Cliffs and Currents

Posted in | at 1:10 AM

Tuesday, June 29^th

Buenas tardes! Today we once again wake up much earlier than teenager me would prefer so that we can begin the day’s adventures. First stop: the dock of Hotel Barracuda where dive master Martín once again awaits in a speed boat to take us diving.

Cliff Diving

The first dive location we hit up is called Santa Rosa, which is a giant underwater cliff face. So cool. Especially when you are just swimming along and you look down and all you see is deep blueness fading into complete darkness. The reef itself is located along this underwater wall so we are basically swimming horizontally alongside it.

Hmm I can’t remember if we saw any specific animal or growth that was unique to this dive. I don’t think so. But the coolest part was how we got to swim in and through these small, twisty caves. Oh! I did see one of those shrimp like things from Finding Nemo. That French-speaking cleaner from the dentist’s tank? Looked just like him. Almost asked for an autograph.

We also apparently swam within inches of a poisonous lionfish. Me being the oblivious person that I am did not notice this development, but that is what I am told. It was also really need getting to see your bubbles trapped in the roof of these small caves. Makes you wonder if they’ll be there forever. Which would be SO cool, because you could come back years later and be like “Hey look! It’s my old carbon dioxide!”

Since we went about 85 feet deep or so (slightly deeper than we’re allowed…shhhh), we could only stay down for about 35 minutes or so. So all too soon we were back on the surface and ready to hit up our next dive.

Underwater Flying

The second and final dive location for today was Punta Tunich, a drift dive. For clarification purposes, a drift dive is one with a fairly strong current where you simply ride along with this current, seeing the reef as if you were flying over it. Now bear in mind, you are not going at space shuttle re-entry speeds, but it is still a really fun way to see the sights.

Let’s see. Cool things about this dive… Oh! We saw, I believe, 5 different sea turtles. And got to touch them :D. Although, I am a little hesitant to admit that just in case I’m violating some sort of international animal protection law. Just in case, a disclaimer: by touch, I mean observe them from a vast and safe distance so as to avoid contaminating them with my human-ness. Which I guess is like cooties. Icky.

There was also a giant green moray eel (eight feet long!), who looked…dead. But he was probably sleeping and I for one wasn’t going to wake him up.

We finish up our dives (that last ones here in Cozumel, how sad), thank Martín for all his help, and after speeding through the water back to the other end of the island, we once again join the rest of our species on dry land.

The Rest of the Day

"Thank you for the food and for you."

Upon arrival on solid ground, the five of us immediately fall into the nearby hammocks. Ahhh, paradise. Eventually, our rumbling stomachs force us to move on.

Martín had given us a restaurant recommendation and we decided to check it out. After much wandering and direction-asking, we find it. Las Palmas. And mmm, it was delicious. As an added bonus, it was off the beaten path, so we were the only non-locals there and we were forced to depend upon my oh-so-broad Spanish repertoire. (For the record, I was totally on my game, asking for recommendations, ordering food, complimenting the waiter, bambambam! I was on fi-ya)

The rest of the day was spent napping, reading, celebrating Spain’s victory in the World Cup (quarter finals baby!), and just all around trying to soak up the last bit of paradise here.

Tomorrow will be our last full day here on the island :(. Alas. Over and out.