle Gran Rey is being called The Valley of the Great King. With the great king’s statue as a notable landmark, this place is famous for its beautiful beach. Valle Gran Rey is a town on La Gomera, one of Spain’s Canary Island popularly known for its black-sand beaches with dive sites, like La Puntilla and La Calera. Other beaches include El Charco del Conde, with calm waters. Nearby is Mirador César Manrique, a lookout with views of Garajonay National Park.
The Most Popular Spot
Valle Gran Rey
Close to Valle Gran Rey, there are some docks from which fishermen and scuba divers head over to spend most of their days. It was quite a perfect spot to stay with. They stay there to enjoy the shoreline and the fantastic scenery the place has to offer. Nobody expected that this would become more popular because our story starts there. When a kid began his summer vacation, perhaps he has no idea at all that he would become popular online! Let’s find out how it goes.
Valle Gran Rey
No On Expected This
Since our story begins there, no one expected this to become more famous. Perhaps a child had no idea that he would become famous online when he started his summer vacation. Let us see how things turn out.
No On Expected This
Unimaginable View
La Gomera has beautiful waters that wash over the black sand beach. Pleasant, rocky beach with a dramatic shoreline. A delightful picturesque valley leading up into the lush, green mountains – the island is only an hour by car ferry from Los Cristianos but a million miles away from Tenerife’s main holiday spots.
Unimaginable View
A Local
That will make you fall in love with the place. An island is an ideal location for your dream vacation. Our protagonist was a local who was on his way to the docks to join a fishing trip. Let’s take a look at the events that led to the creation of this tale.
A Local
The Piers
The Vueltas harbor is the place where fishermen have their boats ready to go fishing and take tourists on board as well, sailing yachts bob in the water, lying at the foot of cliff faces. Rustic bars, restaurants, colorful shops, and apartments bring life to the old district.
The Piers
The Town’s Charm
The town’s beauty stems primarily from these winding roads. You can imagine there were a lot of visitors when Joel went to the harbor during his summer vacation. That’s how his story made international news!
The Town’s Charm
Best Fishing Dock
Joel and his family planned to go on a fishing trip where they surely expect that they will really enjoy it. When they are already prepared to go on with that said fishing trip with his family, he really had no idea at all that all his plans would be delayed that day due to some reason and so the rest of his summer holiday!
Best Fishing Dock
Mother Nature’s Surprise
Things happen at the most inopportune moments, which adds to the thrill of life. Mother Nature had a surprise in store for him, which his parents found frightening! To be fair, if we were in the parents’ shoes, we’d be frightened by mother nature’s surprise as well!
Mother Nature’s Surprise
Vueltas Harbor
He and his family head through to the Vueltas Harbor, so excited. They had with them all the things they needed to go on fishing. They finally reached the place. As the kid approaches the fishing boat, he notices that the waves looked a bit strange.
Vueltas Harbor
Something Touched His Foot
Not overthinking it and dismissing it as a normal occurrence in the village. As the boy got closer to the water, however, he was surprised to feel something near his foot, and he wondered what kind of sea creature it was.
Something Touched His Foot
The Sea Creatures In The Canary Islands
The archipelago’s beaches, climate, and important natural attractions, especially Maspalomas in Gran Canaria, Teide National Park, and Mount Teide, a World Heritage site the third tallest volcano in the world, make it a major tourist destination. One also of the biggest attractions in the Canary Islands is the seaside and the beach.
The Sea Creatures In The Canary Islands
Why People Go There
The majority of tourists come to see the marine creatures when snorkeling or scuba diving. That is how they come into contact with the underwater environment. Joel, on the other hand, had no intention of having a face-to-face encounter with the sea creatures that day. Even then, it happened!
Why People Go There
Something Stunning
Over the years, according to his history, the La Gomera young boy resident was aware of the stories tourists had told around the village. There are stories about seeing strange creatures in the water, which is still a hanging question to the locals around the town. He asked himself at that moment the question,’Could they be right?”. After all, because Joel is still a kid so his parents keep on telling him to stay away from the waters at the docks to prevent what danger it may cause him.
Something Stunning
No Swimming After Dark
Most of the tourists that have gone there are claiming that they saw some strange beings in the water and they imagine it while they go on swimming in the dark. More so, they only feel it but haven’t even seen it at all. They are not quite sure if some creatures are living in La Gomera’s waters, how can they tell that it was not a regular creature? Due to these hearsays, the locals are telling them not to swim after dark for their safety and protection!
No Swimming After Dark
Circumstances Can Occur
The locals and business owners really want all tourists to be safe. They are giving them the instruction not to go on swimming at night since accidents may happen anytime, and also one of their worries is. There are no lifeguards to save them during the night.
Circumstances Can Occur
The Stories He Have Heard
Joel can’t stop thinking about what he had heard from the people. As Joel was thinking about all those stories that morning, he was shocked when something brushed his feet as he walked onto the wet stairs!
The Stories He Have Heard
It’s Not The Water
Upon feeling something into his feet, the very first thought that came into his mind was, “it could be just water, or it’s just a fish.” At that very moment, he could really feel that he was definitely wrong.
It’s Not The Water
This Might Be What They Were Talking About
His first thought is that this is the exact thing that they’ve all been talking about, and it’s going to be something crazy. We’d never seen anything like it before, and Joel was very courageous at the time. This is what happened…
This Might Be What They Were Talking About
Something Touched His Feet
The young boy thought that it was only his imagination because the water was so dark. But something happened again. He again felt that something had brushed against his feet, again and again, now with more strength. He’s feeling something unusual, and he’s sure that something different is quite happening.
Something Touched His Feet
Was It A Fish?
He was torn between emotions; he didn’t know whether he should be afraid or excited to see what was beneath his feet. It wasn’t until later that he realized it wasn’t a bigger wave. Is it possible it’s a fish? What was it, exactly?
Was It A Fish?
It Wasn’t A Fish Either!
He then decided to take a better look, but then realized that it wasn’t a fish at all that had touched his feet. There were people behind him, and they were frozen in place. Also, tourists who saw what was happening got frightened because they thought that a shark actually touched the boy!
It Wasn’t A Fish Either!
Everyone Was Scared
Nobody dared to scream or move, for fear that Joel would panic and fall down the wet stairs, exposing himself to the shark. What was lurking at the bottom of the water?
Everyone Was Scared
A Strange Creature
Although there were people around looking at him. The brave boy was not moving, but at the same time, he was also taking a better look and curious about what was that. But then Joel realized that the creature that had been touching him was actually friendly because it did not harm him.
A Strange Creature
The Mysterious Creature
Everything about the rumor flashed through his mind, implying that something was on the horizon. He was pondering a question, “was this that mysterious creature tourists were talking about?” There was no doubt that this question wouldn’t leave his mind at the time. But what was it exactly?
The Mysterious Creature
A Giant Ray
Surprisingly, that was a giant stingray playing around his feet. The little boy actually met the said creature that morning. At that moment, the ray was happily flapping around Joel’s feet, and it seemed like the giant ray wanted to play with him. Well, it’s definitely an unlikely and one of a kind friend, and thinking that this giant stingray is quite friendly with everyone. Let’s find out what happens next!
A Giant Ray
New Found Friend
At that moment, believe it or not, Joel bent down, holding something to pet the stingray, and the creature allowed him to do so. He made a friend with it. Then what Joel did was, every morning, he will come by and visit his marine pal and sometimes play with it. But the big question is, aren’t rays dangerous? And this what the expert says, according to Ph.D. student Helen Cadwallader, who had studied stingrays, she’s also a researcher at the University of Waikato, humans shouldn’t approach stingrays.
New Found Friend
Aren’t They Dangerous?
But, most importantly, aren’t sting rays dangerous? According to Helen Cadwallader, a Ph.D. student who has studied stingrays and is also a researcher at the University of Waikato, humans should avoid approaching stingrays at all costs.
Aren’t They Dangerous
They Can Be Fatal
When stung by a stingray, you’ll feel immediate, severe pain at the wound site. It’s possible to have a life-threatening allergic reaction to stingray venom, which requires emergency medical care. Expect the area to swell. Hot water kills stingray venom and may relieve the pain associated with the sting. “Stingrays have a spine on their tail that can cause extreme pain and a lot of damage, but they won’t attack,” said Cadwalleder, explaining that “they don’t go out to chase you down and attack, what they do is entirely self-defense.”
They Can Be Fatal
Fondling His Pal Ray
This stingray must have felt very safe around Joel. He understands that he has to make his friend feel safe around him, so he makes sure that every morning he will bring food and only pet him on the nose when he asks for it. Every day of his summer holiday, Joel would come by and meet his friend, play with it for a little while. Unexpectedly until one day, without his knowledge, while doing that thing, someone had caught that beautiful moment on camera!
Fondling His Pal Ray
Food For The Ray
Whereas even the fisherman really likes this friendly stingray that stays around the harbor all day long to eat all the bycatch that is being thrown back into the water. But then this ray even though it has a full tummy already, the food that the young boy will give to the ray will still be accepted because the snack comes from his friend Joel. That was the scenario happening every in the village, the locals and the fisherman was already used to it.
Food For The Ray
Joel’s Morning Routine
He greets his pal, and the stingray welcomes him back! Joey somehow had a pet friend at the dock, and the news started spreading. Joel had a habit of visiting his best friend every morning.
Joel’s Morning Routine
It Was Caught On Camera
The story about the local little young boy spread around the corner. When people began hearing about Joel’s new friend, many people got curious and more and more came to see it for themselves. They are really enjoying the scenario of Joel’s moment with the stingray. It became famous so someone was inspired to film the entire moment and believe it or not. The video, when uploaded, becomes viral in just a few hours. Due to that very friendly stingray, Joel was now famous!
It Was Caught On Camera
Joel Became Famous
It was already known around the village about Joel’s befriending a stingray. The young boy really became pretty famous. Many had enjoyed it when they heard the one of a kind story about him. It seems that for so many years, it was the first time in the history of Vueltas Village. Kids are asking Joel if they could join him during the morning routine, and even fishermen came to offer the boy a box of fresh shrimp to feed his friend. And Joel was pleased about what was happening.
Joel Became Famous
Giving Food To The Stingray
Stingrays are purely carnivorous, and, like most carnivores, they like to eat animals smaller than themselves. In particular, they like to eat animals that live on or beneath the sand like worms, clams, oysters, snails, and shrimp. A la carte for stingrays is small fish and Squidoo.
Giving Food To The Stingray
A Reward For Being His Friend
Stingrays love to eat the foods mentioned above. As a thank you for being his friend, Joel began feeding the stingray. It soon became a morning ritual for Joel, with a crowd of people watching these heartwarming moments.
A Reward For Being His Friend
Coming Back To Play
One of the characteristics of a stingray is that, even if they are already full, they will always come back for some fresh shrimp. Joel already knows what to prepare for his friend. Joel wanted his friend to enjoy it while watching him play. Not everyone was given the opportunity to be a friend like with stingrays, the reason why Joel wants to make the most of it. After the feeding, playing, and watching, he will wait for Joel to pet him on the nose before saying goodbye.
Coming Back To Play
They Joined Joel
Joel is really proud of his friend. While many kids are asking him if they can join him, he is not selfish to share it with them. Every morning at the Vueltas village, Joel will show up at the docks with his friends to teach them how to interact with the stingray. He also teaches them how to feed them and how to make friends with them. The most important thing to know about these creatures is to give them the space they need.
They Joined Joel
Teaching Others
He also taught other people on how to care for the stingray and make friends with them. The most important thing to remember about these creatures is that they require space.
Teaching Others
Stingrays Live In Deep Water
Stingrays do this by agitating the sand and hiding beneath it. Because their eyes are on top of their bodies and their mouths on the undersides, stingrays cannot go up the shore. When they are inclined to move, most stingrays swim by undulating their bodies like a wave; others flap their sides like wings. All giant stingrays live in deeper waters, unlike this one who prefers the shallow waters of the harbor since it’s filled with food. As well as there is his good pal Joel who comes visiting every day!
Stingrays Live In Deep Water
Kind Souls
Since the video was uploaded to social media, it became famous and went viral. YouTube users were stunned to see the amazing moments the stingray and the young kid has. One person said: “My faith in humanity was restored. These boys have good souls.” Many were amazed by what they had watched. They can’t believe that there is a true story like that and now believe that it can be true. Many people who were able to watch it were pleased to see how this kid respected sea creatures.
Kind Souls
Respect And Protect Nature
Our children and us are the guarantors of the future of the earth. That is the reason why we have to teach them to show how to respect and protect nature not only by words but also indeed. In this, we will be able to preserve them. People were impressed to see how the kid got so close to the stingray. One YouTube user said that the kid knows to “respect boundaries and doesn’t go too far,” and that the “ray flapping back to the boy was so fantastic.”
Respect And Protect Nature
An Extraordinary Friendship
We have to monitor our children and carefully watch over them. Good that Joel had one, but it’s quite a good one. Whereas we can say that, if there are unusual friendships around the world, this one surely fits this category. Joel will certainly never ever forget his summer holiday. I hope that this story will not be the last story you will hear about respect for our mother nature. More amazing stories to come like this one! I hope you all enjoyed that story of this young little boy named Joel.
An Extraordinary Friendship