Akumal Bay is known for its assorted species of sea turtles which use the area for breeding, feeding and rearing their young. This provides an optimal chance to see the animals in their natural habitat, including the many colorful species of fish and plant life.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are perhaps the favorite activities to pursue during a trip to Akumal, but snorkeling is a less physically demanding and technical option. With a brief instruction course and a good area choice, snorkeling is relatively easy for even first-time beginners.

One popular area for snorkeling in Akumal is the Yal-ku lagoon. This area is an extremely rare environment where fresh water meets with salt water from the ocean. The combination of the two types of water is called a “halocline” effect.

Only very specific species can survive and prosper in this halocline bay, and the mixture of salt and fresh water supplies creates an changed appearance of the water itself. Many species found in this area are not found anywhere else in the world, and have been shown on many travel channel specials in recent years.

Casa Cenote is a lagoon featuring mangroves and unusual fish displays. Many snorkelers find the fossils in Cenote at Dosojos quite fun for a day of exploration. Many of the fossils seen at Dosojos date back to Mayan civilizations that once occupied the area.

Snorkel lessons are usually a good idea forfirst-timers prior to going to one of these sites. Although the activity is easy, some find that they are uncomfortable with the equipment or unsure how to best view the underwater scenery while safely using the equipment.

A popular activity for locals and tourists alike is night snorkeling. Typically, a flashlight is used in conjunction with traditional snorkeling equipment for this activity.

Many species which are not seen during daylight hours can be seen when snorkeling after sunset. This is typically because they are night-feeders or resting during the day.

The octopus is a perfect example of this spectacle. Octopuses only come out to feed at after dark, and change color when a flashlight beam is focused on them. Virtually all of the life seen at night are safe for snorkelers, so night snorkeling is a safe activity as well.

Plant life and some types of fish are also luminescent at night. This creates greenish lights glowing either continuously or flashing at night – quite a view for one who is only used to snorkeling during the day!

Today was our last day at the beach, because tomorrow we’re headed to Merida! We bought 1st class tickets, a 4 hour ride through ADO, and it cost us 188 pesos each. 2nd class was about 1.40$ less, but it takes 10 hours to get there! We’ll be leaving tomorrow afternoon and either going to a hostel or staying at a CouchSurfer’s place.

It was a fantastic day at the beach, and this time I went snorkeling on my own. I came across a turtle, but it got scared and quickly swam away. I saw a beautiful big colorful fish, mostly green with some red, yellow, orange, blue, purple… really stunning. Sometimes I’d get water in my snorkel, and sometimes I’d have to calm myself after worrying about how far away I was from the shore. It wasn’t a relaxing experience that’s for sure, but I was less scared than last time. I got crisped though… I seriously burned the top and right side of my right thigh… really badly. It had been previously aggravated by the sun, being a place that rarely sees the sun, and then it got cooked through the water while I was snorkeling and surfing the big waves (quite a crazy experience!), usually facing the same direction… Robin burned his left arm and shoulder, but he’s doing pretty well… with his machete!

Robin’s had an urge to buy a machete since we got to Mexico, and he finally bought one yesturday. We cut open 6 coconuts on the beach, all were loaded with delicious coconut milk, and 2 had lots of coconut meat that Robin ate as a delicacy. We sure got a bunch of stares, but it was a blast.

I had forgotten to mention in my previous post that a big reason why I don’t take that many pictures anymore is because I wouldn’t get to enjoy my environment as much… I’d be too busy trying to rush and grab a picture of something, then be frustrated that the camera wasn’t fast enough, and then realize that I had missed the whole thing with my own eyes.

I’d write more but we have to head back and go to bed soon. Buena noches!

Baby frigatebird (I think?)

I’ve wanted to go to the Galapagos Islands since before I can even remember. And the truth is, it is everything that people say it is. The animals really are quite tame and generally unafraid of people. You really can get so close to them that you could touch them (though it’s a big no-no). And even more so, they are still wild animals, and you can easily stumble upon them doing things like nesting, attracting mates, nursing babies, eating, etc. that you often don’t get to see during an afternoon at the zoo.

Sea lion hanging on the beach at Genovesa Island

Overall my experience in the Galapagos was really amazing (how could it not be?), though sadly some boat problems left the trip with a tinge of disappointment and tainted feeling to it. It’s hard to spend a lot of money and time on a once in a lifetime experience/dream trip and have something big and important go wrong. But I’ll get into that in a bit.

I’m going to talk about each day separately, in its own context, in an attempt to keep later situations from affecting my description of the first half of the trip which really was incredibly amazing and awesome.

As for the details, I was on the Floreana, a tourist or tourist superior (I’m pretty sure it’s not superior) class boat depending on who you ask. There were fourteen of us on the ship (two others joined us for the second half, but ended up only staying a day and then ditching it because of the problems and itinerary changes).

Floreana

Along for the trip with me were two Swedes, three Norwegians (two sisters and an older random guy who jumped on at the last minute), a British couple, an Aussie/Brit couple, three Americans from California, and a girl from Holland, who was my cabin-mate. We were all fairly young, in our 20s and 30s (except the one Norwegian guy), something that seemed to set our boat apart from pretty much every other boat we ran into!

And finally, we were on the Floreana’s 8 day/7 night “northern” itinerary, which was supposed to be like this:
Thursday – Baltra Airport/Santa Cruz Island – Twin Craters/Highlands
Friday – Genovesa Island – Darwin Bay/El Barranco
Saturday – Santiago Island – Sullivan Bay/Bartholomew Island
Sunday – Chinese Hat/Santa Cruz Island – Dragon Hill
Monday – Isabela Island – Breeding Center Arnaldo Tupiza/The Humedales/Tinterones
Tuesday – Fernandina Island – Espinosa Point/Isabela Island – Tagus Cove
Wednesday – Santiago Island – Egas Port/Rabida Island
Thursday – Black Turtle Cove/Baltra Airport

The highlight of the trip was supposed to be Fernandina and Isabela on Tuesday. This was basically the reason I chose this cruise, as I was told these islands are the best, worth missing out on the much-loved southern islands for, and that this was pretty much the only non-luxury cruise that visited them, a truly unique experience. So I was basically pumped up and most excited for this part of the cruise. Of course, this is the one day of the cruise that we missed and was changed to a crap alternative itinerary. But again, I’ll get into that in due time.

DAY 1

I shared a cab with another guy in my hostel going to the Galapagos and we arrived at the airport two hours early, as we were advised to. In less than ten minutes we were through all the security and stuck sitting in the small domestic airport, where there is only one little over-priced cafe to get food and drink and absolutely no other options, not even a small shop to buy a snack or drink.

Finally I boarded the plane, which departed around 9:50am. I was pleasantly surprised with the flight (TAME). The plan was huge, six seats across. I thought we would have to stop in Guayaquil and spend an hour waiting for more passengers to board, but we were lucky and our flight went directly to Balta airport. There our group slowly gathered together and boarded a bus to a port. There we got on a boat that took us to Puerto Ayora, where we sat and waited for quite a long while for another boat to finally take us to our boat.

Already spotting pelicans and sea lions right off the ferry!

Before we’d even gotten off the first boat in Pt. Ayora, we’d already spotted our first sea lion playing in the water next to the boat. Sitting and waiting for our next ride, I sat and watched the sea lion play in the water while a Galapagos pelican hung out below me, entertaining me with his funny habits. Already I could feel I was in the Galapagos!

We settled onto the Floreana (into our super tiny cabin!) and had lunch, then we were off on our first excursion. We first visited the Twin Craters, two craters that are really old, that’s basically what I got from it! It wasn’t exactly the most interesting or exciting start to our trip.

Giant tortoise

But then we visited a reserve with a bunch of tortoises, which was cool. There were a lot of giant tortoises just hanging around, laying in the pond or walking around. Getting so close to them, I realized what funny creatures they are.

They really are like dinosaurs, so prehistoric looking—their big, thick, wrinkly legs and dino-like feet, and the funny way they move—and they make this funny raspy-breathing/hiss kind of noise when they want you to go away, that’s very Jurassic Park-esque.

We finished the excursion off by visiting some underground lava caves. Mostly they just seemed like any other cave, but there were some cool parts. Then we sat at a bar/restaurant for a while, where no one really wanted to get anything, probably because we’d all just dropped so much cash on this trip. It was a bit of an uninspiring first day, but we were in the Galapagos, we knew better things were to come.

Even that night after dinner things picked up. Nature gave us a show right from the safety of our boat’s sundeck. Under the boat’s lights we could see tons of flying fish, sea lions, sharks (huge ones!), and pelicans, hunting or playing, flying/zipping around. It was a really incredible thing to watch.

DAY 2

Wildlife everywhere!

After breakfast we went for a dry landing on Genovesa/Tower Island, where we the only boat (it is a much less-visited island). Immediately on the beach we saw tons of sea lions sleeping and relaxing. But overall Genovesa is definitely a bird island. Once we got walking into the island, we saw tons and tons of birds. Red-footed boobies, Nazca/masked boobies, great frigate birds, nocturnal herons, the list goes on and on. Though since I was a kid I always kind of had this weird thing for blue-footed boobies, which we didn’t see on Genovesa (I had these National Geographic pamphlets for different endangered animals, and for some reason I only remember the blue-footed booby one and that I was obsessed with it), I normally don’t really care that much about birds. But these were cool birds. Big ones that acted and looked interesting.

Red-footed boobies

The red-footed boobies made this crazy loud noise. They almost sounded like elephants or something. Some of them were white, some were gray, but they were all beautiful, with bright red feet and lovely pink and blue multicolored beaks.

The Nazca boobies were just black and white, but they made this funny whistling noise, that sounded almost like someone blowing into a cheap plastic whistle or trying to whistle with their fingers. (In fact, I often thought someone was trying to imitate the boobies, but I’d look around and realize that no, it was in fact the boobies themselves.)

Nazca boobies

There were also tons of baby chicks everywhere, all looking and sounding cute and funny. And of course there were also lots of nesting birds, from parents sitting on eggs to newly formed couples flying in with branches and building their nest together – all right in front of our eyes!

The scenery itself was also great – beautiful cliffs and water (especially when the sun came out). Then we went snorkeling right off the beach, which wasn’t bad. There were some interesting fish, and I also saw two small rays, buried in the sand.

Snorkeling from the beach with sea lions nearby

We returned to the boat for lunch (spotting sea turtles in the sea right out the dining room windows!) then went for some more snorkeling. We took the zodiac boats out to a deeper area, where we saw a lot more fish, and I also saw a gigantic ray (like the kind you see at the aquarium and think “Whoaaa!”). I didn’t realize at the time how special it was, but throughout the rest of the trip everyone was always talking about how they wanted to see a big manta ray, and I had already seen it on the very first day of snorkeling!

Baby bird

After that we went to another part of the island and climbed some steps (guarded by a sea lion!) to an area with a ton more birds. Colonies, it seemed, of great frigate birds, Nazca boobies, and red-footed boobies. When we were finished and sitting and waiting for the zodiacs to retrieve us, there was a local fishing boat nearby and we watched as tons of birds circled around, waiting for the fishermen to throw out some guts or fish.

DAY 3

Docking by Santiago Island, there were a few more boats around. First we visited Sullivan Bay, where we walked on a ton of black lava flows, which was pretty awesome. There were a ton of different kind of formations/flows, so it was cool to see all the different patterns. We saw a lot of crabs and some herons, and even a couple penguins swimming around in the bay!

Crab by the beach

Then we went snorkeling. We saw a shark! Like a proper, Jaws-theme-inducing kind of shark. It was really cool, but then it turned and started heading back in our direction, and I got a bit freaked out and hurried away. I had finally taken my camera with me for this snorkel (I had been a bit paranoid about trying out my supposedly watertight camera bag-thing I’d bought in Quito, but decided that I bought it so I needed to try it) but it must have turned off without my realizing it and when I thought I’d been taking pictures of the shark, I ended up with none. I did see lots of fish and starfish, though.

Sea lion swimming by!

After lunch we went snorkeling again, seeing a lot more fish and starfish. I also had a sea lion swim by me, which I did manage to snap a quick picture of!

Then we walked up to the mirador at the top of Bartolome, looking out over the infamous Pinnacle Rock and some overall great views of the surrounding area.

Pinnacle Rock at sunset

On the way up we could see tons (and I mean TONS) of manta rays in the distance in the ocean, jumping up out of the water, flipping all around, apparently trying to get parasites off their backs. It was a really incredible sight! Then coming back through the bay we saw more penguins and sea lions.

By day three I was definitely starting to feel like, “This is the life.” Our typical day was just like this one: breakfast at 7, excursion to an island a small walk at 8, then some snorkeling off the beach, back to the boat to relax (nap, reading, tanning, whatever), lunch at noon, more relaxing, off for some snorkeling at 2, sometimes back to the boat for a little bit, then another excursion/walk, then back to relax, dinner at 7, then more relaxing, maybe watching the animals in the lights around the boat, then bedtime. What a life!

DAY 4

Cuddly sea lions

This was definitely one of the best days of the trip. We first went for a walk on the small island Chinese Hat. We saw so many sea lions, and tons of baby pups. They were so unbelievably cute! They reminded me a bit of my own pups at home (mostly Morgan). They were playing all around us, and we were sitting so close to them we could have easily touched them.

Cute sea lion pup

One was hiding under a bush, but kept making noises and coming out toward us, then waddling back under the bush. One girl had an SLR with a big lens on it and he came right up and stuck his nose in it, checking it out! The others were playing around with each other, and one was running in out of the water after his mom, trying to keep up with her. It was so adorable. And they make these funny sounds, that sound almost like they’re trying to throw up, while the adults make this sound that sounds almost like burping. It’s really funny, all the crazy noises sea lions make!

We also saw tons and tons of marine iguanas everywhere. Our guide, Victor, told us that if we were lucky we might get to see some of the marine iguanas feeding under water when we went snorkeling later. Supposedly it’s a kind of rare thing to get to see, but it was a possibility.

Well, we definitely got to see it!I’d say we saw at least five marine iguanas feeding underwater when we went snorkeling at Chinese Hat later. There were tons!

Iguana feeding underwater

I got some decent pictures of it as well, although unfortunately while trying to fuss with my camera in the stupid underwater bag I have, I a) accidentally zoomed a ton for a while and so got some totally useless pictures and b) accidentally changed the picture size to small, which is like 640xwhatever and I didn’t realize this until the end of the next day, so a ton of my beloved photos are only that small and can’t be enlarged and look nice at all – very, very sad indeed!

While snorkeling we also some some rays, some nice fish, and another shark! Again it was a big one, and unfortunately I did take a pic of it, but when I was looking through my pictures on my camera later I accidentally deleted it – grr!

Later we walked on Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz. There we saw more marine iguanas, as well as some land iguanas (which are huge and yellow), but they were harder to see because they were all hiding in the shade under bushes to keep cool (the sun was blazing and it was ridiculously hot…this is the equator after all!)

Then we were back at the boat for dinner. Our guide has been filming parts of our trip, so he showed us the first half of the DVD he’d made after dinner (which we could, of course, buy for $30 – like I haven’t spent enough on this trip!). But it was waaayyy too long, especially considering it was only half of our trip so far, and I was falling asleep by the first half of it (cheesy music and too much repetitive, pointless footage!) We were also joined earlier in the afternoon by a Finnish couple, who were supposed to be on the cruise for the next four days. (The Scandinavians had officially taken over!)

DAY 5

This was where things started to go bad. We were told the boat would be navigating from one until six in the morning to get to the southeastern port of Puerto Villamil on Isabela. At around four in the morning I woke up and realized we weren’t moving. I though it was weird, but fell back asleep. The next morning my roommate and I discussed it, as she’d heard loud noises on the boat, possibly by the engine she though.

At breakfast we were all talking about it, “Didn’t it seem like the ride was a lot shorter last night than it should have been?” And rumors were flying. After breakfast they told us the news: some water had gotten in the main engine, and they weren’t sure how long it would take to fix. (It later turned out to be that basically a huge part of the engine was broken.)

So we had to pack everything we’d need for the day and take a speed boat for about two hours to get to Isabela. There they made us pay a $5 tax (which was supposed to be included in our trip cost) and we hopped on a bus. We stopped at a lagoon where there were three flamingos. While it was interesting to see them feeding up close, they kind of trawl their beaks through the water making this funny noise, it got old pretty quickly and we stayed there for what seemed like forever just watching them eat. Maybe it was because I saw so many flamingos back in in Bolivia, but I just didn’t really care that much.

Then we went to a giant tortoise breeding center. It was pretty interesting. The giant tortoises were in different areas according to age and sub-species. First we watched a bunch of younger ones (I think around 5-7 year-olds) crawl all over each other in a rush to eat when they dropped food in their enclosure. It was funny.

It was amazing to see how they grow over the years. We were able to see little baby ones, which are so small it’s incredible to think that they grow so big. But then you see how they’re still so small until their teens, and even how they’re still not so big in their 20s and 30s. They don’t even start mating until they’re 35-40 years old! Then the really huge ones are those that are 70-80 and older. They can live up to around 150 years!

We also got to see the little-known subspecies that only appears at one volcano on Isabela, the flat-shelled tortoise. It literally looks like someone stepped on the shell and pushed it in. Each volcano on Isabela has a different subspecies, so it was interesting to see them all in one place and how they differ.

Then we walked down to the beach, which was practically deserted and quite pretty. (This part of Isabela is the only part that is inhabited.) We saw some huge marine iguanas hanging out all over the beach.

Then we went into town, where we were to have lunch. It was a really tiny town, with maybe four restaurants, a store or two, a travel agency, and that’s about it. The first thing we all did in the short free time we had before lunch was go to the store and buy sodas! I thought that was funny. After days on the boat without any soda (you can buy it but it’s really expensive), it was amazing how much I was craving a Pepsi or Coke! And apparently everyone else felt exactly the same. Although I, being the clever and thrifty person that I am, didn’t have to pay any kind of outrageous price for mine. The secret is to buy Pepsi here, the caps always have something on them, and every time I’ve gotten one it has been a free drink (except this time where I got 10 puntos – for what, I don’t know!) and so I’ve never had to pay for a Pepsi since!

After lunch we took the boat out to another place where we walked along Tinterones Trail. Basically it’s a rocky trail along this little channel of water where sharks all hang out. There were just tons of these white-tipped reef sharks swimming around or laying at the bottom hanging out. I liked the sign nearby, which said basically, “No swimming, this is a rest place for sharks.” Haha!

Also the trail was totally overtaken by iguanas. It was always one big, somewhat colorful (green, sometimes with some pinkish-red) one, I guess the male, and a ton of smaller black ones. And they were all always spitting!
Then we went and watched tons (and I mean TONS!) of blue-footed boobies flying together, then dive-bombing (sometimes all at once) into the water to catch fish. I knew there was a reason I liked them so much, they totally lived up to their awesomeness! It was really an amazing sight to see. And before someone told me that they were blue-footed boobies, I couldn’t have believed it. So many birds flying like that, I though they’d be some boring little ugly bird. Not the totally-cool-already boobies! I got some cool video of it which I will have to link to when I am able to upload it. Seriously, you couldn’t believe how many of them there were, all together in this giant swarm. Nor the way they dive, straight beak-first fast as you can imagine, into the water. You’d think they’d all be running into each other, but they don’t!

There were also a bunch of penguins swimming around, though to my dismay they swam right up to the other boat with half our group on it, but not to ours! Boo!

We also did some snorkeling in the afternoon, but it was terrible. The water was murky and algae and crap floating, terrible visibility. There was all this really high sea grass everywhere, that no matter where I swam I couldn’t seem to avoid. I started to feel claustrophobic and panicky and had to get out of the water, but it’s not like I missed much with such terrible visibility.

Then it was back on the speedboat for a long, cold ride back to our boat – sitting in the water near Baltra, the airport we’d flown into the first day! Lame, lame, lame.

After dinner (which, annoyingly, was fish and chips just like we’d just had for lunch), we were informed that the engine was not fixed and that the next day’s trip, the highlight of the cruise and what most of us were there for, was going to be changed. The alternate itinerary? North Seymour Island.

There were varying degrees of anger/disappointment/etc. I think what made me even more annoyed was how maybe half the passengers didn’t care much because in reality they didn’t know anything about the Galapagos and didn’t know the difference. Plus North Seymour is a blah island you could easily do as a daytrip on your own (if you for some reason wanted to). In fact, the Finnish couple, who’d joined this cruise solely to go to Fernandina and Isabela, had already been there and said it was pretty boring. They ended up leaving the boat the next day and getting a 50% refund.

I was also mad because I was basically sold this cruise because of this part of the itinerary as well, and the fact that they were replacing it with some crap daytrip made it even more frustrating. They also told us basically the only thing we could do about it would be to go back to the agency we’d bought the trip from (back in Quito for me) and see if they would offer any kind of compensation. This angered me even more, because even if I did get money back, I would be back in Quito so it’s not like I could use the money to do some more sightseeing or daytrips in the Galapagos.

Even now, with the trip over and still being absolutely amazing and seeing just about everything I could have wanted to see (wildlife-wise), I’m still somewhat upset and a bit bitter about this. It is people’s once-in-a-lifetime trip that we’re dealing with. And all they would talk about is what this was costing the company for repairs, etc., and so little concern with what it meant to us. But I digress.

DAY 6

The Replacement Day. It only merited less than a page in my journal and well less than half the amount of photos of every other day. Definitely no spotting orca, dolphins, and whales or seeing hundreds of penguins, swimming with them as they darted around us in the water, or getting to see newly evolving species – all things we might have seen if we’d had the original itinerary.

Instead we visited North Seymour Island. There was basically only one cool thing we saw there: the magnificent frigatebird. This was cool because the males have this red pouch they puff out when they’re trying to attract a mate. We got to see a few of them with the red out, including one which had his thing chest puffed, was waving around his wings really showing off. And one female finally did fly toward him, but he rejected her and she flew off!

We also got to get a better view of some land iguanas, and got to see some nesting blue-footed boobies and some frigate birds nesting, where we could actually see the tiny ugly chicks in the nest underneath the parents.

Then we went snorkeling. This was probably the most redeeming part of the day because we had some sea lions come swim around us, which was pretty awesome. One of them was quite a little poser, making all kinds of funny poses and flinging his body in all kind of contortions in the water. They were very friendly and playful, happy to swim with us.

We took the speedboat back to the Floreana for lunch, then got back on the speedboat and went out to Las Bachas beach on Santa Cruz. All we did really was walking along the beach. It was a nice white sand beach, and the sand was really soft in a couple parts, but it wasn’t incredibly interesting. I did have one of those “Yes, I’m in the Galapagos” moments (usually there’s at least one every day – the day before it had been floating past an abandoned boat with sea lions sleeping inside and a pelican chilling on the edge, with penguins swimming around below), while watching sea turtles swimming out in the water around us (waiting for night so they could come in and lay eggs), with blue-footed boobies just chilling on the rocks by the shore, and penguins swimming in the water as well. Just another day in the Galapagos. A less interesting one, at that!

Then we just hung out on the beach. Some people went snorkeling, but I was a bit cold and tired, and there was nothing to see really anyways. But again, the sand was nice and soft and powdery, and you can’t really complain about that.

DAY 7

This was another pretty good day, as I tried to put the previous day’s disappointment behind me. First we went to Puerto Egas on Santiago. (Really we barely left the central island area, which is what really pisses me off about taking an 8 day cruise and then ending up basically doing 7 days of easy day trips I could have done on my own for cheaper!) We did a dry landing onto a black sand beach where there were some sea lions.

Walking along the beach and into the island we saw pods of dolphins swimming out the water. We also saw a lot of seat turtles bobbing around. On the rocky shores we saw some fur sea lions (aka fur seals) hanging out sleeping. (They’re nocturnal and hunt at night.) Some of them were sleeping in these lower caves in the rocks – there were tons of these holes/caves that would fill up all the way with water as the waves came in, then completely drain really low. Back and forth, up and down, again and again. Some people in our group were totally mesmerized by this for some reason!

Then we went snorkeling! This was a real highlight. The whole trip I had been really bent on seeing a sea turtle. I have seen one once before – in the warm crystal clear waters of Pulau Perhentian in Malaysia, after years of wishing to see one, I finally was able to see one there on my last day before I left the island – but I was keen to see one again, and especially now that I had my camera with me!

Well, that dream came true times a thousand! There were TONS of sea turtles feeding out in the water off the beach. We were all super excited when we spotted the first two, feeding by a rock not far from the beach. But the more we snorkeled, the more we saw, the more it became, “Oh, just another sea turtle.” There were so many! I couldn’t even keep count.

Everywhere I turned there were more and more. It was a bit different than my Malaysia experience – the waters not as clear, the colors of the turtle and surroundings not as bright and tropical feeling – but it was still probably more awesome because of the huge numbers, and the fact that they were so close, sometimes I had to quickly swim away because they were directly under me and almost running into me as they made their way up to the surface for some air!

We also had a bit of a scary experience. I heard a loud splash not far from me and looked to see what it was. I saw a sea lion had come into the water. Excited, I started to swim toward it. Then I saw that it looked really, really big. Then I heard our guide yell to us all to get out of the area! It was a bull male, and they can get a bit aggressive. It’s a good idea not to try to swim near them!

After some lunch and relaxing, we went to Isla Rabida. There was a nice red beach, again littered with sea lions (made for some nice pictures!). There was right away a really loud young pup, making all kinds of noise. He kept waddling up to us and sniffing around curiously at our stuff. So cute!

We walked along the beach and saw tons more sea lions all the way along, including a pup Victor told us had probably only been born the day before! We saw a big pregnant sea lion as well.

Then we walked to a lagoon and then up to a nice viewpoint, then back down to do some more snorkeling. I didn’t take my camera this time, which was too bad because there were some really cool fish I hadn’t seen anywhere else before. There were also some sea lions swimming around us, and I spotted a marine iguana up on the land coming down toward the water, and I got to watch him jump in, swim around, and then begin feeding. It would have made for some really great pictures.

After dinner we had a kind of strange ceremony. They had certificates for us declaring that we’d crossed the Equator (a couple times) on our cruise. The weird part was that in order to receive our certificate, we had to say our favorite animal from the Galapagos, which would be our new name, and then we had to act like the animal in the middle of the dining cabin! I chose the blue-footed booby, so I had to fake dive and waddle in front of everyone. Other people were sharks, frigatebirds, sea lions, spotted eagle rays, iguanas, etc. Very random.

Then it was time to start thinking about things like tips and packing. None of us could believe that the week was already over. It really flew by!

DAY 8

The last day. Hard to believe! We had an earlier breakfast at 6:30, and then boarded the zodiacs. We went out to a place called Black Turtle Cove. It was lots of calm water in mangroves; it reminded me a lot of the flooded forest I visited in Cambodia.

Once we were into the main area we killed the engines and paddled around. There were tons and tons of sea turtles in the water everywhere, attracted by the calm water. Again, it was unbelievable how many there were, everywhere we turned. The cove was really peaceful and silent, with only the sounds of the insects and birds buzzing around us, along with the occasional quiet slap of water and sound of the turtles breathing as they came up for air.

After spending some time floating around the cove, we headed back out to the open water. Fitting in with our luck, the other zodiac’s engine had died and wouldn’t restart! I take this as a sign as it was someone on that boat that had brought the bad engine luck, so we narrowed down who to blame! Haha. So we had to tow that zodiac behind us until we got to the boat.

Back on the boat we had very little time left to do last minute packing and take a last glimpse around the boat. The week really felt so short, I felt like I’d barely even spent time on the boat (of course, the two days spent mostly on speedboats might have had something to do with it). I definitely could have spent a few more days living that dream-life of a cruise on the Galapagos!

Next thing we knew we were hopping onto another boat and arriving at the mainland, where a bus was waiting to take us to the airport. I had been deep in conversation with Evelina, the Swedish girl, as we were switching boats, and didn’t realize until we were getting off the ferry onto the mainland that I had forgotten my shoes in the crates on the boat, where we’d had to dump them after each excursion. I’d been so used to walking around barefoot, I hadn’t even noticed!

So I had to wait at the pier for them to bring my shoes, and unfortunately this meant I didn’t get to say goodbye to the Swedes, who I had most enjoyed spending time with on the cruise. I had been hoping to get a group photo of our whole crew, but sadly we arrived at the airport and scattered and it never got to happen. Oh well.

We had about three hours to wait around at the airport. Luckily it was all outside, so we could at least walk around and peruse the touristy souvenir stalls in the small area outside the waiting room. And of course there was still only one food place in the airport, with more options than in Quito but even more expensive. But we couldn’t resist getting some soda and chocolate!

After some delays we finally boarded the plane, and that’s where I sit now, writing this.

Once in Quito I will be go, go, go. In just a few hours I will have to visit an agency to book my a jungle tour starting the next day, buy my bus tickets for the night bus tonight, go to the agency where I bought my cruise and see if I can get anything back, and get online to send e-mails, get in touch with people, and let them know I’ll be gone again without any contact.

Then I’ve been invited to a Thanksgiving dinner thrown by the friend of a friend of my cabin-mate from the cruise, so I’ll be celebrating our holiday after all! (I hadn’t even realized it was today!)

Then tonight I will be off on an eight hour bus ride to Lago Agrio, then a boat ride into the jungle to a lodge in the Cuyabena reserve, where I will spend the next five days! Busy busy. But then I’m sure there will be another big update, then I’ll be down to the wire on the last days of my big trip, with a couple short trips to visit the cloudforest in Mindo and the Otavalo markets, then I’ll be ready to come home. Crazy!

UPDATE: I will get a bit of a refund when I get back to Quito on Wednesday, not sure how much yet. I didn’t have time to put up all the pics, so I will finish the blog and add the rest of the pics on the 2nd when I get back. Adios!

Explore the incredible Galapagos in the company of expert naturalists in a luxurious vessel.

After leaving Korea a couple of weeks ago Adrian and I hopped on a plane and ventured on to Phuket, Thailand. We had no plans upon arrival, with only our first nights stay booked in advance.  I think traveling is a lot more if you have no plans and just go with the flow.  I figure that the people who live there know a lot more about the cool places and areas too see then any travel book could describe.

With much success we found many great places to see and stay.  Thailand is a beautiful country with beautiful people. Everyone is so kind and welcoming.

We stayed at this cute little lodge for the first week.

We rented a scooter each day to explore different areas of the city.  Adrian did a great job of adjusting to driving on the other side of the road.

We found many cool things.  We found this Ginormous Buddha on the top of a mountain.  Ginormous is an understatement, but I can’t think of another word that describes its hugeness.  From anywhere in the city you can se this guy…

He’s a work in progress…it will be cool to see the end result.

This sign was on the road near the Big Buddha…wise words.

One of my fav. things about being in Thailand was the readily available supply of fresh fruit. I LOVE fruit! I got to try so many fruits that I had never eaten before.  And bonus, the fruit is sooo cheap.  Every other day I would stop at the fruit stand and pick up a pineapple, which cost me a big 50 cents.

mmmmm….Fruit!

If you ever have the chance to eat a Mangosteen, do it!  Best exotic fruit ever.

We also used some local transport to get around.  We rented a Long Boat with some friends to taxi us out to an island to so some snorkeling.  These boats are hilarious.  They are super old and are powered by old car engines.

So many colourful fishies to see.

The food in Thailand is so yummy.  They cook with a lot of seasonal fruits and veggies, using different curry spices, coconut milk, fresh basil leaves etc.  We of course ate tons of Pad Thai.  Every place cooks it a bit different, so it was fun to try it in many places to compare.  No I just have to try and make it at home.

It was a fab. trip and I can’t wait to go back.  We only really explored the West Coast of Thailand, so another trip is in order to see the rest of this wonderful place.

So long Thailand, I will miss you, and will be longing for you as the cold Canadian winter approaches.

Take Care,

Sacred Ki'i Guard the Place of Refuge at Pu'u Honua O Honaunau National Historic Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Whether you visit the Big Island for a few days, a couple weeks or a few months, you want to make the most of your time in Paradise. With such a wide variety of natural and commercial attractions, it is natural for the visitor to get a little overwhelmed in the “Option Overload” and not be able to make a balanced and informed decision on what they want to do and how best to spend their time.

Pu'u Honua O Honaunau, the Place of Refuge, As Seen from Two-Step Snorkeling Beach, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Even choosing which beach you want to spend time on, or where you want to hike can be an exercise in confusion and conflicting advice.  Clearly, visitors to Hawaii could use help making quality decisions about how best to spend their time.

Sacred Ki'i at Pu'u Honua O Honaunau, the Place of Refuge. The "Kona Style" of Polynesian Wood Carving is Considered Among the Best in the World and These Sacred Iki are Fine Examples, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Tour Guide Hawaii is excited and proud to announce the release of their new GPS/WiFi enabled App for iPhone and iPod that helps you navigate your trip to Hawaii with hours of informative, location-aware video and information. Although our video guide will lead you to dozens of unusual, untamed and unspoiled spots, let’s look at what may be Hawaii’s most spiritual, historically important and beautiful attraction, Pu’u Honua O Honaunau National Historic Park, and highlight just a bit of the information you might not be able to find from maps and guidebooks that could otherwise cause you to miss some very interesting places and amazing sights if you did not have Tour Guide Hawaii’s new App.

Pu'u Honua O Honaunau National Historic Park Entrance, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Pu’u Honua O Hounaunau National Historic Park: The Place of Refuge

Hale O' Keawe Heiau and Keone'ele, Pu'u Honua O' Hounaunau National Historic Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Introduction: Writing about the Place of Refuge in 1889, Robert Louis Stevenson said: “There are times and places where the past becomes more vivid than the present, and the memory dominates the ear and eye…”

Royal Fishpond, Place of Refuge, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Easily the most beautiful, peaceful and restful spot in all the Hawai’ian Islands, Pu’u Honua O Honaunau is a place of ease and regeneration for even the most weary and jaded soul. Of enormous historical and cultural significance, the sacred grounds at Honaunau are the best-preserved and largest remaining Pu’u Honua, or Place of Refuge, complex in Hawai’i. It is also a wonderful area to wander, swim, hike, snorkel, relax, picnic or SCUBA dive

Sacred Ki'i Guard Secrets as Old as Hawaii Itself, Pu'u Honua O Honaunau, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Samuel Clemens and Kamehameha III passed many days in idle chat along the Great Wall of Honaunau; one can still sit upon the rock where they reclined and see the holes bored into the lava to support poles for awnings. For anyone who had any doubts about what Old Hawai’i was like, a trip to Honaunau will fill your imagination, your camera and your soul.

Hale o Keawe and Temple Precincts, Place of Refuge, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

The Place of Refuge: A complex and strict order of law, known as the kapu system, controlled and governed everything in ancient Hawai’i from the order of crop rotation to proper sexual relations, what fish may be caught and in what season, what foods could be eaten by women and proper respect for the royalty (for instance, it was to break kapu for men and women to eat together, for women to eat pork or bananas, or for commoners to look upon the king or to step upon ground he had trod). Under the kapu law system, punishment for any transgression was swift and severe: immediate death by stabbing, clubbing, strangulation, drowning or burning. There was no appeal and no recourse; judgment was immediate and final.

Path from the Temple Grounds to the Royal Precincts, Pu'u Honua O Honaunau National Historic Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Unless the accused could escape to one of the designated heiau at a place of refuge. Once there, the accused would undergo a cleansing ceremony by the kahuna and would be absolved of all crimes and allowed to return to his family and previous life, free of onus. Women, children and the infirm also took refuge at the Pu’u Honua in times of war, as did vanquished warriors wishing to submit to the winning chief. Not often mentioned, however, is the grisly sport the king’s men sometimes made of the unfortunate accused, chasing them across sharp a’a fields, through the surf, over mountains, toying with their victims only to butcher them upon the Refuges’ outer wall, seeming seconds from salvation. This too, was sanctioned by the law.

A Passage Through The Massive Wall of Honaunau, Pu'u Honua O Honaunau National Historic Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The complex at Pu’u Honua O Honaunau, established as a National Historical Park in 1961, is vast, well preserved and pervaded by a soul-filling peace. Down the center of the complex runs the Wall of Honaunau, 100 feet long, 10 feet tall and 17 feet thick. It separated the palace grounds of the Ali’ from the temple grounds of the Pu’u Honua. The wall was made without mortar or dressing the stones and has survived for over 500 years.

The Dry-Stack Masonry Employed by the Ancient Hawaiians, Using No Mortar, Has Survived Over Half a Millenium of Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Volcanoes With No Apparent Damage: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

The royal residence area includes the canoe landing at Keone’ele Cove, Heleipolala Fishpond, several reconstructed residences and a canoe hale as well as the famous Hale Keawe, where the iwi (bones) of as many as 23 Ali’i ancestors of Kamehameha were once stored and venerated.

The 'Ale'ale'a Athletic Field, Pu'u Honua O Honaunau National Historic Park, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

On the grounds of the refuge itself stands the stone platform, ‘Ale’ale’a, which was used for sports, the Keoua Stone, legendary resting place of the Ali’i and the Ka’ahumanu Stone, where it is said the favorite wife of Kamehameha the Great hid after quarrels with her husband.

An Ocean View Through Waiuohina Lava Tube View, Pu'u Honua O Honaunau National Historic Park, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Leading south out of the refuge is the 1871 Trail, so named because area residence paid their 1871 taxes by improving and maintaining it. This trail leads to many important archeological sites such as the Ki’ilae Village, ‘Oma’o Heiau, Alahaka Heiau, Keokua Holua and the Waiuohina Lava tube.

Sunset in the Vog Cast an Eerie Light on this Sacred Iki, Place of Refuge, Honaunau, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

To see the new iPhone/iPod Touch App, please visit http://www.tourguidehawaii.com/iphone.html. The best of Tour Guide Hawaii’s free content about traveling to, and exploring, the Big island, can be found here. For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and on touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

The Place of Refuge, Pu'u Honua O Hounaunau National Historic Park, From Across Honaunau Bay, Kona Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.

Akumal Bay is known for its assorted species of sea turtles which use the area for breeding, feeding and rearing their young. This provides an optimal chance to see the animals in their natural habitat, including the many colorful species of fish and plant life.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are perhaps the favorite activities to pursue during a trip to Akumal, but snorkeling is a less physically demanding and technical option. With a brief instruction course and a good area choice, snorkeling is relatively easy for even first-time beginners.

One popular area for snorkeling in Akumal is the Yal-ku lagoon. This area is an extremely rare environment where fresh water meets with salt water from the ocean. The combination of the two types of water is called a “halocline” effect.

Only very specific species can survive and prosper in this halocline bay, and the mixture of salt and fresh water supplies creates an changed appearance of the water itself. Many species found in this area are not found anywhere else in the world, and have been shown on many travel channel specials in recent years.

Casa Cenote is a lagoon featuring mangroves and unusual fish displays. Many snorkelers find the fossils in Cenote at Dosojos quite fun for a day of exploration. Many of the fossils seen at Dosojos date back to Mayan civilizations that once occupied the area.

Snorkel lessons are usually a good idea forfirst-timers prior to going to one of these sites. Although the activity is easy, some find that they are uncomfortable with the equipment or unsure how to best view the underwater scenery while safely using the equipment.

A popular activity for locals and tourists alike is night snorkeling. Typically, a flashlight is used in conjunction with traditional snorkeling equipment for this activity.

Many species which are not seen during daylight hours can be seen when snorkeling after sunset. This is typically because they are night-feeders or resting during the day.

The octopus is a perfect example of this spectacle. Octopuses only come out to feed at after dark, and change color when a flashlight beam is focused on them. Virtually all of the life seen at night are safe for snorkelers, so night snorkeling is a safe activity as well.

Plant life and some types of fish are also luminescent at night. This creates greenish lights glowing either continuously or flashing at night – quite a view for one who is only used to snorkeling during the day!

Watches are an important part of our daily attire. Watches are required to be chic and functional due to advancement in style and efficiency. For several years, giving watches as a present has been all the rage. It is also a necessity of the people who have to keep track of time. One of the world-renowned watch companies is Seiko Company.

Seiko Holdings Corporation is a Japanese company, which is generally known as Seiko. This company was established in 1881 in the Ginza vicinity of Tokyo, Japan. It started when Kintar Hattori opened a shop called “K. Hattori”, where he sold jewellery and watches. Eleven years later, he started to manufacture clocks by the name of Seikosha, which was in 1892. He only had ten employees at that time. Seiko, in Japanese, means “exquisite”. This shop, K. Hattori, was the direct predecessor of the existing Seiko Company.

He began to produce pocket watches in 1895. His company began the production of alarm clocks along with table and musical clocks in 1899. After considering the manufacturing of wristwatches in 1912, Hattori began the production of Japanese wristwatches, in 1913, which were the first to be manufactured in Japan. Seiko officially was created as a brand in 1924. The production of the original Seiko wristwatches began 43 years after the establishment of the initial company.

With the change of time, watches have evolved, with respect to shape and size, with the advancement in modern technology. Throughout this time, Seiko has maintained its image of a motivating force in watch manufacturing. Seiko introduced its first quartz chronometers in 1964, and became the authorised timer of Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. Then, in 1968, it released quartz wall clocks, which were the first in the world.

Seiko Watch Company developed rapidly. In 1969, Seiko introduced the first quartz watch. The same year, Tiffany & Co., a famous corporation, started selling the Seiko Astron 35SQ watches, which were covered with solid 18-karat yellow gold. For the next many years, Seiko Company is known to have manufactured many of the pioneer watches of the world. It also introduced the first multi-tasking digital watch along with the first LCD watch, which had six-digit digital display.

Seiko Watch Company has performed as the official timer for several athletic games, and events. Some of the famous Seiko collections are the Tressia, La Grand Sport, and Elite Collections. These collections contain Sportura, Arctura and Coutura. Some of the technologies that this company used in its timepieces are Chronograph, Flight Computer, and Computer Calendar Kinetic Chronographer, Analog Digital, Kinetic Perpetual, and Kinetic Auto Relay.

Most of the timepieces by Seiko are water resistant. The warrant of Seiko watches in the US is three years, and one year for clocks. It also manufactures ladies watches that are made to fit in jewellery collection, which is a chic combination of elegance and versatility.

Seiko is a watch company that has dedicated itself to advance with the development in technology. It has maintained a constant and reliable reputation over the years for its functionality and performance.

Akumal Bay is known for its assorted species of sea turtles which use the area for breeding, feeding and rearing their young. This provides an optimal chance to see the animals in their natural habitat, including the many colorful species of fish and plant life.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are perhaps the favorite activities to pursue during a trip to Akumal, but snorkeling is a less physically demanding and technical option. With a brief instruction course and a good area choice, snorkeling is relatively easy for even first-time beginners.

One popular area for snorkeling in Akumal is the Yal-ku lagoon. This area is an extremely rare environment where fresh water meets with salt water from the ocean. The combination of the two types of water is called a “halocline” effect.

Only very specific species can survive and prosper in this halocline bay, and the mixture of salt and fresh water supplies creates an changed appearance of the water itself. Many species found in this area are not found anywhere else in the world, and have been shown on many travel channel specials in recent years.

Casa Cenote is a lagoon featuring mangroves and unusual fish displays. Many snorkelers find the fossils in Cenote at Dosojos quite fun for a day of exploration. Many of the fossils seen at Dosojos date back to Mayan civilizations that once occupied the area.

Snorkel lessons are usually a good idea forfirst-timers prior to going to one of these sites. Although the activity is easy, some find that they are uncomfortable with the equipment or unsure how to best view the underwater scenery while safely using the equipment.

A popular activity for locals and tourists alike is night snorkeling. Typically, a flashlight is used in conjunction with traditional snorkeling equipment for this activity.

Many species which are not seen during daylight hours can be seen when snorkeling after sunset. This is typically because they are night-feeders or resting during the day.

The octopus is a perfect example of this spectacle. Octopuses only come out to feed at after dark, and change color when a flashlight beam is focused on them. Virtually all of the life seen at night are safe for snorkelers, so night snorkeling is a safe activity as well.

Plant life and some types of fish are also luminescent at night. This creates greenish lights glowing either continuously or flashing at night – quite a view for one who is only used to snorkeling during the day!

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Scuba is undeniably one of the great pastimes one could possibly have dressed in rubber.

Unfortunately scuba as a sport also has its drawbacks. Going on holiday to a remote destination means having to transport expensive scuba gear, or paying handsomely for equipment from an operator – not really knowing in what state of repair it is in. Some divers on a charter boat in choppy water get seasick and do not enjoy the eventual dive.

Certifications, evaluations and medical examinations have to be repeated. Dive charts need to be consulted. Medication has to be taken for allergies, sinusitis and asthma to avoid extreme pain or lung damage. Babysitters are expensive, and some parents feel uneasy about leaving young children with total strangers. Some life insurance policies even have penalties for people who scuba.

Snorkeling as an easy vacation alternative has few of the disadvantages mentioned above. A mask and snorkel will not take up too much space in your luggage. It can even be purchased relatively cheaply at most destinations. There are numerous spots where the whole family can float on a relatively flat surface of water without any effort to see tons of fish, beautiful underwater formations and even old wrecks. No need to worry about air reserves, rate of ascent and a host of other factors that could be life-threatening.

The addictive thrill of danger is still present as anything can swim up out of the blue distance, and that might be why the mask and snorkel of a true enthusiast never gathers too much dust in the closet.

The history of scuba diving is very interesting. Many civilizations throughout time have engaged in breath-hold diving, also known as free-diving. The evidence of early free-diving is the finding of sea items found on land and ancient pictures of divers. These civilizations used free-diving to spearfish and also in competitions. The Ancient Greeks are known free-divers. They used free-diving to hunt for sponges and also in their military.

Some of the early attempts in the history of scuba diving to dive with the use of air include snorkeling with hollow reeds, using air-filled bags and diving bells. Diving bells are watertight chambers on cables. The diving bell is designed to remain full of air as it is pushed under water, allowing a few divers to be transported. These methods were not very efficient, however, and did not nearly resemble scuba diving as we know it today. The reeds did not allow divers to go deep into the water and air-filled bags soon filled with carbon-monoxide as the air was exhaled. Diving bells did not allow the divers much mobility.

The first diving suits were used in France and England. They were made of leather and air was pumped into them from the surface with manual pumps. Once the discovery was made to use metal to make helmets, these suits were able to stand greater pressure. With air manually pumped into these helmets, divers were able to enter deeper into the ocean and the history of scuba diving was furthered.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that the research was done to invent modern scuba diving as we know it today. Paul Bert from France and John Scott Haldane from Scotland, conducted scientific research on water pressure and our bodies limits regarding safe compressed air diving. At the same time, new technologies allowed for the development of air pumps, scuba regulators and other equipment. Scuba diving and its history were becoming more known.

Throughout the 20th century, inventions in scuba equipment improved. Swim fins, masks and other scuba gear became available. In the 1950’s the public began to take interest in scuba diving. Scuba gear shops began to open up and the first wet suit was introduced. Popular movies about diving and ships, including Titanic in 1997, continue to interest new divers and inspire veterans of the history-filled and adventurous sport of scuba diving.

Akumal Bay is known for its assorted species of sea turtles which use the area for breeding, feeding and rearing their young. This provides an optimal chance to see the animals in their natural habitat, including the many colorful species of fish and plant life.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are perhaps the favorite activities to pursue during a trip to Akumal, but snorkeling is a less physically demanding and technical option. With a brief instruction course and a good area choice, snorkeling is relatively easy for even first-time beginners.

One popular area for snorkeling in Akumal is the Yal-ku lagoon. This area is an extremely rare environment where fresh water meets with salt water from the ocean. The combination of the two types of water is called a “halocline” effect.

Only very specific species can survive and prosper in this halocline bay, and the mixture of salt and fresh water supplies creates an changed appearance of the water itself. Many species found in this area are not found anywhere else in the world, and have been shown on many travel channel specials in recent years.

Casa Cenote is a lagoon featuring mangroves and unusual fish displays. Many snorkelers find the fossils in Cenote at Dosojos quite fun for a day of exploration. Many of the fossils seen at Dosojos date back to Mayan civilizations that once occupied the area.

Snorkel lessons are usually a good idea forfirst-timers prior to going to one of these sites. Although the activity is easy, some find that they are uncomfortable with the equipment or unsure how to best view the underwater scenery while safely using the equipment.

A popular activity for locals and tourists alike is night snorkeling. Typically, a flashlight is used in conjunction with traditional snorkeling equipment for this activity.

Many species which are not seen during daylight hours can be seen when snorkeling after sunset. This is typically because they are night-feeders or resting during the day.

The octopus is a perfect example of this spectacle. Octopuses only come out to feed at after dark, and change color when a flashlight beam is focused on them. Virtually all of the life seen at night are safe for snorkelers, so night snorkeling is a safe activity as well.

Plant life and some types of fish are also luminescent at night. This creates greenish lights glowing either continuously or flashing at night – quite a view for one who is only used to snorkeling during the day!

Akumal Bay is known for its assorted species of sea turtles which use the area for breeding, feeding and rearing their young. This provides an optimal chance to see the animals in their natural habitat, including the many colorful species of fish and plant life.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are perhaps the favorite activities to pursue during a trip to Akumal, but snorkeling is a less physically demanding and technical option. With a brief instruction course and a good area choice, snorkeling is relatively easy for even first-time beginners.

One popular area for snorkeling in Akumal is the Yal-ku lagoon. This area is an extremely rare environment where fresh water meets with salt water from the ocean. The combination of the two types of water is called a “halocline” effect.

Only very specific species can survive and prosper in this halocline bay, and the mixture of salt and fresh water supplies creates an changed appearance of the water itself. Many species found in this area are not found anywhere else in the world, and have been shown on many travel channel specials in recent years.

Casa Cenote is a lagoon featuring mangroves and unusual fish displays. Many snorkelers find the fossils in Cenote at Dosojos quite fun for a day of exploration. Many of the fossils seen at Dosojos date back to Mayan civilizations that once occupied the area.

Snorkel lessons are usually a good idea forfirst-timers prior to going to one of these sites. Although the activity is easy, some find that they are uncomfortable with the equipment or unsure how to best view the underwater scenery while safely using the equipment.

A popular activity for locals and tourists alike is night snorkeling. Typically, a flashlight is used in conjunction with traditional snorkeling equipment for this activity.

Many species which are not seen during daylight hours can be seen when snorkeling after sunset. This is typically because they are night-feeders or resting during the day.

The octopus is a perfect example of this spectacle. Octopuses only come out to feed at after dark, and change color when a flashlight beam is focused on them. Virtually all of the life seen at night are safe for snorkelers, so night snorkeling is a safe activity as well.

Plant life and some types of fish are also luminescent at night. This creates greenish lights glowing either continuously or flashing at night – quite a view for one who is only used to snorkeling during the day!

On our way to Tulum, we came across Josh, a CSer that we had previously stayed with at a host’s place! It seems Playa del Carmen is a great place to come across other CSers by chance. It turned out that they were going to Tulum the next day, so we decided to wait until then to go with them. I had never hitch hiked before so Josh educated me, and we caught a ride soon afterwards. We were to meet up at the ruins or the beach but we got caught up in town, meeting up with our host in Tulum.

Tulum is a fun little city with beautiful beaches. And contrary to what most people will tell you, you CAN walk from town to the beach. It’s not a short walk, it takes about 50 minutes to an hour to get from the supermarket San Francisco de Asis to the beach taking the Tulum ruins path. We take this path and go to the Zazil Kin and El Paraiso beaches.

Speaking of the ruins, they are quite a sight to see if you’re interested in archeological sites. At the moment it’s 51 pesos to enter (about 4.50$Can) It’s not the biggest, tallest sight, but they are right by the beach and you can swim there. Also, even if you don’t get a tour guide, you can get snippets of information while walking around. Mind where you step though, as there are many lizards around! I stopped for a while to eat a banana, and a gorgeous lizard laying nearby caught a wiff of it and came right over to investigate. He circled me, searching for the delicious grub he was smelling, and took a bite out of my banana. I never feed animals I come across, but he came right for it and surprised me! I let him take another small bite and he ran away with a third of my banana!

It’s hard to enjoy a sight like that with hundreds of other people around you though, taking thousands of pictures and smoking big cigars. I can’t expect to see the place all to myself, but I enjoyed visiting the ruins and learning about how they arranged the locations of the buildings to work with the equinox and the changing of the seasons.

But back to the thousands of pictures being taken… I used to take lots of pictures until I felt them losing any significance I thought they might have when I’d think about the thousands of people who had taken the same pictures, only in slightly different angles and with somewhat different weather. I find that if I spend all my time trying to take pictures of everything, I can’t really enjoy the environment. I really noticed that in the past sometimes, so I refrain from snapping pictures of everything and enjoy it fully with my own eyes, in real time.

See that in the sky?

Yes, the beach! The first day we went it was mostly cloudy, and very windy. Yesturday we fully got to enjoy the sun, the blue sky, the small breeze, the calm sea, the picnic, and the sunburns! We left early after having some oatmeal, walked all the way by taking the ruins road, went swimming, tanned, ate guacamole with crackers, rice and beans, and a bunch of fruit, and we went snorkeling! I was scared at first but have been forcing the fear away. I still have to work on trusting my snorkel, it feels very unnatural, but I eventually got the courage to go way out with Robin and swim with the fish! The coral reefs were beautiful and we got to see all kinds of fish. We were out there for a long time. We later walked on the cliff off the end of the beach (we were at Zazil Kin and Paraiso) and came back at dusk, passing by vehicles parked on the beach playing Bob Marley, how much better could it get! I wanted to play ball at the volleyball court but we were too burnt to go.

Robin still can’t get over the size of the aguacates (avocados). He says the flavor isn’t as intense as the smaller onces, but they are generally cheaper. Fruits and vegetables aren’t cheap around here, especially Tulum. I can’t wait for the open markets in Merida and Chiapas.

While in Playa del Carmen we came across a tourist store infront of a neat reggae resto bar that sold Kariza designs, basically two pieces of fabric with a long strap that can be worn as a dress, skirt and shirt. My eyes caught one that reminded me of sakura blossums and I fell in love with it, but I knew I couldn’t get it at the price of 360 or so pesos. Even if I haggled, it would be more than I allow myself for clothing. We found another awesome store that sold a variety of shell lamps – Shells with wire coiled around them, hanging as a ceiling light, or little plugin light shells. They were so beautiful and created a wonderful aura in the store. I’ve yet to go to a beach and collect shells and rocks.

We will stay in Tulum for a couple more days, then head back to Cancun to go to Merida with some friends next weekend. We plan on staying there for about a week.

If the snorkeling mask leaks it is a piece of junk. Many snorkelers just go out a buy a cheap mask, the problem here is cheap mask are made from cheap materials and the mask will leak within the near future. PVC or plastic mask skirts get hard and crack when exposed to Chlorine and sunlight. A good silicone skirt will make a better seal and last longer. The elastic nature of silicone will give you years of good service. Silicone skirts come in two colors; black and clear. Clear silicone will let in more light. Black silicone will block the light, a favorite among underwater photographers.

Now its time to try the mask on your face. Lace the mask on your face without the strap. Look into a mirror and make sure the seal is against your skin and not against some facial hair, like eye brows or a mustache.

Now lightly inhale through your nose a hold your breath. The mask should seal around your face with no air leaks. Make sure your nose is comfortable in the nose pocket.

Now place the mask strap around your head. If you have long hair, you might want to think about adding a neoprene mask strap. Your hair will appreciate it.

Now for the last step before you buy the mask, put your snorkel in your mouth, while wearing the mask. Believe it or not, but occasionally when the snorkel is in your mouth, the mask will break its seal around your upper lip.

If the snorkeling mask leaks it is a piece of junk. Many snorkelers just go out a buy a cheap mask, the problem here is cheap mask are made from cheap materials and the mask will leak within the near future. PVC or plastic mask skirts get hard and crack when exposed to Chlorine and sunlight. A good silicone skirt will make a better seal and last longer. The elastic nature of silicone will give you years of good service. Silicone skirts come in two colors; black and clear. Clear silicone will let in more light. Black silicone will block the light, a favorite among underwater photographers.

Now its time to try the mask on your face. Lace the mask on your face without the strap. Look into a mirror and make sure the seal is against your skin and not against some facial hair, like eye brows or a mustache.

Now lightly inhale through your nose a hold your breath. The mask should seal around your face with no air leaks. Make sure your nose is comfortable in the nose pocket.

Now place the mask strap around your head. If you have long hair, you might want to think about adding a neoprene mask strap. Your hair will appreciate it.

Now for the last step before you buy the mask, put your snorkel in your mouth, while wearing the mask. Believe it or not, but occasionally when the snorkel is in your mouth, the mask will break its seal around your upper lip.

If you are a lover of the ocean and spend any time in Egypt, then you owe it to yourself to try the diving and snorkeling that are available in the Red Sea. Heading to the beach of the Red Sea is an absolute essential, as the pristine waters provide the ideal conditions for diving past times. A chance to explore the Red Sea and discover just why it has such a great reputation for the beautiful views and unforgettable snorkeling and diving experiences. It is surely not to be missed.

One of the main reasons why the Red Sea is a place that must be visited, is because of the life under the ocean. It is one of the most wildly diverse areas in the world. There are more than 1100 species of catalogued fish, where you will find approximately ten percent that are unique to the location. This rich diversity is due to the 5000 to 7000 year old reefs that extend along the coastline. These reefs offer shelter, not only the 1100 or so species of fish, but also to approximately 44 different species of shark. If you are considering going on a dive in the Red Sea, you should certainly be prepared to experience beautiful specimens of sea life with exquisite clarity.

There are widely available services for diving and snorkeling that are very keen and eager to help you get on your way on the Egyptian coasts of the Red Sea. There are certain services available which offer full instruction by fully licensed and experienced staff for snorkeling or scuba equipment. Or if you are a fully qualified diver you will simply have pointed out to you the best locations. All diving equipment can be rented, however, you are more than welcome to use your own personal equipment, if you have it with you.

Very often not thought of, but snorkeling is an ideal sport for children. They can be introduced to some of the most beautiful places on the planet. Of course, it is absolutely necessary that your child be comfortable under the water and wearing a mask, in order for them to experience such a breathtaking opportunity. It is a good idea to get your child used to wearing a mask before arriving at the Red Sea. Perhaps your child could wear a mask whilst in the bath in order to get used to the feeling of it. But remember that this is only if your child wants to.

One of the best reasons for visiting the Red Sea and taking up the opportunity of snorkeling, is the opportunity to experience a living ecosystem which is in full action. Schools of fish interacting can be seen along with solitary fish darting around each other in the coral reefs, right before your very own eyes. Keep an eye out for the symbiotic relationship of the clown fish and the sea anemone. As the clown fish amazingly glide between the poisonous tentacles of the sea anemones, watch as the colorful stingers float in the water.

Dahab is a small town on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula, which is a spectacular place to dive. This former Bedouin town is internationally renowned for scuba diving and snorkeling, and there are many reefs available that are adjacent to the shore.

One site that is recommended for skilled divers, as this idyllic spot has a reputation for danger, is the Blue Hole. The Blue Hole is a 100 meter deep and 50 meter wide cave, which is only a few miles to the north, that holds a variety of marine life, which is absolutely awe-inspiring.

One of Egypt’s favorite attractions is Ras Muhammad National Park. This is yet another dive site, which is certainly worth considering. This park was established by the government as a marine reserve in 1983. It holds more than 200 species of corals, 40 species of starfish and more than 150 species of crustaceans. Ras Mohammed National Park certainly earns its international reputation as one of the world’s best diving locations. At times, and with a little luck, you can also catch sight of the rare green sea turtle and the hawksbill sea turtle.

If you and your family are considering a visit to Egypt, then snorkeling and diving in the Red Sea is certainly something that you should try. There is, of course, the added problem, that, once you have taken you first dive and seen the wonders that are on offer below the water, you may not want to return to land!!

If the snorkeling mask leaks it is a piece of junk. Many snorkelers just go out a buy a cheap mask, the problem here is cheap mask are made from cheap materials and the mask will leak within the near future. PVC or plastic mask skirts get hard and crack when exposed to Chlorine and sunlight. A good silicone skirt will make a better seal and last longer. The elastic nature of silicone will give you years of good service. Silicone skirts come in two colors; black and clear. Clear silicone will let in more light. Black silicone will block the light, a favorite among underwater photographers.

Now its time to try the mask on your face. Lace the mask on your face without the strap. Look into a mirror and make sure the seal is against your skin and not against some facial hair, like eye brows or a mustache.

Now lightly inhale through your nose a hold your breath. The mask should seal around your face with no air leaks. Make sure your nose is comfortable in the nose pocket.

Now place the mask strap around your head. If you have long hair, you might want to think about adding a neoprene mask strap. Your hair will appreciate it.

Now for the last step before you buy the mask, put your snorkel in your mouth, while wearing the mask. Believe it or not, but occasionally when the snorkel is in your mouth, the mask will break its seal around your upper lip.

En nuestro imaginario las Islas Caimán figuran el paraíso fiscal de cualquiera que tenga algunos millones para hacerlos producir; sin embargo, poco se habla de su belleza e interés turístico. Por tanto, nos detuvimos un poco para explorar este destino, que tiene mucho que ofrecerle al viajero que se disponga a conocerlo.

Destino: Islas Caimán. Territorio británico, que está ubicado cerca de Jamaica, en aguas del Mar Caribe.

Imperdible: Adentrarse en el exótico mundo submarino que ofrecen las islas. Su atractivo más importante es el impresionante mundo de corales que esconde, además de  barcos hundidos, variedad de peces y fauna marina. Las clases de buceo y snorkeling no sobrepasan los 40 dólares.
Memorable: El mayor encanto  es la playa de las 7 millas, que está considerada como la mejor playa del Caribe.
Recomendación: Revisar con calma la web de actividades de las islas, para tener una idea de todo lo que ofrecen.

Agenden las Caimán para un próximo viaje. No se arrepentirán

Here are our additional photos taken during our Coron Island hopping. Enjoy!

Gruta da Pratinha

The part of the country called the Chapada Diamantina rises out of Brazil’s northeaster sertão or “backlands”. Hundreds of thousands of years ago these mountains lay at the bottom of the ocean, but now rise over 1000 meters above sea level.

The Chapada welcomes divers year-round to its crystal clear waters in places such as Gruta da Pratinha and Poço Azul, where the skeletons of prehistoric animals have been found.

Diamond mining in the late nineteenth century hacked huge wounds in the landscape, wich still bears the scars of diamond prospecting. In the twentieth century mining stagnated , and the economy suffered. Howewer, agriculture and livestock breeding then flourished, and tourism took off a few years ago. It is to be hoped that the latter activity has come to saty.

Gruta Azul

This lake possesses fascinating rock formations and exceptionally transparent water. The area of the cavern is approximately one thousand square meters, and its covers the entire lake. To reach it by land there is a steep descent down a staircase carved in the rock. The lake is fed by a spring and is heavily sediment.

Gruta da Pratinha

The cavern lies below the ranch house of the Pratinha farm. The blue is even more intense when seen from the cavern. There is a very beautiful rock formation. Thousands of fish reflect the torchlight, providing a beautiful spectacle. The visit follows the main passageway to the skinhole down to Gruta Azul. From that point onwards, only experienced divers should continue.

Rio Pratinha

The river rises in the Gruta da Pratinha, and forms a lake with crystal clear water – with visibility of 30 meters. On the opposite shore there is a cliff with a small cave, in wich divers can practice snorkeling to observe tilapia, characins and other small freshwater fish.

Os Impossíveis

The cave lies 3 kilometers from the Fazenda Pratinha ranch house, and is reached by a pathway atop a 50 meter drop, with very tight clefts, a tunnel cut from the rock through which visitors must crawl, steep slopes you lower yourself down by clinging on tree trunks, and a river flowing out of the cave and flooding the first chamber, making a type of quicksand. In the cave there are chambers decorated with stalactites, curtains and wonderful speleothems, or cave deposits.

Poço Azul

Several passages make up a kind of maze conecting with the underground lake. Several hollows have been sculpted out of the rock. Right below the wooden platform there is a skinhole down to another chamber. At the bottomthere are skeletons, including that of a giant sloth. On the opposite bank, wich is a larger area, you will find rock formations and small crustaceans.

Poço Encantado

This is a lake inside a cavern, with crystal clear blue water, through wich you can observe submerged boulders and tree trunks over 50 meters deep. From july to august, sunlight enters through a cleft in the cave, and a beam of light falls on the surface of the lake. The cavern is currently closed, but with the new cave diving regulations brought in by IBAMA it may open again.

Photo: ipt.olhares.com

Source: Brazil Diving Guide