Angler turns cowboy, jumps in and rides giant Mola mola

Mola molas are large, bizarre-looking creatures that cruise along the ocean's surface, slurping up sea jellies. Because the circular-shaped fish are generally slow-moving and docile, boaters often enjoy lengthy close encounters.

But as far as we know, only one person has actually climbed aboard a giant Mola as one might mount a horse, and taken it for a ride.

The accompanying footage shows a fisherman named Cliff, looking more like a circus clown than a cowboy, riding a Mola somewhere off Mexico, presumably Baja California. (The first video is a shortened version. The full-length version is posted below.)

 

"They started as strangers but ended up as good friends," reads the description of a video uploaded Tuesday. "The Mola mola was not harmed although Cliff had some barnacle burn--ouch!"

Cliff apparently was responding to a $20 bet among the anglers.

In some parts of the world, divers ride giant mantas and whale sharks, but that's increasingly frowned upon as a show of respect for the animals.

For the same reason, people should not ride Mola molas.

 

And as for the barnacle burn, it could be something more serious.

According to National Geographic, Mola molas "can become so infested with parasites, they will often invite small fish or even birds to feast on the pesky critters."

So perhaps the Mola mola was tolerating Cliff because he was rubbing off parasites as the pair rode off toward the horizon.

Definietly one of the goofiest encounters we've seen in a while.

--Hat tip to Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale-watching

Comments

[Berckmoes Lynn]

YOU where the ugly parasite!!! Shame yourself!!!!! Idiots!!!

[DG]

Cliff is a doorknob.

[Scubaisme]

Really bad habbit!!No respect

[Jon Morales]

"Damn, he could have drowned the poor thing. At the end it looks like it was desperately swimming towards the surface to get some air."

.... this is a joke right?

[Jesse]

Dude needs a girlfriend.

[Frank]

That fish enjoyed that .....they rub them selves against anything they can find to rid themselves of parasites.That fish thought he was getting some......

[J. Bullard]

this is an embarrassment to human kind. this guy is purely and simply a mindless twit egged on by his equals. What a disgrace. No respect!

[Bruce Williams]

Rednecks know no bounds when there's an animal they can kill, maim, or dominate.

[Kate]

The cowboy mentality has no place in the ocean; keep it in the rodeo grounds.

Promoting this sort of inane behaviour is a mistake as it may lead to other fools trying it.

[Barnacle Bill]

Damn, he could have drowned the poor thing. At the end it looks like it was desperately swimming towards the surface to get some air.

[Brostie McBride]

These guys are all total retards. Probably pulled the wings off flies when they were kids. "In some parts of the world, divers ride giant mantas and whale sharks"? Not where I dive. We teach our students to respect nature and that we are in the ocean to observe NEVER to touch.

[Steve]

very sad

[Rob]

Try a great white next time :)

[Palazzo]

Just one more IDIOT abusing an animal to gain space in odd corners of the non-discerning fishing media... like this one. Too bad the fine line between real sport fishermen and plain morons is being blurred so often.

[Grumpy Mola]

What a jerk...so disrespectful of wildlife.
If the situation were reversed, Cliff would be a cray-baby screaming "get it off me!" and then form a lynch mob to kill the vicious beast that attacked him.
I can only hope he gets barnacle rash/parasites where the sun don't shine.
Leave wild creatures be, take nothing but photos.

[Al Felker]

This is way better than "catch and release". Wish more "Sea Kitten" catchers did this than eat them.

[merxlin]

If when you rode the bull it peeled the skin back and left it vulnerable to parasites and infection, bull riding would not be looked at as a "harmless" activity. That is what can happen to sea creatures when abused by humans. They have a protective coating that when removed makes them vulnerable. We need to learn that everything in the world is not there for our amusement.

[Dan]

Not cool

[Dive Pro]

If I had seen this, Cliff would have woken up in the hospital. It's not funny, it's abusive and harmful for the animal. Further, this is actually illegal in many parts of the world.

[Sergio]

Let me ride your mamma and let's see if you will find it funny!

[Judy Willis]

Bull riding's not frowned upon. Calf roping? This is funny!!