Playing catch up!
So, now I've been home for a week and haven't blogged about the rest of the trip. Two more day dives and one night dive happened before we left Cozumel.
Santa Rosa was probably my favorite spot. Another wall dive, like Palancar Breach, but the drop-off is right up against the wall, so you're floating at between 70 and 80 feet in depth, with the swift current pushing you down the length of the wall, and below your feet is a drop-off going down to the blue infinity. The coral was again spectacular here - overhangs like those we swum through at Palancar Breach, and the current was so swift we let it push us, and just relaxed and sight-saw the whole time. Huge fush lurked in little crevices, it was amazing. Like the Discovery Channel, but BETTER.
We went to Paraiso again for our last day dive, but explored around more, so it was still fun. It's shallower, so we stayed down alot longer. More moray eels here, and supposedly seahorses, though we didn't see any. They're shy.
The absolute best part, though, was the night dive. It wasn't scary at all -- the water is more deep blue and so clear that the flashlights we had carried a long ways -- it faded off into blue rather than inky, claustrophobic black. All the cool creatures come out at night - we saw lots of small skates, lots of large rock crabs, a lobster that was longer than my forearm. We saw a sea snake, a golden spotted moral eel all the way out of its nest, a really neat cuttlefish that changed color, and a huge kind of sea cucumber that looked like a giant caterpiller.
The real highlight of the night dive, though, was the octopus. I would have swum right past it without seeing it if our guide hadn't found it first. It was sitting on a small outcropping of coral with its legs tucked around it, and it changed color so that it just looked like another lumpy rock. Our divemaster, Luis, picked it up and actually put it on his face!
I was amazed at his cajones, let me tell you. He let each of us hold it, and I held it in my hand with my arm stretched as far away from my body as possible. It really does suck onto you.....feels like hundreds of mini-suction cups on your skin. When Luis pulled it away from me to give it to someone else, it hung on to me and its legs stretched like rubber so far that it was almost grotesque...right when I was sure that it was going to snap in two, it let go of me.
One thing I just remembered -- our encounter with the kamikaze jet ski driver. A family of a father and two kids was zipping around, and the child was driving. I could see our paths crossing long before it happened, and the jet ski didn't turn. Our captain started shouting something at them, but sure enough they crashed right into us at top speed. Made quite a jolt for us, but luckily they weren't hurt. Still, though, one of those 'stupid tourist' things you can't really believe until it happens to you.
We took Luis out to eat with the family of the father and son we shared the night dive with - long-time diver and his son Matt, and his wife and daughter who don't dive. We went to a chinese buffet that had sushi, but unfortunately it was expensive, and horrible. Jody and I took Luis out to drink and dance for a little while afterwards, because I liked Luis and I think Jody felt sorry for him. He's a lonely guy - once divorced, and his girlfriend of four years recently broke up with him for another guy. Clearly still in the getting over it phase. He kept insisting that Jody buy 'his senorita' flowers, so that I wouldn't get stolen away from him. I don't know if that was part of the Mexican romantic/feeler culture or just his own regrets about his last relationship. But Luis was sweet, bought me a rose, and danced a little bit with me without being predatory. It was rather fun to be flirted with, and I genuinely liked him. If you're a single girl in Cozumel looking for a flirtation and a reputable dive shop, dive at the Black Shark Dive Shop, and ask for Luis. Tell him Abby and Jody sent you.
I didn't get my beach day like I really wanted, instead I only got about 2 hours on the beach. I did take my best pictures of the trip there, but didn't swim, or really go exploring at all. Jody and I got in a huge fight about it, and it rather tainted the whole trip. Our flight from Cozumel to Charlotte was delayed for three hours due to mechanical problems, and if we had insisted on flying into Cincinnatti we would have been stuck in Charlotte overnight. Fortunately, we caught a flight to Lousiville and Jody's sister Goldie picked us up that night. Got home at around 1:30 am, completely exhausted, and I still went back to work. Having to drive to Cincinnatti just to pick up my car was totally annoying, though.
All in all, a good trip, aside from the crushing disappointment of my beach day. I'm glad to be home, though, and would you believe it, I'm glad to be back at work.
Santa Rosa was probably my favorite spot. Another wall dive, like Palancar Breach, but the drop-off is right up against the wall, so you're floating at between 70 and 80 feet in depth, with the swift current pushing you down the length of the wall, and below your feet is a drop-off going down to the blue infinity. The coral was again spectacular here - overhangs like those we swum through at Palancar Breach, and the current was so swift we let it push us, and just relaxed and sight-saw the whole time. Huge fush lurked in little crevices, it was amazing. Like the Discovery Channel, but BETTER.
We went to Paraiso again for our last day dive, but explored around more, so it was still fun. It's shallower, so we stayed down alot longer. More moray eels here, and supposedly seahorses, though we didn't see any. They're shy.
The absolute best part, though, was the night dive. It wasn't scary at all -- the water is more deep blue and so clear that the flashlights we had carried a long ways -- it faded off into blue rather than inky, claustrophobic black. All the cool creatures come out at night - we saw lots of small skates, lots of large rock crabs, a lobster that was longer than my forearm. We saw a sea snake, a golden spotted moral eel all the way out of its nest, a really neat cuttlefish that changed color, and a huge kind of sea cucumber that looked like a giant caterpiller.
The real highlight of the night dive, though, was the octopus. I would have swum right past it without seeing it if our guide hadn't found it first. It was sitting on a small outcropping of coral with its legs tucked around it, and it changed color so that it just looked like another lumpy rock. Our divemaster, Luis, picked it up and actually put it on his face!
I was amazed at his cajones, let me tell you. He let each of us hold it, and I held it in my hand with my arm stretched as far away from my body as possible. It really does suck onto you.....feels like hundreds of mini-suction cups on your skin. When Luis pulled it away from me to give it to someone else, it hung on to me and its legs stretched like rubber so far that it was almost grotesque...right when I was sure that it was going to snap in two, it let go of me.
One thing I just remembered -- our encounter with the kamikaze jet ski driver. A family of a father and two kids was zipping around, and the child was driving. I could see our paths crossing long before it happened, and the jet ski didn't turn. Our captain started shouting something at them, but sure enough they crashed right into us at top speed. Made quite a jolt for us, but luckily they weren't hurt. Still, though, one of those 'stupid tourist' things you can't really believe until it happens to you.
We took Luis out to eat with the family of the father and son we shared the night dive with - long-time diver and his son Matt, and his wife and daughter who don't dive. We went to a chinese buffet that had sushi, but unfortunately it was expensive, and horrible. Jody and I took Luis out to drink and dance for a little while afterwards, because I liked Luis and I think Jody felt sorry for him. He's a lonely guy - once divorced, and his girlfriend of four years recently broke up with him for another guy. Clearly still in the getting over it phase. He kept insisting that Jody buy 'his senorita' flowers, so that I wouldn't get stolen away from him. I don't know if that was part of the Mexican romantic/feeler culture or just his own regrets about his last relationship. But Luis was sweet, bought me a rose, and danced a little bit with me without being predatory. It was rather fun to be flirted with, and I genuinely liked him. If you're a single girl in Cozumel looking for a flirtation and a reputable dive shop, dive at the Black Shark Dive Shop, and ask for Luis. Tell him Abby and Jody sent you.
I didn't get my beach day like I really wanted, instead I only got about 2 hours on the beach. I did take my best pictures of the trip there, but didn't swim, or really go exploring at all. Jody and I got in a huge fight about it, and it rather tainted the whole trip. Our flight from Cozumel to Charlotte was delayed for three hours due to mechanical problems, and if we had insisted on flying into Cincinnatti we would have been stuck in Charlotte overnight. Fortunately, we caught a flight to Lousiville and Jody's sister Goldie picked us up that night. Got home at around 1:30 am, completely exhausted, and I still went back to work. Having to drive to Cincinnatti just to pick up my car was totally annoying, though.
All in all, a good trip, aside from the crushing disappointment of my beach day. I'm glad to be home, though, and would you believe it, I'm glad to be back at work.