As Hurricane Simon churned ominously alongside Mexico’s Pacific coast on Sunday, a period of calm prevailed off Puerto Vallarta before Simon was expected to slam the region with rain and high winds.
In the calm, a large crocodile was observed swimming lazily through green water, just below the surface, as if without a care. (See video below.)
"At ease under the red flag," Ulises Quezada stated via Instagram.
A follower corrected: "The crocodile, like a good Mexican, broke the rules and is swimming in the black flag."
Black flags on Puerto Vallarta’s beaches signify extreme danger and beach closures. They do not apply, of course, to sharks and crocodiles.
A top comment reads: "How cute, enjoying his habitat without so many humans nearby."
Text in the
video translates to: "Waiting for Hurricane Simon."
On Monday afternoon, Hurricane Simon was a Category 2 storm boasting sustained winds of 100 mph, with stronger gusts. The storm was located 210 miles south of Mazatlan, traveling west-northwest at 3 mph.
Simon is expected to turn toward the coast and make landfall, still at hurricane strength, at the end of the week.
Hurricane warnings and watches are in effect, and in flux, along portions of the coast.
The Puerto Vallarta International Airport is closed until Tuesday at 8 a.m. local time.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Crocodile swims lazily off Puerto Vallarta as Hurricane Simon nears
