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Published: August 21st 2009
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9/5/09 = A snorkelling trip on Cozumel
Up early today ready for bus and boat trip to island of Cozumel. Spent a few hours at work on free internet (this hostel really had been great), then had the last of the great breakfasts. Packed up and checked out by 9:30, then off to bus station. First part of journey = to Playa Del Carmen = not far away. Got our 30peso ticket for shuttle bus and did our less than an hour journey to arrive there at 11am. Playa Del Carmen = a totally different town again…even more holiday than Cancun. Arrived to a large square of shops and restaurants, just like a shopping centre might see at home. Hardly any tourists still because of swine flu, but can imagine would be really busy on a normal day. Bumbled through it all to seek next method of transport = a ferry to take us to Cozumel. Next ferry = midday for 140peso. Hope its good.
Had 45mins spare, so ran off to do a quick shop for Debs’ birthday. Was here that noticed all trading was done in American dollars, not peso. Literally everything was priced in
Snorkelling
Hard not to laugh at this! I still can't manage it. dollars. What do I know about dollars? And why is it in dollars? Am I not in Mexico? Shocking that a country would abandon it’s own currency just to accommodate tourism…rubbish! Spent 15mins running round shops like Anneka Rice, unable to find anything resembling a birthday card. Did find loads of other things, like jewellery, that would have loved to have bought, but was v.good and returned to Debs. Ferry was already starting to board when returned, so filled in yet another checklist for Swine flu, had some kind of infra-red light flashed on our hand, then moved to queue with everybody else. Loads of people waiting to go to Cozumel, but not a single backpacker in sight! We were in a queue of at least 99% American holiday makers. Do backpackers not come to Cozumel then?
Short journey to Cozumel = a pretty good job, since we got stuck next to a highly annoying group of American guys that I can only presume were on a stag do…get me off the boat! Got bags and walked down the pier lined with sellers all trying to sell the same thing = scooters, snorkelling trips or day trips…so that’s
what people do here. Followed our directions to Hostelia, which required walking through main square of shops. Looked like a good place. All sellers came out of shops to try and get people in to buy - they must know what time ferries come in. As if we’re going to buy anything when we are carrying 20kg bags on our backs…no gracias.
Hostelita = a nice place for 150peso. Just one big room with lots of beds, but v.clean. Dumped things in lockers - Mexico good for lockers - and then went to ask about a snorkelling trip. Been ages since done any snorkelling and Cozumel = supposed to have a really nice bay. After chatting to hostel man, found out that can’t really snorkel on own in shallows; need to get a boat trip to take us far out, so off we went to ask about boat trips. Bounced from booth to booth comparing process of all trips until found a bargain = a guy offering to take us out for just 200peso instead of 250peso. Catch = boat ready now with people waiting. He would squash us on, but needed to be quick. Ran back to
hostel, quick change and pack, then back to man on pier and into waiting boat. Surprise, surprise, waiting people were an American family, nice enough though. Helped ourselves to a free water, then sped off for our 3hr 3 stop snorkel trip.
First stop was in deep water. Snorkel and flippers on, in we went. Water = freezing…cringe worthy cold and definitely not the Caribbean coast have become accustomed to. Tried not to think about it and flippered off towards guide…yes…we had a guide. Not sure why, there certainly wasn’t anything to explain. Cozumel = supposed to be one of best reefs in world, but when looked down to floor, we saw nothing…absolutely nothing but sand. Never seen such an empty seabed. Turns out that hurricanes often pull apart and destroy the reef and that hurricane Katrina nearly completely wiped it out. No shortage of fish though. Shoals and shoals of hundreds of fish; some of them really big. They all flocked around guide as he swam to them, so we swam over and got swarmed too. Brilliant. I didn’t even see him feed them. Got some pictures with the long overdue underwater camera, then 20mins later,
got back into boat and onto next spot.
Wrapped in towel to produce some body heat as sped to spot number 2, then arrived to a much more shallow location. Almost didn’t want to get in because was so cold, but when paid for it, got to do it. Into freezing cold water again. Swam off to find guide, but this time, swam with hands under armpits - remembered form survival swimming that this is good way to stay warm. Ha! This spot not at all like number one; could hardly see any fish. Swam behind guide for quite a while without seeing anything, until arrived at big lump of rock that lots of people crowded round. Apparently there was a big lobster inside, but no way I was going to spot that without glasses on and guide just couldn’t coax him out.
Treaded water for a while trying to see it, but that was when I got stung. Had already felt a few nips before it, but this one really hurt. Hate those sneaky little jellyfish! Was actually glad when this 20mins ended; was too cold, not enough fish and nasty jellies. Got straight back into towel and had a Corona. Free drinks on this trip = a real bonus. Chatted to Texan family on way = quite posh, but nice, then arrived at last stop = Chankarabi national park. Again, not excited for cold, but again, forced self in.
Like stop number 1, were in deep water and could immediately see fish. Followed guide as swam along and even though no coral, saw some really cool stuff. First, spotted a barracuda - one of many - then a turtle. Cool. Barracuda was quite far away and swam quite quickly by - probably a good thing - but the turtle walked really slowly underneath us. Brilliant. Further on still, saw a stingray. Awesome. Last stop = definitely worthwhile.
Seemed to stay in water for quite a long time on last stop and did a lot of swimming. Decided to swim like a mermaid for most of it, just to pass time and take my mind off of the cold and pain. Mask too tight on face now and flippers beginning to rub. Glad when found boat 30mins later and really good to get equipment off. Had another beer to round the trip off and arrived back at pier at 5pm. 200peso well spent 😊.
Wondered back to hostel, changed, then straight back out for food. Only early, but both of us hungry. Wondered round all square checking out best places, but not everything open because it was so early. Settled on a place called Fat Tuesdays, even though it wasn’t Tuesday. Did special ice drink cocktails and strawberry daiquiri’s went down really well, as did the beef tacos.
Wanted to have a little shop after that, but surprised to find that lots of the shops were closed. Walked along the front, watched the last bit of the sunset, then wondered back to the hostel. Still early, so found good internet shop next to hostel and did another 2hrs work. You would think I would be doing well, but evidently not! Back to hostel at 10pm and straight to sleep 😊.
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