Living Vicariously
- Thread starter Tunaman68
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sharky60
Contributor
Ok, feelin' pretty homesick 'bout right now!! 
Day 4
This was our sleep in day so no boat dive until 1:00. I was up early, but Alyssa was happy to stay in the sack until 10. Had a very peaceful morning sitting in the lobby at one of the tall tables sipping coffee and marveling at the view. It does not suck to be me. Another beautiful weather day with scattered clouds and a nice breeze. I met Phil and his wife (from scubaboard) as they were gearing up for their first shore dive of the trip, and we invited them along for our afternoon dives.
After my brother got up, we headed into town to try and find a replacement bulb for my Princeton Tec light. Alas, it was Sunday which means most things are closed. It was however very nice to have the town minus the pod people. I know that the ships bring revenue in spades to the town, but man, it also brings a lot of if you’ll pardon me being so blunt - stupid drunk people as well. We bought a few trinkets for the folks back home, and headed back to the hotel for our afternoon dives. Just another nice plug for the BA - we were given rooms on the ground floor right next to the lobby. For myself and Alyssa it was no problem as we sleep pretty soundly. My brother on the other hand had been being woken up by voices and carts and telephones every morning. We asked if he could get a different room and was taken care of being relocated to the 4th floor. Now we’ve got the best of both worlds - a ground floor room to use as the dive locker, and a upper room for the evening views during our ‘debriefing’ time!
Jorge was our DM and we went out to the C-53 shipwreck. We had asked for this dive in advance, and Jorge was very quick to inform the other divers that this was our destination. As it turned out, it was pjhansman from Scubaboard and they were along wanting to do the wreck as we’d discussed in the AM. Jorge is not a big fan of this dive, and after doing the wreck once, I can see why you’d be hard pressed to find a reason to dive it again. It was REALLY cool to be on a ship this size in this good of shape in 100+ vis and 80 degree water. When compared to the wrecks we do in Ca - this was amazing. We came up on the wreck from behind at the screws - swam up the keel and then up and over the bow. Dropping in to the interior, Jorge took us through the entire wreck from bow to stern. It’s a really fun dive, some tight areas, some neat rooms, and cool rusty junk everywhere! We exited and some of our team went up, and Phil, Alyssa and I did a few more circuits of the upper decks, and then made our way to the anchor line. The down side of this wreck is there is not much growth, and very few fish. A few large groupers and a couple of sheepshead call the place home, but this is why I would say for me, it’s a once and done. 44 minutes 73 fsw max.
Second dive was on Villa Blanca wall. This is an amazing drift dive just out in front of the BA. We stared up by Ernesto’s and ended up past the 2nd yellow buoy - the current was RIPPING!! Not much hard coral here - but the bottom is covered in sponges and soft corals every shape and size imaginable. My brother said it was like flying over an alien landscape - sponges from mars! Lots of little holes to look in, and swimming out into the blue, and then back to the wall is always a treat! Encounters included a huge green moray, several large grouper, and bunches of lobsters. Jorge dispatched a couple more lion fish, and we rode the wave to the end of the reef. This is another classic fly over the wall while looking out into the blue abyss Cozumel dive. Vis was 150+ and was just fantastic! Don’t overlook this one as a great 2nd drift dive if you don’t go too deep on your first. 46 minutes 69 fsw max.
We partook of the 2 for 1 happy hour snacks and waited for the sun to go down. At 6:30 we did our last BA shore dive. The current that was present out on Villa Blanca was here as well. We kicked hard into the current for about 45 minutes, and were back to the stingray pen in about 5!! This was a really fun dive - if Hoover had a Chicken in Every pot, this dive had an Eel in every Rock! They were everywhere! Even had a Conger out hunting that we followed. Ocotos, rays, and fish galore. This dive for free is definitely a perk for staying at the BA!! 60 minutes 23 fsw max.
After showers, we headed to the square to enjoy Sunday night party! Great music, food, dancing and happy people everywhere! The culture we’ve found on this island is so warm and loving - family and friends old and new. Smiles and greetings are exchanged freely, and even though we didn’t want any cuban cigars, a polite ‘no gracias’ is all it takes. We had some amazing Peptios out in the square, listened to some salsa music, and then walked back to the BA. Another amazing day!!!
This was our sleep in day so no boat dive until 1:00. I was up early, but Alyssa was happy to stay in the sack until 10. Had a very peaceful morning sitting in the lobby at one of the tall tables sipping coffee and marveling at the view. It does not suck to be me. Another beautiful weather day with scattered clouds and a nice breeze. I met Phil and his wife (from scubaboard) as they were gearing up for their first shore dive of the trip, and we invited them along for our afternoon dives.
After my brother got up, we headed into town to try and find a replacement bulb for my Princeton Tec light. Alas, it was Sunday which means most things are closed. It was however very nice to have the town minus the pod people. I know that the ships bring revenue in spades to the town, but man, it also brings a lot of if you’ll pardon me being so blunt - stupid drunk people as well. We bought a few trinkets for the folks back home, and headed back to the hotel for our afternoon dives. Just another nice plug for the BA - we were given rooms on the ground floor right next to the lobby. For myself and Alyssa it was no problem as we sleep pretty soundly. My brother on the other hand had been being woken up by voices and carts and telephones every morning. We asked if he could get a different room and was taken care of being relocated to the 4th floor. Now we’ve got the best of both worlds - a ground floor room to use as the dive locker, and a upper room for the evening views during our ‘debriefing’ time!
Jorge was our DM and we went out to the C-53 shipwreck. We had asked for this dive in advance, and Jorge was very quick to inform the other divers that this was our destination. As it turned out, it was pjhansman from Scubaboard and they were along wanting to do the wreck as we’d discussed in the AM. Jorge is not a big fan of this dive, and after doing the wreck once, I can see why you’d be hard pressed to find a reason to dive it again. It was REALLY cool to be on a ship this size in this good of shape in 100+ vis and 80 degree water. When compared to the wrecks we do in Ca - this was amazing. We came up on the wreck from behind at the screws - swam up the keel and then up and over the bow. Dropping in to the interior, Jorge took us through the entire wreck from bow to stern. It’s a really fun dive, some tight areas, some neat rooms, and cool rusty junk everywhere! We exited and some of our team went up, and Phil, Alyssa and I did a few more circuits of the upper decks, and then made our way to the anchor line. The down side of this wreck is there is not much growth, and very few fish. A few large groupers and a couple of sheepshead call the place home, but this is why I would say for me, it’s a once and done. 44 minutes 73 fsw max.
Second dive was on Villa Blanca wall. This is an amazing drift dive just out in front of the BA. We stared up by Ernesto’s and ended up past the 2nd yellow buoy - the current was RIPPING!! Not much hard coral here - but the bottom is covered in sponges and soft corals every shape and size imaginable. My brother said it was like flying over an alien landscape - sponges from mars! Lots of little holes to look in, and swimming out into the blue, and then back to the wall is always a treat! Encounters included a huge green moray, several large grouper, and bunches of lobsters. Jorge dispatched a couple more lion fish, and we rode the wave to the end of the reef. This is another classic fly over the wall while looking out into the blue abyss Cozumel dive. Vis was 150+ and was just fantastic! Don’t overlook this one as a great 2nd drift dive if you don’t go too deep on your first. 46 minutes 69 fsw max.
We partook of the 2 for 1 happy hour snacks and waited for the sun to go down. At 6:30 we did our last BA shore dive. The current that was present out on Villa Blanca was here as well. We kicked hard into the current for about 45 minutes, and were back to the stingray pen in about 5!! This was a really fun dive - if Hoover had a Chicken in Every pot, this dive had an Eel in every Rock! They were everywhere! Even had a Conger out hunting that we followed. Ocotos, rays, and fish galore. This dive for free is definitely a perk for staying at the BA!! 60 minutes 23 fsw max.
After showers, we headed to the square to enjoy Sunday night party! Great music, food, dancing and happy people everywhere! The culture we’ve found on this island is so warm and loving - family and friends old and new. Smiles and greetings are exchanged freely, and even though we didn’t want any cuban cigars, a polite ‘no gracias’ is all it takes. We had some amazing Peptios out in the square, listened to some salsa music, and then walked back to the BA. Another amazing day!!!
Cozdreamer
Contributor
thanks for sharing. I'm loving your emotions that I feel coming through your writing! Nice job. What an experience to share with your 16 year old....lucky gal! I'm missing the island and really appreciate you for taking the time to put it in writing while there. WOW!
pjhansman
Contributor
Not only do I enjoy the read.....with Tom doing all the writing, it saves me doing a trip report
But I do need to add..... this is my first time staying at Blue Angel, and Sharky is right.....it's great!
Phil
But I do need to add..... this is my first time staying at Blue Angel, and Sharky is right.....it's great!
Phil
Day 5 -
Late on getting this one posted, we had to be up early for day 6’s Cenote madness, and I’m one day behind now.
Brother decided that he’d rather sleep in and get a massage so Alyssa and I were on our own for the morning trip. Brother said that unless an eel spoke spanish, or we met God on the reef, he didn’t mind the trade. Seeing as how neither thing happened (well to me God is always on the reef), we all got what we wanted out of the morning!!
Four dives scheduled for today. We started off in a group with our fellow board member pjhansman and his lovely bride. Matt (not Mateo) was our DM for the day and we decided on Palancar Caves for the first dive. The general profile was given and we were cleared for departure. Let me start by saying that I really love all the Palancar sites - they all are similar but each offer something unique. I was interested in Caves for the - well - the caves. Unfortunately, we never found any. I was on a dive here 20 years ago where we were in and out of big and small caves the entire dive, but I guess the reef is so vast, that those locations are found and lost all the time within any given dive site. That fact however, didn’t diminish how much we enjoyed this dive. The water was deep deep blue today, and the formations at caves are really unique where we were. The pinnaces rise up from the wall then separate making columns that have arches and overhangs that are covered with sponge and coral painted by the perfect backdrop of the deep sea. We came out from between two large formations and shot out over the wall. When we reached 95’ I leveled out, and saw that my daughter was below me. I got her attention and told her to look at her computer (something she always does anyhow) and the look on her face was classic! It was so clear and so gentle that it felt like we were at 30 feet! We worked our way along the outside of the wall keeping between 70 and 90 feet cutting in and out of the reef as we went. When we reached our NDL we started working our way up and through the reef, only to run into several other groups of divers. One of these were particularly buoyancy channeled and stirred up quite the cloud of white sand!! We moved away from them and continued through cuts and swim throughs gradually adding a few minutes to our bottom time, then hanging out then repeat. This reef just goes on forever! At 700 psi we moved up and shot a bag, but by that time we’d reached an area where even at 15 feet the tops of the pinnacles were right below us. We drifted along looking down at everything and off gassed away! Amazing way to start the day! Duration 60 mins 95 fsw max.
For dive #2 we deiced on the end of Yucab, and then the first part of Tormentos. Hanging out on the boat during a SI is always one of my favorite times. Getting to know new people, finding out a little about their lives, their stories, and their experiences really makes you connect on a level that normal tourists doing touristy things just don’t do! My daughter asked me “Why is everyone so nice, and so chill? I feel like we’re not just meeting people, we’re making friends!” I believe when you share a passion that requires some effort, some skill, and some investment, you can’t help but find things in common - I like to think the nitrogen has softened our brains, and in doing so, perhaps softened our hearts as well.....WOW - mushy stuff here - sorry, back to the diving quick!
We were shooting for a 60 minute SI, but at 45 it began to POUR!! We were all getting cold, and Matt (who turned out to be a drummer 1/2 the year and a DM the other half so we geeked out on music and Pro Tools all SI) decided to get the dive going. It’s quite a unique thing to be freezing cold on the boat and then back roll into the warm Caribbean sea that feels like a bathtub - good stuff! The dive was great, didn’t get much of Yucab as the current was moving, but when we got to Tormentos is slowed down and we were able to do a super relaxed, hugging the bottom, looking in every hole swimming through every crack kind of dive! Another free swimming giant green moray said hello, as well as a huge barracuda that we were able so sink down next to and just hang out with. We really enjoyed a few minutes with us staring at him and him staring right back. Matt was cool with letting everyone’s buddy team do their own thing while he hung out above. We worked our NDL’s and ended up with the longest dive of the trip at well over an hour. 65 minutes max depth 58 fsw.
We went back to the BA for lunch and then headed out to try and get a light bulb for my Pinnacle. Be aware, nobody in this town carries Pinnacle. UK rules here. $20 is cab fare and no bulb. Almost could have bought a new light! Oh well.....My daughters regs had a little hiccup and we were referred to Scuba Repair shop on Ave 1 at 95th. That guy has every part for every reg you can imagine! He rebuilt the 1st stage on the spot and charged us $40! Just like new!!
Jorge was our DM for the afternoon dives, and after some prodding I actually got him to make a suggestion for a dive site! He always says “If I recommend something and it sucks, then it’s my problem - if you choose and it sucks, then it’s not my problem!” I guess that’s one way to think about it!! He’s a great guy and has a great sense of humor, and for us it’s like diving with a buddy rather than a ‘guide’. He ‘helped’ us to choose Yucab wall. This was a site I had never heard of - deep with a strong current, but MAN what a dive!! We angled in on the edge of the wall and dropped to 115’. You find yourself floating over the abyss, but the top of the wall begins to overhang you as you cruise a shelf that sits between 110 and 120. Down below a good size reef shark swam by, and the ground formations here are awesome! Green moray, barracuda, grouper, and several lionfish that Jorge dispatched and fed to willing snappers were just part of an amazing dive. At times the current swirls down the wall and you have to kick hard to move along, other times it’s pushing back at the face of the wall, and then it will just stop and you can hang our and just soak it all in. We passed one hole, and there was a giant lobster that was straight out of the submarine ride at Disneyland. As I drifted past, it popped out of the hole at me, then reset to pop out at the next guy going by! Life imitates art I guess! We worked our profile ended up drifting over the sand at 20’ to off gas a little extra as this was the 2nd pretty deep dive of the day for Alyssa and I. Duration 36 mins 116 fsw max. WEEEE!
After a long SI and another stellar sunset, we descended to do our night dive on Chakanab. This is a dive that I think is missed by a lot of people because they consider it ‘ordinary’ - well this dive site kicks ASS! We spread out over the reef with Alyssa flying on top, brother in the middle, and me doing my head in every hole thing. Jorge was hanging out off to the side on the sand looking at stuff and we just were a dive team enjoying a great night dive together. After about 15 minutes we’d lost count of giant lobster and crabs - they were EVERYWHERE! Another leisurely stroll the scuba paradise and a dive that I could do again and again! We finished up on a safety stop where we were bombarded by these little shrimp/worm things that were in our ears, all over our computers - it was really creepy and made my skin crawl - literally! The only thing we could do is shut off our lights which was really cool because then we could see other dive teams spread down the reef with their dive lights and green led tank lights creating an errie glow straight out of the movie ‘The Abyss’!
We came back and went in to town to try for a dinner at La Veranda. FYI - it’s closed on Mondays - BOO! We opted for La Mission instead, and had a lovely dinner of surf and turf....A word of advice, surf great - turf not so much. No cows on the island=not such good steaks. However, the garlic bread, the guac, and the lobster tail were amazing! Great dinner (brother grabbed the check while I was in the Baño). We had out nightly hang on the patio, and then off to bed for an early departure for the Cenotes. Viva La Cozumel!!!
Late on getting this one posted, we had to be up early for day 6’s Cenote madness, and I’m one day behind now.
Brother decided that he’d rather sleep in and get a massage so Alyssa and I were on our own for the morning trip. Brother said that unless an eel spoke spanish, or we met God on the reef, he didn’t mind the trade. Seeing as how neither thing happened (well to me God is always on the reef), we all got what we wanted out of the morning!!
Four dives scheduled for today. We started off in a group with our fellow board member pjhansman and his lovely bride. Matt (not Mateo) was our DM for the day and we decided on Palancar Caves for the first dive. The general profile was given and we were cleared for departure. Let me start by saying that I really love all the Palancar sites - they all are similar but each offer something unique. I was interested in Caves for the - well - the caves. Unfortunately, we never found any. I was on a dive here 20 years ago where we were in and out of big and small caves the entire dive, but I guess the reef is so vast, that those locations are found and lost all the time within any given dive site. That fact however, didn’t diminish how much we enjoyed this dive. The water was deep deep blue today, and the formations at caves are really unique where we were. The pinnaces rise up from the wall then separate making columns that have arches and overhangs that are covered with sponge and coral painted by the perfect backdrop of the deep sea. We came out from between two large formations and shot out over the wall. When we reached 95’ I leveled out, and saw that my daughter was below me. I got her attention and told her to look at her computer (something she always does anyhow) and the look on her face was classic! It was so clear and so gentle that it felt like we were at 30 feet! We worked our way along the outside of the wall keeping between 70 and 90 feet cutting in and out of the reef as we went. When we reached our NDL we started working our way up and through the reef, only to run into several other groups of divers. One of these were particularly buoyancy channeled and stirred up quite the cloud of white sand!! We moved away from them and continued through cuts and swim throughs gradually adding a few minutes to our bottom time, then hanging out then repeat. This reef just goes on forever! At 700 psi we moved up and shot a bag, but by that time we’d reached an area where even at 15 feet the tops of the pinnacles were right below us. We drifted along looking down at everything and off gassed away! Amazing way to start the day! Duration 60 mins 95 fsw max.
For dive #2 we deiced on the end of Yucab, and then the first part of Tormentos. Hanging out on the boat during a SI is always one of my favorite times. Getting to know new people, finding out a little about their lives, their stories, and their experiences really makes you connect on a level that normal tourists doing touristy things just don’t do! My daughter asked me “Why is everyone so nice, and so chill? I feel like we’re not just meeting people, we’re making friends!” I believe when you share a passion that requires some effort, some skill, and some investment, you can’t help but find things in common - I like to think the nitrogen has softened our brains, and in doing so, perhaps softened our hearts as well.....WOW - mushy stuff here - sorry, back to the diving quick!
We were shooting for a 60 minute SI, but at 45 it began to POUR!! We were all getting cold, and Matt (who turned out to be a drummer 1/2 the year and a DM the other half so we geeked out on music and Pro Tools all SI) decided to get the dive going. It’s quite a unique thing to be freezing cold on the boat and then back roll into the warm Caribbean sea that feels like a bathtub - good stuff! The dive was great, didn’t get much of Yucab as the current was moving, but when we got to Tormentos is slowed down and we were able to do a super relaxed, hugging the bottom, looking in every hole swimming through every crack kind of dive! Another free swimming giant green moray said hello, as well as a huge barracuda that we were able so sink down next to and just hang out with. We really enjoyed a few minutes with us staring at him and him staring right back. Matt was cool with letting everyone’s buddy team do their own thing while he hung out above. We worked our NDL’s and ended up with the longest dive of the trip at well over an hour. 65 minutes max depth 58 fsw.
We went back to the BA for lunch and then headed out to try and get a light bulb for my Pinnacle. Be aware, nobody in this town carries Pinnacle. UK rules here. $20 is cab fare and no bulb. Almost could have bought a new light! Oh well.....My daughters regs had a little hiccup and we were referred to Scuba Repair shop on Ave 1 at 95th. That guy has every part for every reg you can imagine! He rebuilt the 1st stage on the spot and charged us $40! Just like new!!
Jorge was our DM for the afternoon dives, and after some prodding I actually got him to make a suggestion for a dive site! He always says “If I recommend something and it sucks, then it’s my problem - if you choose and it sucks, then it’s not my problem!” I guess that’s one way to think about it!! He’s a great guy and has a great sense of humor, and for us it’s like diving with a buddy rather than a ‘guide’. He ‘helped’ us to choose Yucab wall. This was a site I had never heard of - deep with a strong current, but MAN what a dive!! We angled in on the edge of the wall and dropped to 115’. You find yourself floating over the abyss, but the top of the wall begins to overhang you as you cruise a shelf that sits between 110 and 120. Down below a good size reef shark swam by, and the ground formations here are awesome! Green moray, barracuda, grouper, and several lionfish that Jorge dispatched and fed to willing snappers were just part of an amazing dive. At times the current swirls down the wall and you have to kick hard to move along, other times it’s pushing back at the face of the wall, and then it will just stop and you can hang our and just soak it all in. We passed one hole, and there was a giant lobster that was straight out of the submarine ride at Disneyland. As I drifted past, it popped out of the hole at me, then reset to pop out at the next guy going by! Life imitates art I guess! We worked our profile ended up drifting over the sand at 20’ to off gas a little extra as this was the 2nd pretty deep dive of the day for Alyssa and I. Duration 36 mins 116 fsw max. WEEEE!
After a long SI and another stellar sunset, we descended to do our night dive on Chakanab. This is a dive that I think is missed by a lot of people because they consider it ‘ordinary’ - well this dive site kicks ASS! We spread out over the reef with Alyssa flying on top, brother in the middle, and me doing my head in every hole thing. Jorge was hanging out off to the side on the sand looking at stuff and we just were a dive team enjoying a great night dive together. After about 15 minutes we’d lost count of giant lobster and crabs - they were EVERYWHERE! Another leisurely stroll the scuba paradise and a dive that I could do again and again! We finished up on a safety stop where we were bombarded by these little shrimp/worm things that were in our ears, all over our computers - it was really creepy and made my skin crawl - literally! The only thing we could do is shut off our lights which was really cool because then we could see other dive teams spread down the reef with their dive lights and green led tank lights creating an errie glow straight out of the movie ‘The Abyss’!
We came back and went in to town to try for a dinner at La Veranda. FYI - it’s closed on Mondays - BOO! We opted for La Mission instead, and had a lovely dinner of surf and turf....A word of advice, surf great - turf not so much. No cows on the island=not such good steaks. However, the garlic bread, the guac, and the lobster tail were amazing! Great dinner (brother grabbed the check while I was in the Baño). We had out nightly hang on the patio, and then off to bed for an early departure for the Cenotes. Viva La Cozumel!!!
Day 6
Up early (5:30 on vacation - YUK!) to do our Cenote trip. We had been trying to organize this adventure with Mateo all week, but he had severely injured his foot, and considering the guide has to dive in full cave gear, toting a set of doubles through the jungle with a huge gash on your paw, no bueno. He arranged our trip with Mexican Blue Dreams in Playa. We went to catch the 7am ferry, but wanted some coffee first. Well, just FYI - Starbucks in Coz doesn’t open until 7:30!!!! Rock n Java - 7:00!! That left three sleepy non-cafinated divers at the ferry terminal with 30 minuets to spare and no coffee to enjoy! Bummer. Also, forgetting the advice that I read, we purchased a round trip ferry ticket. DO NOT DO THIS! The return trips are scheduled later in the day so you end up having to stay in Playa until 5:00. For some this might be OK, but we wanted to get back on the island to get our gear out to dry and enjoy our last night in town. We ended up purchasing another ticket for $11, but hey - you live and learn right?!?!
We were met right at the Playa terminal by our guide Pierre. He grabbed our bags and rolled us out to the van that was waiting (via an OPEN Starbucks) and the adventure was off and running. He was a great guy - a young handsome frenchman with a zest for adventure and a great sense of humor. Fellas, watch your ladies over this guy, there might be some swooning!! We checked in at the shop and got ready to go. The ride out is about 40 minutes and we talked and asked questions, and then got a brief orientation into the world of cavern diving.
We reached the turn off, and headed down a bumpy dirt road into the jungle to reach the dive site - Dos Ojos. There are stone tables and baños as well as changing booths for getting ready. We set up our kit geared up and then walked down perhaps a dozen rock steps to the entrance to the cenote. OK - so even after an entire week of mind blowing diving, this was FREAKING COOL!!! We organized into a team with Pierre in the lead and then us numbered and spread us out single file behind him. We did a giant stride in and whoa - that water is not 80 degrees folks!! It definitely has a bite to it ! My computer said 71 - I was wishing for a five mill suit for sure! We did a quick buoyancy check - I only needed 6 lbs - fresh water is awesome!!
All I can say about the cenote dives is you really have to do it to understand it. Whoever said that it was the best fresh water rinse your gear can ever have was so right!! From the first time you put your face in and see the crystal clear water with the cave formations in the distance, you realize you’re in for something completely different! We got a quick set of instructions about protocol, and off we went. We did the ‘Barbie Line’ first. It gets it’s name from a rubber alligator, a Barbie doll and a Ken doll who go through different acts of a little play that the divers rearrange every so often. Today, the alligator was winning and had Barbie in it’s jaws while Ken watched helplessly from a crack in the rocks below! Who says divers aren’t funny..... We swam for a while and then Pierre had us settle down to the bottom and turn off our lights. Damn - you have never seen dark like this. I mean it was BLACK! Then he turned on his light and signaled for us to turn around and face the way we came. He shut his light back off, and as our pupils adjusted, you could begin to see the blue of the cenote entrance materialize in the distance. We stayed a full five minutes and by the end we could see quite well. It was really amazing! We continued on, and came to a huge room dominated by a central column and the surface light projecting glowing shafts down into the water. Above you could see the jungle, but because of the refraction, the trees were all upside down. Then, as our bubbles began to break the surface, the light was broken into tiny rainbows - for me this one room was worth the whole trip! We worked our way back to the entrance and surfaced with 2000psi - easy shallow dive but wow!!!! 50 minutes 27ffw max.
Our second dive was to the Bat Cave. Pierre said because we had good bouncy control, he would take us through some tighter spots on this dive, so stay nice and close in our formation. The geography on this dive was just amazing! The closest thing I have done to this is walking through a lava tube in Maui, but this just takes it to a whole new level! As this area used to be part of the ocean, then dry, there are stalagmites and stalagtites, ancient waterfalls, brain coral fossils in the floor, tiny fossilized sea shells and coral polyps in the ceiling. Incredible!! We swam up, down, in, out, around, over - my word, this world is endless. There were times when I would actually forget we were in the water. You have to move your hands and feel the resistance, because it was to clear it really was like being weightless flying through a cave! We surfaced in the bat cave itself, and guess what - there were bats in there!! A bunch of little guys were hanging out in some holes, so we stayed for about 10 minutes looking around, and then went on our way. Pierre showed us cave lines running off into the darkness, and every where you looked, there were holes and passage ways beckoning to be explored. The average cave diver must be a different kind of guy - this is really serious stuff. When I imagine swimming in 3 feet of water in a 3 foot diameter tube with no way out for hundreds of yards only to find a dead end, then having to back kick your way out - yikes! Not for this little black duck! Cavern diving, however, lets you see the unique beauty of these structures without so much risk, and I can see how the bug could bite you and the next thing you know, you’re pricing out doubles and back plates and planning your trip for your certification! We finished up with a swim around the main chamber which by this time was crammed full of divers and snorkelers. It was really great to be there early as by the time we were done with our 2nd dive, the water had been stirred up a bit and the crystal clear had been replaced with lots of floating sediment. We posed for under water pictures around the sign with the grim reaper lording over a pile of bones wearing scuba gear and telling you if you went more than 300 yards from this sign, you were going to die! Pretty stern, but very accurate!! We came up and went back to the van with silly grins on our faces that still seem to be in place!! Duration 58:30 (including the stop in the bat cave) max depth 25 ffw.
We loaded up and took off. Aside from being a great company with a killer guide and great driver, Mexican Blue also includes a real lunch with their trip. No subway sandwiches on the back of the van for these guys!! We pulled up at this sketchy looking little block building on the edge of the jungle with only three walls and four tables. Pierre went in the back to order and I have to say, this was the best plate of fajitias I ate all week!! Great service, killer setting, and awesome food. They even had the grilled habenero and lime salsa that I burned my guts with all week! After eating we went back to Playa, dropped off Pierre and were taken back to the ferry terminal for the ride home. The little porter guys with their bikes are actually really good, but I was so paranoid that he was running a scam that I didn’t enjoy the fact that someone else was dragging my gear. Don’t worry, they are legit, and work real hard for the $3 they charge. He took our gear right out onto the pier and gave it to the porters.
If you are considering a trip to the Cenotes as part of your Yukitan diving adventure - DO IT! You won’t be sorry.
We went back to the BA and set our freshly rinsed gear out to dry, and took off for town for some souvenir shopping and dinner. We ended up at Renaldis (I think) - it’s located right next door to Margaritaville on the water. Our table for three was at the water’s edge, and we endured a tropical down pour just under the awning while sipping sangria and eating ourselves silly on some killer Italian food! Service was wonderful and food highlights included caesar salad, and the garlic pizza dough poof. The pepperoni pizza was good as well, and everyone enjoyed their pasta. Great end to a great day. We went back to the BA for our nightly patio hang and a few margaritas to cap off the last evening of an amazing trip. Home tomorrow - alas, you can’t stay in paradise forever!
Up early (5:30 on vacation - YUK!) to do our Cenote trip. We had been trying to organize this adventure with Mateo all week, but he had severely injured his foot, and considering the guide has to dive in full cave gear, toting a set of doubles through the jungle with a huge gash on your paw, no bueno. He arranged our trip with Mexican Blue Dreams in Playa. We went to catch the 7am ferry, but wanted some coffee first. Well, just FYI - Starbucks in Coz doesn’t open until 7:30!!!! Rock n Java - 7:00!! That left three sleepy non-cafinated divers at the ferry terminal with 30 minuets to spare and no coffee to enjoy! Bummer. Also, forgetting the advice that I read, we purchased a round trip ferry ticket. DO NOT DO THIS! The return trips are scheduled later in the day so you end up having to stay in Playa until 5:00. For some this might be OK, but we wanted to get back on the island to get our gear out to dry and enjoy our last night in town. We ended up purchasing another ticket for $11, but hey - you live and learn right?!?!
We were met right at the Playa terminal by our guide Pierre. He grabbed our bags and rolled us out to the van that was waiting (via an OPEN Starbucks) and the adventure was off and running. He was a great guy - a young handsome frenchman with a zest for adventure and a great sense of humor. Fellas, watch your ladies over this guy, there might be some swooning!! We checked in at the shop and got ready to go. The ride out is about 40 minutes and we talked and asked questions, and then got a brief orientation into the world of cavern diving.
We reached the turn off, and headed down a bumpy dirt road into the jungle to reach the dive site - Dos Ojos. There are stone tables and baños as well as changing booths for getting ready. We set up our kit geared up and then walked down perhaps a dozen rock steps to the entrance to the cenote. OK - so even after an entire week of mind blowing diving, this was FREAKING COOL!!! We organized into a team with Pierre in the lead and then us numbered and spread us out single file behind him. We did a giant stride in and whoa - that water is not 80 degrees folks!! It definitely has a bite to it ! My computer said 71 - I was wishing for a five mill suit for sure! We did a quick buoyancy check - I only needed 6 lbs - fresh water is awesome!!
All I can say about the cenote dives is you really have to do it to understand it. Whoever said that it was the best fresh water rinse your gear can ever have was so right!! From the first time you put your face in and see the crystal clear water with the cave formations in the distance, you realize you’re in for something completely different! We got a quick set of instructions about protocol, and off we went. We did the ‘Barbie Line’ first. It gets it’s name from a rubber alligator, a Barbie doll and a Ken doll who go through different acts of a little play that the divers rearrange every so often. Today, the alligator was winning and had Barbie in it’s jaws while Ken watched helplessly from a crack in the rocks below! Who says divers aren’t funny..... We swam for a while and then Pierre had us settle down to the bottom and turn off our lights. Damn - you have never seen dark like this. I mean it was BLACK! Then he turned on his light and signaled for us to turn around and face the way we came. He shut his light back off, and as our pupils adjusted, you could begin to see the blue of the cenote entrance materialize in the distance. We stayed a full five minutes and by the end we could see quite well. It was really amazing! We continued on, and came to a huge room dominated by a central column and the surface light projecting glowing shafts down into the water. Above you could see the jungle, but because of the refraction, the trees were all upside down. Then, as our bubbles began to break the surface, the light was broken into tiny rainbows - for me this one room was worth the whole trip! We worked our way back to the entrance and surfaced with 2000psi - easy shallow dive but wow!!!! 50 minutes 27ffw max.
Our second dive was to the Bat Cave. Pierre said because we had good bouncy control, he would take us through some tighter spots on this dive, so stay nice and close in our formation. The geography on this dive was just amazing! The closest thing I have done to this is walking through a lava tube in Maui, but this just takes it to a whole new level! As this area used to be part of the ocean, then dry, there are stalagmites and stalagtites, ancient waterfalls, brain coral fossils in the floor, tiny fossilized sea shells and coral polyps in the ceiling. Incredible!! We swam up, down, in, out, around, over - my word, this world is endless. There were times when I would actually forget we were in the water. You have to move your hands and feel the resistance, because it was to clear it really was like being weightless flying through a cave! We surfaced in the bat cave itself, and guess what - there were bats in there!! A bunch of little guys were hanging out in some holes, so we stayed for about 10 minutes looking around, and then went on our way. Pierre showed us cave lines running off into the darkness, and every where you looked, there were holes and passage ways beckoning to be explored. The average cave diver must be a different kind of guy - this is really serious stuff. When I imagine swimming in 3 feet of water in a 3 foot diameter tube with no way out for hundreds of yards only to find a dead end, then having to back kick your way out - yikes! Not for this little black duck! Cavern diving, however, lets you see the unique beauty of these structures without so much risk, and I can see how the bug could bite you and the next thing you know, you’re pricing out doubles and back plates and planning your trip for your certification! We finished up with a swim around the main chamber which by this time was crammed full of divers and snorkelers. It was really great to be there early as by the time we were done with our 2nd dive, the water had been stirred up a bit and the crystal clear had been replaced with lots of floating sediment. We posed for under water pictures around the sign with the grim reaper lording over a pile of bones wearing scuba gear and telling you if you went more than 300 yards from this sign, you were going to die! Pretty stern, but very accurate!! We came up and went back to the van with silly grins on our faces that still seem to be in place!! Duration 58:30 (including the stop in the bat cave) max depth 25 ffw.
We loaded up and took off. Aside from being a great company with a killer guide and great driver, Mexican Blue also includes a real lunch with their trip. No subway sandwiches on the back of the van for these guys!! We pulled up at this sketchy looking little block building on the edge of the jungle with only three walls and four tables. Pierre went in the back to order and I have to say, this was the best plate of fajitias I ate all week!! Great service, killer setting, and awesome food. They even had the grilled habenero and lime salsa that I burned my guts with all week! After eating we went back to Playa, dropped off Pierre and were taken back to the ferry terminal for the ride home. The little porter guys with their bikes are actually really good, but I was so paranoid that he was running a scam that I didn’t enjoy the fact that someone else was dragging my gear. Don’t worry, they are legit, and work real hard for the $3 they charge. He took our gear right out onto the pier and gave it to the porters.
If you are considering a trip to the Cenotes as part of your Yukitan diving adventure - DO IT! You won’t be sorry.
We went back to the BA and set our freshly rinsed gear out to dry, and took off for town for some souvenir shopping and dinner. We ended up at Renaldis (I think) - it’s located right next door to Margaritaville on the water. Our table for three was at the water’s edge, and we endured a tropical down pour just under the awning while sipping sangria and eating ourselves silly on some killer Italian food! Service was wonderful and food highlights included caesar salad, and the garlic pizza dough poof. The pepperoni pizza was good as well, and everyone enjoyed their pasta. Great end to a great day. We went back to the BA for our nightly patio hang and a few margaritas to cap off the last evening of an amazing trip. Home tomorrow - alas, you can’t stay in paradise forever!
firstdive2005
Contributor
Thanks for the trip man. I'm glad your time there was so great. The dude that fixed your regs is Javier. He is fabulous. I leave my dive gear at his shop. He charges 100$us for the year with one free reg service. I go down a half dozen times a year. What a deal. My gear is spotless and dry as a bone when I get it and he drops it off at Scubamau for me.
The blood worms your where writing about are nauseating. I like going to brain coral at night with the light and putting it close to the coral and watching the coral catch the worms and eat it. That's pretty cool. I usually dont leave my light on when doing my safety stop because they are so bothersome.
It would be nice to dive with you one day, I like the way you have your adventures. thanks again. k
The blood worms your where writing about are nauseating. I like going to brain coral at night with the light and putting it close to the coral and watching the coral catch the worms and eat it. That's pretty cool. I usually dont leave my light on when doing my safety stop because they are so bothersome.
It would be nice to dive with you one day, I like the way you have your adventures. thanks again. k
annlaur
Contributor
I'm almost as sad as you must be that you are leaving Cozumel, as I thoroughly enjoyed your reports. This thread did live up to it's title.
FYI, keep your unused ferry tickets for another trip (or give them to someone) as I don't think they have expiration dates.
For coffee, OXXO stores (open 24/7) always have a pot brewing.
The Coffee Bean on Calle 3, between the waterfront and Ave 5, often opens earlier than the posted 7 am. Great expresso and other caffeinated treats, and nice atmosphere.
The Italian place is called Rolandi's, they have several locations as well in Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Mexico City and maybe some others.
Have a good flight, thanks again for the great reads.
FYI, keep your unused ferry tickets for another trip (or give them to someone) as I don't think they have expiration dates.
For coffee, OXXO stores (open 24/7) always have a pot brewing.
The Coffee Bean on Calle 3, between the waterfront and Ave 5, often opens earlier than the posted 7 am. Great expresso and other caffeinated treats, and nice atmosphere.
The Italian place is called Rolandi's, they have several locations as well in Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Mexico City and maybe some others.
Have a good flight, thanks again for the great reads.
Day 7
Well, all good things must come to an end, and an amazing dive vacation is no exception. Although we had a great time, and I always want more, few things suck as bad as taking your gear down to the sun to dry before packing it up while everyone else is loading up for the morning boats. OUCH! But I guess it's something we all have to endure once a trip! I grabed a cup of coffee and sat in the lobby for one last time as the divers left for their daily adventures. A very melancholy feeling was mixed with one of great satisfaction for the amazing trip we had just experienced.
We bid our farewells to the dive staff and our fellow divers that we had become friends with over the week. I just want to cheerlead for the Blue Angel Resort and the staff one more time... Every single person involved with the resort was sweet, professional and really made us feel like family. I have never experienced a better value for fun, service, food, and accommodations anywhere. It's not the Ritz, but for the needs of the average diver I can't see how this place couldn't exceed your every expectation. Thanks to everyone there for a trip my daughter and I will never forget. The kids grow up so fast, and I am just so grateful and blessed to take time out and make memories that I will treasure forever! Relax, savor, and enjoy your time at the Blue Angel and you will not be disappointed!
After our final breakfast we settled up with the front desk and were off to the airport. Flying in and out of Cozumel is so easy, and we were checked in and out to the gate in just a few minutes. My brother had an issue with his ticket, and it looked like he might not make it on our flight, but after forking over some $$'s to resolve the problem (he's not the biggest fan of Continental at the moment), we were ready for the ride back home.
We had a 7 hour layover in Houston where we ate some BBQ, and used our free hour of internet to get back on the grid after a week of no texts, no cell phones. We arrived back in Southern California a few minutes late to 48 degrees and clear, but dang, that was almost half of what the temp was when we left Coz. The soft bed, and the soft arms of my lovely bride were really nice to come home to. Now it's time for turkey, stuffing and family. Blessings to everyone, and I hope you have a safe and fun holiday, and I hope we'll be able to share some Cozumel diving adventures together some day!!
Peace-
Tom
Well, all good things must come to an end, and an amazing dive vacation is no exception. Although we had a great time, and I always want more, few things suck as bad as taking your gear down to the sun to dry before packing it up while everyone else is loading up for the morning boats. OUCH! But I guess it's something we all have to endure once a trip! I grabed a cup of coffee and sat in the lobby for one last time as the divers left for their daily adventures. A very melancholy feeling was mixed with one of great satisfaction for the amazing trip we had just experienced.
We bid our farewells to the dive staff and our fellow divers that we had become friends with over the week. I just want to cheerlead for the Blue Angel Resort and the staff one more time... Every single person involved with the resort was sweet, professional and really made us feel like family. I have never experienced a better value for fun, service, food, and accommodations anywhere. It's not the Ritz, but for the needs of the average diver I can't see how this place couldn't exceed your every expectation. Thanks to everyone there for a trip my daughter and I will never forget. The kids grow up so fast, and I am just so grateful and blessed to take time out and make memories that I will treasure forever! Relax, savor, and enjoy your time at the Blue Angel and you will not be disappointed!
After our final breakfast we settled up with the front desk and were off to the airport. Flying in and out of Cozumel is so easy, and we were checked in and out to the gate in just a few minutes. My brother had an issue with his ticket, and it looked like he might not make it on our flight, but after forking over some $$'s to resolve the problem (he's not the biggest fan of Continental at the moment), we were ready for the ride back home.
We had a 7 hour layover in Houston where we ate some BBQ, and used our free hour of internet to get back on the grid after a week of no texts, no cell phones. We arrived back in Southern California a few minutes late to 48 degrees and clear, but dang, that was almost half of what the temp was when we left Coz. The soft bed, and the soft arms of my lovely bride were really nice to come home to. Now it's time for turkey, stuffing and family. Blessings to everyone, and I hope you have a safe and fun holiday, and I hope we'll be able to share some Cozumel diving adventures together some day!!
Peace-
Tom
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