Travelers Info
Air Travelers
Cruise Passengers

Cozumel Island
About Cozumel
Holidays & Events
Getting There
Cancun to Cozumel
Weather
Exchange Rates

Accommodations
Hotels
Vacation Properties
Bed & Breakfast
Rentals Online
Dive/Hotel Packages

Water Activities
Scuba Diving
Scuba Dive Shops
Snorkeling
Deep Sea Fishing
Reefs
Beaches
Marine Park Rules

Adventure Tours
All Adventure Tours
Jungle Jeep Tours
Horseback Tours
Snorkel Tours
Scuba Diving Tours
Deep Sea Fishing
Jungle Bike Tours
Jungle Trek Tours
Tarzan Tours

Tours/Sight Seeing
Special Attractions
Tours/Excursions
Island Tours
Day Excursions  

Island Guides
Beaches
Nightlife
Restaurants
Shopping
Food

Mayan Ruins
Chichen Itza
Tulum
Coba

Ecological Parks
Chankanaab
Crococun Crocodile Park
Tres Rios
Xcaret
Xel-Ha
Cenotes
Xpu-Ha
Sian Ka'an Biosphere
Punta Laguna
Garrafon

More Services
Specialty Services
Car/Vehicle Rentals
Getting Married
Real Estate
Travel Agencies
Tour Operators
Emergency Info
Great Links

Travel Essentials
Travel Tips
Packing List
Taxi Fares
Ferry Schedule
Spanish Lessons
Photo Gallery
Consulates

About TravelNotes
Contact Us

- click for online dive tours -

 Cozumel Trip Report
Submit a Dive Trip Report

Title: Trip Report -- Villa Forte

Comments: Day One

I've started this report and then stopped, and then re-started it again at least a half dozen times, not sure if I was going to post one at all, but alas, here it is finally.

I knew it was going to be a very special trip when the sky was decorated with tiny popcorn clouds as we flew over the Gulf of Mexico -- me busily searching for the tiny oil wells in the vast blue ocean below, and Jim smiling at me, being polite as ever, and not verbally questioning how someone can get so excited about clouds and oil wells.

I experience my usual feeling of awe upon seeing the miles and miles of jade-green jungle below, as we fly in over the mainland and finally approach the island. We set down into the welcoming humidity and pass easily through immigration and get the green light at customs. (I have yet to get the red, although I've probably just jinxed myself by saying that!) I'm so happy to be here! What a great feeling the first day is!

We arrive late afternoon and get settled in at the house and are very happy with what we find there, as we had switched property management firms in December, and the upkeep of the yard and house have been wonderful, right down to the little "basket-like" carving that the gardener has made out of one of the trees. We love the house very much and often worry about how things are being kept up when we are not there, so this is a pretty big deal for us.

Next we're off to meet with the management rep and then to a very special, albeit late, dinner at Las Gavillanes. Las Gavillanes is one of our favorite restaurants on the island, and the grilled garlic lobster tail and margaritas are out of this world. Of course, that is what Jim orders; I have to have the shrimp, as I'm a sucker for shrimp. It turns out that having to only peel one big tail (Jim's lobster) versus a half dozen small one's (my shrimp, which Jim does for me, teaching me a new technique I'm unfamiliar with), is the way to go, but we survive and call it a night by 11, as tomorrow's a big day and I fall asleep dreaming about the magic of the coming week.

Day Two

After breakfast at the house, we head over to see Matt at Deep Blue. This is our second dive trip with Deep Blue, and we are, once again, blown away by both the level of customer service Matt and the others provide, as well as the extraordinary dive itinerary that is executed throughout the week.

We let Matt know that we want to do a shore dive from the Lorena this afternoon, and without missing a beat he says, "Sure, I'll have some tanks dropped off for you there and when you're through, just leave them on the sidewalk and we'll come by later to retrieve them." Cool. And here we were thinking we were going to have to haul tanks in and out of our VW bug!

While we're gearing up on the beach at the Lorena, we run into Mario who is one of Deep Blue's instructors, and we exchange pleasantries with him. It's so nice to be amongst such genuine people, and we have yet to meet one member of the Deep Blue staff who is anything other than professional, courteous, and best of all -- friendly.

We know there won't be much to see in front of the Lorena, so we make our way into the current until we reach Villa Blanca Shallows. As always, this is a wonderful shallow dive and it is so good to be back in the water! I'm also delighted to discover that the color correction on my new SeaVision mask really DOES work! Elated and refreshed, we reluctantly exit the water and head home to shower and get ready to meet up with the other Darkside Divers for dinner.

While we're getting ready, our cell phone rings and a voice asks, "Will you accept a collect call from a Mr. Ron Lee?" Huh? I'm absolutely stunned. How did Ron get my Mexican cell phone number? I don't think he even knows I'm here right now! Then it hits me -- "TOM!! You got me, and you got me good!" I'm finally able to stop shrieking in delight and he tells me the plan for dinner. We head over to meet everyone at La Choza, and as soon as we walk in the door, Christi's on her feet waving us over. I haven't seen Christi in quite a while and this gathering is a wonderful blending of both old friends and new, as we catch up with Christi and get to know Kim and Chris, Tom and Christa, Bill, and Carolyn.

The grilled chicken is absolutely fantastic as is the pork dish that Jim has, although I have to admit that the margarita is a just a little too "orangey" for me (I'm a lime purist, I think.) It's a fabulous evening and an indication of the wonderful week that lay ahead for all of us.

Day Three

We meet up with the Darkside Divers and are introduced to Pepe who has to be one of the most extraordinary divemasters on the island. I am, by far, the newest diver amongst the group (just logged my 30th dive on Barracuda -- more on this later -- what a great feeling!), and while I know that Pepe keeps a close eye on me the entire week, he also affords me the same respect he shows to Kim, Chris, Tom, Christi and Jim, etc., and, in fact, makes me feel quite honored that he feels so comfortable including me in the dive itinerary that the group has chosen for the week.

We're off to Chun Chakab for our first dive. I believe Chun Chakab is sometimes referred to as "Maracaibo Shallows" (please correct me if I'm wrong) and it is every bit as beautiful as Maracaibo itself. Pristine and unspoiled, we have a wonderful dive with my computer reading 86' for 48 minutes.

The surface interval is possibly on the most beautiful spot of remote beach on the island that any of us has ever seen. We can't stop marveling at the gorgeous color of the water and the shallow sandy beach gently sloping in to meet the aquamarine blue. We seriously ponder whether this is, indeed, where the post card shots are taken for half of the Caribbean. Within minutes, masks and snorkels are grabbed and the group is off to the little off-shore "reef". I opt to stay on the boat to catch a nap, while the others enjoy the tranquil beauty in the shallow water around the reef. Extraordinary SI's in addition to extraordinary dives -- who'd have guessed?

Our next dive is Santa Rosa, executed a little shallower than usual, as this is our second dive. Beautiful coral and swim-thrus as always, although still no turtles! 65' for 68 minutes.

After the dives we head over to Ernesto's on the waterfront. Wow, what a great meal! We share the chicken and shrimp fajitas and as it is also happy hour (I think their happy hour is pretty funny. It's from 1-3 p.m., just in time to welcome the divers back) have a Sol and a margarita or two. Great meal, great view, great drinks!

After a stop at Chedraui to pick up necessities for the week (you know, Sol, melon, cheese, cookies and other goodies), we relax out on the patio at the Villa for a while and then head out for a special dinner at Manati. Awesome as usual, we have a very relaxing dinner of grouper in cilantro sauce and mango chicken (I hadn't realized it was in a pastry -- very interesting) and a nice visit with Leo's sister who's running the place for him for the time being.

We decide to follow what is becoming a tradition for us at least once on every trip, and head to Fat Tuesday on the square and grab a pina colada and a margarita to go, carrying them to the sea wall, where we sit for a while admiring the reflection of the town's lights dancing on the dark water. There's only one ship in town, so it's rather peaceful and we end the evening with a quiet stroll out on the in-town dive pier where Jim and a young local fisherman have a very amusing conversation. Jim doesn't speak Spanish, and thinks that the young man is trying to sell him something. The young man doesn't speak English, but it is obvious to me he is showing Jim his choice of bait for the evening. Regardless, the evening is -- ah, so nice -- and then back to the Villa.

Day Four

If we were ever in the right ocean on the right reef at the right time, today is the day! While some of the Darkside Divers head out at 6 a.m. for a cock-a-doodle dive with Dive Paradise, Jim, Christi and I stay with Deep Blue and the sanctity of sleeping past 5 a.m., and we discover it is well worth it, as we are rewarded beyond any of our possible expectations!

We head out to Maracaibo -- the wall this time -- and just as we're hitting the edge of the wall at about 85', I see both Jim and Pepe motioning wildly and making the shark signal. I try to get over there, but of course the current is moving in the opposite direction, and silly me just thinks to myself, "I've seen plenty of nurse sharks since I've been diving, and I'm sure I'll see more on this trip so I'm not going to expend the energy to see this one." BAD IDEA! What I don't realize is that the reason Pepe and Jim are doing that silly little thing of putting their fists at their temples before doing the normal shark sign is because it is a hammerhead! Aaaaah! What a lesson! Jim spotted him at least 40' below us and got Pepe's attention and the two of them tried to communicate what it was to the rest of us, but unfortunately they are the only two that saw it in time. I don't remember exactly what Christi was doing at the time, maybe taking pictures of something else or adjus
 ting her camera? (I'm not a photographer, so these things escape me.) Quite the timing, as I'm sure the hammerhead would have made a darned nice shot!

About five minutes later, Jim is motioning for me to look high above us on the wall, and there, where the wall begins, is a beautiful spotted eagle ray. I swear, at first I think he is dead, because he looks positively stationary, as if he is not moving at all. Then I realize that he IS moving, he is gliding effortlessly into the current, as eagle rays do. I don't think I've ever seen something more graceful or elegant. Being below him gives us a wonderful perspective, as we can clearly see his full "wing" span, because his white underside forms a striking contrast to the watery blues surrounding him. Shortly thereafter we see a second one, but later Christi tells us she thinks it was probably the same one. Oh well.

We head on down the wall and do some more exploring of this absolutely breathtaking reef system, finally coming upon my favorite swim-thru on the island. We enter the cavern, which is fairly wide and lit, but what separates this swim-thru from many others, is that there is actually life growing in there! We all have pictures taken inside, and then continue on through the "twist" in the coral (more colorful life, more pics), finally ascending through a magical garden until we reach the top of the swim-thru. Absolutely gorgeous. (Ever notice how difficult it is to put these things into words?)

We continue on and suddenly Jim spots a HUGE green moray and I'm not talking just a few feet long, but this guy has to be at least 8' long and FAT (plump and fit?) as all heck! Christi spends quite a while taking pictures of the spectacular find, and, in fact, when we come across a beautiful, big turtle, she's still deeply engrossed in her prior activity. I love turtles (there's a big surprise, huh?) and this is a big deal for me, so I'm screaming, "Christi! Christi!" through my regulator, but sigh...still no Christi, although I do have a very nice view of her bubbles slowly rising from behind the coral head where the moray is.

Finally she finishes and I must have been quite the sight, motioning wildly for her and her camera to come over. Although I'm tempted, I don't approach the turtle, as I'm a believer that watching the creatures in their natural environment and behavior is far more of a gift than chasing them around, etc., but suddenly two of the other divers in our group (these are not Darkside folks, BTW) start to approach him and are petting him, so what else am I to do when he swims right under me trying to make contact? I reach down and hold my hand on his shell, briefly, and Christi catches the shot -- yay! A little while later, there's another, smaller turtle swimming above us. Ah, life is good....

Although our dives throughout the week are perhaps a little more remote and deeper than some dives on the island, they are all executed with extreme attention to safety, and on this dive, as well as others to follow, Pepe let us know ahead of time that we would all be doing a 10 minute safety stop -- yep, 10 minutes. As I've read in others' reports from the week, it was a week of extraordinary diving and I have to admit that I feel a great sense of pride for having dove with this particular group, and evidently having dove well enough for both the group and dive op to keep advancing me to more challenging dive sites throughout the week.

Anyway, back to the safety stop, and as if it wasn't already a very special dive, suddenly Jim is motioning to Pepe again, this time moving his finger up and down over the mouthpiece of his regulator, very quickly. "Brush your teeth, this morning?" he seems to be asking. What now I think? Ah, yes, grouper cleaning station below. Makes for nice entertainment for the safety stop! 145' for 43 minutes.

Well I emerge from the dive a very happy girl and we make our way to a gorgeous spot for the SI that is very similar to the one we were at yesterday. This time Jim, Christi and I all strip off our wetsuits and jump into the clear crystalline water that's teasing us. We spend the SI just floating around in the shallow water and talking and marveling at how special life feels, having this incredible opportunity to see it, with good friends, in a way that is truly extraordinary.

Next dive is Columbia Shallow and in all honesty this had not been one of my favorite dives in the past. Today, however, is very different. Whether it is the route Pepe takes along the reef, or just the luck of the current, I see Columbia in an entirely new way -- lush coral, swim-thrus, many, many critters, including a huge school of silversides. Christi tries to line us up in front of them for a pic, but I'm not sure how it came out. Very enjoyable and beautiful, relaxing second dive. 30' for 64 minutes.

We have the dive boat drop us off at the Lorena (the Lorena has GREAT facilities for rinsing gear, BTW, not just your typical dunk tank) and then the three of us head to Ernesto's for lunch and "diver happy hour." Banana Dacquiri for me, rum and coke for Christi, and, gee, I wonder what for Jim? Yup, Tut, it's a Sol. Christi and I have Mexican and Jim has a burger, and somehow a round turns into three, and we spend a few hours marveling at the many shades of blue in the water right next to the restaurant, and holding onto that wonderful, relaxed, post-dive happiness that a diver cannot help but be engulfed in following an incredible morning of diving.

Today is Sunday, and we have big plans for the evening, as both Steph and Felipe are off today and they have invited us over to their new house. We decided ahead of time that we will take Monday off from diving, so the timing is actually very good, especially considering how wonderful the evening turns out!

Jim and I get to Steph and Felipe's ahead of Christi, who first stops to get a bottle of wine, and while we're waiting for her to arrive, Steph and Felipe show us their beautiful, welcoming home. It is 3 stories, and has an incredible roof-deck, from which you can see the entire island. Steph is very excited about it and rightfully so, as it is a wonderful home, with a wonderful backyard. It will be a great place for raising children eventually. Their neighbor's home is still in the early stages, but the house promises to be just as charming, although I won't make any announcements about who's it is yet, as although many of you already know whom I speak of, the owner hasn't publicized it widely herself yet.

Anyone who has met Felipe knows what a wonderful host he is and how gracious he is about having you in his home. Christi arrives with Cervezaleo in tow, as he had spotted her while she was picking up the wine, and she's brought him back to Steph's to meet the gang for a bit, which is wonderful, as we've all known him only through the message boards for years. He and Jim are both Aggies...need I say more?

The wine is flowing non-stop, the cheese plentiful, and I have a vague memory of both Nino's pizza (awesome, by the way!) and a few bags of popcorn later that evening. I also have a memory of us three girls laughing a lot on the sofa, while the guys chat "guy stuff" and we have some fun picking out CD's to play and re-living the past for a while. We finally all drag ourselves home at about midnight. It is a great evening, and a great memory.

Day Five

Today we're finally going to the Punta Sur National Park and Lighthouse, and I am so happy, because I've been looking forward to this for quite a while! It's a bit rainy out, but after a great Palmera's breakfast (#1 people watching place on the island, IMHO), we finally decide we don't care and we head to Chedraui and stock up on some Sol and a few of their sandwiches ("tortas", I believe they are called). These sandwiches are worth mentioning because they grill your meat of choice (ours is pork) right there in front of you and then you get to dress it with whatever you like. All of this is about $1.50 USD each. A great find and a great picnic!

We get to Punta Sur and it's still drizzly, but we pay our $15 each admission fee anyway (well worth it, by the way) and rather than riding on the top of the transport vehicle, we get to sit up front with the driver in the cab, which makes me happy. First stop is the lighthouse and we tour the museum at the base, which is excellent and full of the history of the lighthouse and the families that tended to it throughout the years. Very well worth the time investment, if you are interested in history at all, and a perfect place, we decide, to take youngsters, if you have them in tow, to give them a quick and fun history lesson.

Next we climb the lighthouse and once we reach the top, Jim's going to take my picture and he tells me, "slip off your dress." Now, I have a simple cotton sundress on over my bathing suit, so this is not as strange as it sounds, and the pictures are certainly very unusual, with my hair whipping around everywhere in the wind, standing way up there in my bikini with the gorgeous island backdrop. Fun, nonetheless.

Back on the transport and next we're off into the lagoon on a pontoon boat. This is very, very cool, as we glide along through the water and look for crocs and birds. We see several nesting (birds, that is), and on the way back, decide this is a great spot for our picnic, so we each crack open a cold Sol and enjoy our sandwiches, while continuing our bird-watching adventure on the boat, and I can't think of a nicer way to spend lunch!

After leaving the lagoon there is a tower we climb, and here it strikes us how wonderful the treasure of this park really is. For me personally (and I'm speaking only for myself here, but thought I'd share this), I'm guilty of perhaps sometimes believing that I've seen some of the best Cozumel has to offer, because I've been on the reefs and seen the wonderful world that only divers are lucky enough to have access to. Standing up here on the tower, however, looking out over the lagoon and the endless jungle (It really DOES seem endless here!), I am deeply humbled by how much I have been missing. The island is not just about reefs and beaches and ruins. This entire lagoon ecosystem, of which I had only heard about but not yet seen, is waiting to be explored by all visitors to the island and it is so unexpectedly natural and wild. From what I understand, the lagoon plays a very large part in nourishing the surrounding reefs, and it is an awe-inspiring feeling looking out over s
 omething that sustains so much life and yet is so frequently overlooked.

By now the sun is shining in full force, and we head to the beach across the path from the lagoon and cannot believe our eyes. There are miles of gorgeous white sand, completely deserted, and best of all, with absolutely no trash as is so prevalent on the east-side beaches. There is a gentle slope into the beautiful water, and we think we have arrived in heaven. The two of us, all to ourselves, head in and just relax and "be" for quite a while, marveling in the isolation.

We do not stop at the second beach area, which I understand is north of the lighthouse, and has some decent snorkeling quite a ways out. Also, while there was once a little snack bar there, they were closed down, although we brought a cooler in and had everything we needed at our fingertips.

As the sun starts to get lower in the sky, we realize our mission is still not yet complete, as we haven't seen a crocodile yet. Back on the transport to another lookout area, and sure enough, there they are, two of them, big teeth and all! This makes us very happy and we decide it's time to head home.

We shoot up the east-side quickly just to take in the view, and notice that there is a new bar just south of Mezcalito's. It looks pretty cute, actually, and I'm sure we'll stop on our next visit to the island.

We've made dinner plans for the French Quarter with Christi and Carolyn and after quickly showering at the house, we stop by and pick Christi up, playing with Trevor for a while. Trevor, incidentally, is actually more like a cat than a dog, and he is certainly Christi's big baby!

We all stop by Deep Blue to check in with Matt and discover that we are diving Punta Sur tomorrow. Gulp. "Devil's Throat? Are you sure I'm ready you guys?" Jim and Christi assure me that I am, and Matt is in agreement. Gulp, again!

On to the FQ, and we discover the lady who did Christi's dive instructor certification is sitting at the bar and we visit for a bit with her, which is nice, as she has played an important part in Christi's life, and I am very happy to meet her. Mike Slaughter then discovers us all there, and after we all exchange big hugs (Jim opts for a handshake, instead. Men can be so standoffish, I swear!) Mike leads us to our outside table, where we enjoy a wonderful dinner amidst the twinkling little lights and candles. Carolyn is a saint, as she has to sit through Jim, Christi and I going on and on about diving. Thanks, Carolyn! We're all pretty exhausted, and I'm very excited about the big dive tomorrow, so we head home to get some much needed rest.

Day Six

After a quick breakfast at the house, we're off to...drats, I can't remember which pier it was this day. We rotated between the pier at the Lorena, PLG, and in-town pier all week, and I think it was the Lorena, so we'll just go with that. The boat arrives and we meet up with the Darkside Divers already on board and head down south to Punta Sur. We hit the water, and I immediately love what I see. When you enter at deep sites like Maracaibo and Punta Sur, the reef is way below you beginning at about 85' or so. It's not like hitting the water at Palancar or Santa Rosa, where the reef begins in shallower water (by comparison) and you can see it below you. Descending on the deeper sites is so cool, because all you can really see is dark blue. You know the reef is down there somewhere, but I just love the feeling of descending into nothingness and not having a reference for quite a while. Maybe I'm just weird, who knows.

Anyway, Pepe had told us on the boat that the current is running backwards, and as a result, we will be diving the throat backwards. Fine by me, like I'll know the difference? He also told us that we'll spend the majority of the dive going through the caverns and inside of the coral head. Whether that's a result of the current, I'm not sure, but it certainly makes for one heck of a first dive at Punta Sur!

As soon as we get to depth, we enter the first cavern, and I whip out my light (a little pre-dive trip gift from my dive buddy), which I actually do need at some points. I follow Christi in, which is great because I'm not worried about getting lost behind her. We enter into the cathedral for the first time and I'm thinking, "Hey, there's the cross! Cool!" I was a little worried that I might miss it, but there it is, white and beautiful. We head out through some other caverns and the first time we exit, it is through a rather tight passage, which we have to turn sideways to fit through and then exhale to get down and out. We come out of the coral head, and, wow, the reef is gorgeous here on the edge of the wall! Very bright, very pristine. Christi is right, this is a beautiful dive! I am mesmerized by a fire-red piece of coral. I don't think I've ever seen so much color underwater before!

I would have been happy to just continue to dive on the beautiful wall, but in keeping with the dive plan, after Pepe checks that we're all okay, we head back in through a different route this time. More swim-thrus and caverns, and, damn, there is some beautiful coral at the spots where you peek outside just for a second, and then there it is again -- the beautiful white cross, so I think, "Hey, what do you know? There it is again. Cool!" I think this time Pepe is taking Kim's picture in front of it, and Christi gets her shot in too. We head through some more caverns and then out onto the wall again where I'm once again, struck by the beauty until, Pepe, after checking us all once again, leads us back into the caverns. Since I'm getting more and more used to them at this point, I allow my thoughts to wander a little and ponder exactly how I feel about this dive relative to all of the various comments people have made regarding the safety of it. My conclusion is that it is a v
 ery beautiful dive out and around the coral head, and yes, even inside is beautiful in some spots. I realize that I have not been scared on the dive, never afraid that something horrible was going to happen, but I do have one very somber thought -- should a diver panic during this dive, there is a chance that their life would be in danger, perhaps much more so than on other dive sites on the island. Probably not a great thought to have while diving it, but I actually find it comforting to realize that the key elements here are state of mind and comfort level, and realizing these two things makes me feel safe. I don't know if that makes a lot of sense to anyone else, but those are just my personal thoughts on the dive.

Okay, on with the dive, and suddenly, yep, you guessed it, we're at the cross again! Christi gets her third shot of it and we joke on the boat that she needed to get one each time we passed it so we could prove that we had been through three times. :o)

A 10 minute safety stop, and we're back on the boat.

Would I dive it again? Yes, absolutely, but I won't go actively seeking it out again in the next few months, as there are so many other extraordinary dive sites, and I kind of missed being able to spend more time diving amongst the critters and coral. Still, an incredible experience. 118' for 49 minutes.

Not to be outdone by our previous surface intervals, Pepe takes us to another gorgeous stretch of isolated beach, but before we reach it, the boat captain spots a ray (I think he says it is a sting ray, rather than an eagle ray) just off shore gliding along in about 10' or so of water, and in jumps everyone except for me, with masks and fins. I have a great view from the boat, and in all honesty, I'm still a little tired from the last dive! The group spends the SI exploring the shallows, and they see several starfish and other critters. It is fascinating, even from my position on the boat, and Pepe is a wonderful guide. Another incredible SI.

Our next dive is Palancar Gardens, with its many swim-thrus it is beautiful as always. From what I can tell, Pepe is helping the photographers in the group find many wonderful little critters to take shots of, and as we're not taking pictures ourselves, after a while, Jim and I ascend to about 10 feet above them where we are in a great position to really observe them at work. It is fascinating watching the precision with which they set up the shots, and the patience and grace they display in getting them just so. I decide that watching them is one of my new favorite underwater activities, and I have a great time playing in their bubbles above. 64' for 61 minutes.

Christi, Jim and I have the boat drop us at the Lorena, and we settle in for a very yummy lunch and a few drinks. One of Jim's old friends, Manuel, is the cook at the little beach club there now. He was, in fact, for many years the cook at the Hogtown Cafe, so we're more than delighted to see him and many items from the Hogtown's former menu here now. After a great lunch, we drop Christi at home and Jim and I decide to head for Mr. Sancho's for a bit.

It is fairly late, and the sun is starting to set, but we still get in a great swim in their little "hot tub" (it isn't really hot or even little for that matter, which is great) with the little waterfall. It's the perfect place to share a bucket of Sol's, and a great relaxing way to watch the sunset.

We're pretty exhausted, so we decide to stay in tonight and make dinner at the Villa. We light our favorite French Vanilla candles and enjoy the serenity of the house, later moving out onto the patio for a nightcap and to search for the Villa Forte pet geckos. All four of them let us know how comfortable they are using the front porch as their home. An absolutely perfect evening, closing out another perfect day.

Day Seven

We hadn't originally planned on diving today, but while we were on the boat yesterday, we learned that it would be heading to Barracuda and San Juan today. Hmm...can we pass this up? Nope, we can't.

It turns out we have a total of 11 divers heading to Barracuda this morning, which means Deep Blue needs to send two boats. Jim and I had decided to get on at the in-town pier, as we want to have one more breakfast in town. We're very early, and chat for a while with Pepe and the others while they are getting the boats ready. Pepe introduces us to our divemaster Sandro, who turns out to be a very close friend of someone very special to Christi, so this is really nice. Sandro is also a fantastic divemaster, extremely safe and watchful while giving us the freedom we desire. Off to the reef and it's just beginning to rain. I am so excited about this dive, I can barely sit still and it is a good thing when Sandro finally anchors the tank on my back!

Backroll off and we all descend and head into the current toward the wall. I am awestruck when we arrive, at the untouched beauty of the reef. The current is very mild, and immediately picks us up and we begin our gentle journey. This dive is by far my favorite dive of the trip, not so much because it is Barracuda, but because the current is perfect and it is just a downright relaxing dive! Barracuda is another dive which generates a lot of conversation, and I do have to admit that as we are gliding along, I feel as if this is a very special experience -- as if we have landed in a place where few go, and it seems, too, as if the fish are completely unbothered by our presence here, and it is absolutely magical to be diving somewhere so remote, quiet and beautiful. (Again, my descriptions fail miserably at doing justice to the ethereal experience of diving on this reef.)

I realize that to many, Barracuda might just be another dive, but to me it is extraordinary, and as Jim and I glide along the reef, I spot a snowflake eel poking his head out of his hiding place. It's as if the moment is frozen in time, and I truly feel honored to have encountered him amidst such tranquility.

After having done the countless swim-thrus on Punta Sur the day before, I had asked Jim, "Are there any swim-thrus on Barracuda?" He didn't remember any, but wouldn't you know, there is, indeed, one at the very end of the reef! It's a nice wide one, and we don't go through it, as we're a ways away hunting for critters, but it certainly makes both of us laugh when we see it. 107' for 44 minutes.

The SI is at the now deserted Club Caribe Cozumel hotel (or is it the Cozumel Club Caribe, and why isn't that darned map ever here next to the computer when I need it?!), and we pull in while the other Deep Blue boat is still there, and I'm instantly on my feet giddily shouting to Christi and the others on the boat in my bubbling excitement about how incredible the dive was. I know I probably look like a silly idiot, but darn it, I am HAPPY!

I jump out of the boat and go for a swim in my wetsuit and the rain is really starting to come down now. Finally it's time to head out for our second dive at San Juan, just as the lightning is starting. The boat is pretty wet and slippery and just as I'm up on the edge of the boat about to backroll off, the boat rocks and I slip on the wetness and go flying into the boat, landing face down on the floor, under my tank. Damn, I can be so graceful at times! Five sets of concerned hands all reach for me at the same time and help me to get back up, and I am, once again, awestruck by the compassion and camaraderie that seems to exist within and amongst all divers.

Okay, once again, back up on the side of the boat, and this time I actually end up on the right side of it -- in the water! This dive is also incredible, and again, so difficult to explain, but the colors are extraordinary with a primarily burnt-orange and green theme, and as Jim describes it, it is as if we are gently flying over a Scottish moor. Absolutely gorgeous and very, very different from any other dive I have been on. Plus, the lighting illuminates the reef with incredible energy, and my senses are overloaded with awe as I try to take everything in that is going on around me. Jim spots a scorpion fish and we encounter two turtles, as I am going through the usual thoughts that I always encounter on my last dive of the trip. I'm almost in tears, as I am so overwhelmed by the beauty that we encounter on the reefs, and the honor that is bestowed upon us at having the technology to be able to experience it so up close and personal. 75' for 63 minutes.

On the boat ride back to the pier, I try to transition between the two worlds, and finally reach that goal somewhere between my first and second banana dacquiri once back on land.

After grabbing lunch, we head back to the house to do a final rinsing of the gear. I am still so excited and everything just seems to be so alive today. I don' think I ever remember the palm tree across the street or the banana tree in our yard looking so healthy and so beautiful!

After catching some rest, we head over to Hacienda San Miguel to visit with Angela for a while. Isidro and his new wife are there, too, so we get to meet them and I mention that I've heard a lot about him through Terri's postings on the board and from Kim, as well. He seems like a heck of a nice guy and his reputation as a dive operator is top notch.

We're sad to learn that Angela is leaving the island, but very happy that we are able to get together with her one last time. We have a great visit, as we catch up with her as she shows us many of the pictures from her recent trip to Belize. Steph and Felipe also drop by briefly, so we get to give them a few last hugs.

Afterward we're off to Chedraui at the speed of light, as we need to pick up a few more essentials for the house, and are running a little late for meeting Christi. I call her and let her know we're on our way, and the three of us and Trevor hang out at her place for a while and talk about the incredible week that we've all had, and then Jim and I head over to Guido's for our last dinner on the island.

At luck would have it, exhaustion kicks in about 10 minutes after we arrive, and the hostess generously offers to pack up the food for us (incredible lobster tortellini, BTW) and even gives us two big "to go" cups for our sangria. I love this place!

Back to the house and I fall asleep on the sofa while Jim has dinner, and somehow I think I end up in bed a short while later.

Day Eight

Today is our last day and we are busy gathering items together that we are going to donate to Alicia for the Chrysalis garage sale. We've got bagfuls of stuff (very long and boring story) and head over to Alicia's late morning just as Kim is settling in. After a nice chat with Alicia, we invite Kim back to the Villa to help us finish a bottle of wine, and we have a great visit with her. It's really nice to get to know people OFF of the dive boat, too!

After delivering Kim safely back to her new home at Alicia's, we head back to the house to pack and then back into town to settle up with the dive shop and to meet Christi at Island Gourmet for one last lunch. I have an absolutely incredible crabmeat salad sandwich. One minute it's in the showcase as this big crab leg, and the next thing I know it is this flaky, delicious delicacy. Yum, yum!

We're running late, of course, and really have to book to the airport, arriving just in time to stand in line for an hour. Oh well, at least we won't miss the plane! Once we're through check in and security, we pick up the mandatory bottles of Kahlua and tequila and settle in for a comfortable wait. You know the rest...so sad to see the island disappearing below us as we ascend into the sky...trying to decide when we'll be back next...wondering why Champion Air doesn't serve Sol....

A few last thoughts:

We dove with an incredible group of people all week. I thank all of you for being so welcoming to me and I learned so much by diving with all of you and being in your company. You are all very beautiful divers, and it is a week of diving I will never forget.

The island continues to get busier and busier and we are torn on our feelings about the issue. Upon our return, we both wondered aloud whether we should consider selling the house and buying somewhere more remote to move when Jim retires, but we still come back to the fact that we love the house so much and it truly is our home. We also have to admit that we like the conveniences that some of the modernization has brought -- Chedraui is notable, as are some of the fantastic restaurants, and those are conveniences that we have to admit we enjoy having in our everyday lives. So the question remains, do we look elsewhere for a place with great diving and less development, yet less convenience? That is a thought we'll be pondering for quite a while, I suspect, as I don't think there are any easy answers.

Our best to all of you, both those we've been incredibly fortunate enough to meet, and those we've yet to meet!

Diane and Jim

| Scuba Diving Trip Reports | Scuba Dive Shop Reviews |
| Scuba Diving Tours | Scuba Dive Packages |

Email us to have your review listed or removed. Thanks!

back to top