Trip Report Return to Casa Del Mar and Jungle Divers Jan 17-24, 2022

[Kimela]

Same as last review from November. Will add that the WiFi is spotty at Casa Del Mar, and we were in a cabana (upgrade). We were able to get WiFi ok upstairs but not as well downstairs…

Jungle Divers was wonderful - again - with accommodating our preferred macro hunting and long bottom times (averaged 90+ minutes on AL80’s nitrox). Saw everything from eagle rays to nudis. Stef does a great job of helping find the small stuff and enjoys it too. Still in Cozumel - flying out tomorrow. Will try to add more pics when at home with decent WiFi. Water temp was consistently 80 degrees.

 

[morecowbells]

Beautiful pic! I hear a lot of positive reports on Jungle Divers. I hope you didn't lose many dives to nortes.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Thnx 4 posting

 

[Kimela]

Beautiful pic! I hear a lot of positive reports on Jungle Divers. I hope you didn't lose many dives to nortes.

Thanks! We did not lose any dives to nortes - thankful for that. Learned of a new website to watch for wind called www.windfinder.com. Here’s the link to the Ventanas beach site they refer to locally:

Windfinder.com - Wind, waves, weather & tide forecast Cozumel / Ventanas al Mar Beach

Windfinder.com - Detailed wind, waves, weather & tide forecast for Cozumel / Ventanas al Mar Beach / Quintana Roo, Mexico for kitesurfing, windsurfing, sailing, fishing & hiking.

www.windfinder.com

 

[Kimela]

Kudos to American Airlines (so far). We completed the Verifly app process (confirms identity and negative COVID test), also completed the contact tracing form - and we sailed right to the ticket counter in Cozumel without having to fill out any additional paperwork. Nor does the airport make you complete a paper stating you are COVID free, symptom free and haven’t been around anyone with COVID. So far, so good. (I’ll cross post this to the American Airlines thread too).

 

[Kimela]

Most of these are 'the usual suspects' but two are 'new to me'. The first is a bumblebee shrimp on a sea cucumber (maybe a pineapple sea cucumber). And the other is, I think, an egg erupting from a dark volcano sponge, also called a svenzea zeal. It was the strangest sight - and I really, really wanted to touch it!! Now I'll never know if it was as mushy as it looked or not - unless someone here can tell me. I got the ID from ID Please (Marine Creature Identification), but not much on the internet about them.

 

[FLturtle]

Great pics. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Kimela, you have improved so much as a photographer. Well done! Those are fantastic photos and you should be very proud of them. Looks like that TG5 is serving you well.

 

[imoto]

Really great pics! I love them all. Thanks for posting them. Now I know what the dive masters have been pointing at that my farsightedness has kept me from really seeing. Magnifier inserts can only do so much.

 

[Kimela]

Kimela, you have improved so much as a photographer. Well done! Those are fantastic photos and you should be very proud of them. Looks like that TG5 is serving you well.

Thanks so much! The most difficult part, for me, is managing to stay still well enough to get the shot - and patience while waiting on the critter to pose 'just so'.