I had a great time with @RickySheety of Digital Nomads! They have several interviews with digital nomads and travelers, so be sure and check them out on YouTube!
How You can help save our Amazing Oceans!
How YOU can help our amazing oceans
Through all of my travels, especially those involving the ocean and diving, I have become more and more aware of the changing state of our oceans. The changes from 30 years ago to the present are painfully clear. Water temperatures are significantly warmer, coral reefs are bleaching and dying, more animals are endangered, over fishing is manifest, and trash in the ocean is at an all time high. What can we do? There are people out there talking about this. Climate Change is settled science, there is no doubt that it is happening and that it is the result of human activities. The only unclear thing about Climate Change is how to pass effective policies to combat it.
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Columbia Deeps and Columbia Shallows are Sensational Dives on Cozumel!
Columbia Deeps and Columbia Shallows! Cozumel is a well known diving destination. Jacques Cousteau put Cozumel on the map in 1960, and he did a documentary about the mesoamerican reef, of which Cozumel’s reefs are a part. There are many beautiful dive sites on Cozumel, but I have to say that I love diving Columbia Reef. Columbia is quite far south off the island, and therefore it is never loaded with divers the way Palancar often is. The coral mountains of Columbia are breathtaking, and the shallow area is full of life. I think these photos will show you why I love it so much!
Isn’t it amazing to contemplate that we know more about the planets in our galaxy than we do about our own oceans? Our oceans are in terrible danger, and we must start doing more. There is a new documentary out that everyone should watch. I was interviewed for it but didn’t make the final cut. Check out Chasing Coral on Netflix. I have been in many of the places depicted, and I have seen the damage that climate change is doing. Yes, climate change is real. We must start paying attention.
Two of the Best Dive Sites in Cozumel are full of Sea Turtles!
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Dive sites on Cozumel often have turtles! I always love diving El Paso de Cedral (Cedar Pass) and the Palancar Reefs. I cannot think of a single trip I have taken to Cozumel when I didn’t dive them more than once. Palancar is beautiful, full of colorful coral and sponges (and turtles!). Palancar Reef is so large it is split into four sections: Palancar Gardens, Palancar Horseshoe, Palancar Caves and Palancar Pinnacles. The mountains and colors of the reef never cease to awe me. Huge pinnacles come up from the depths and take one’s breath away. I wish I had the ability to translate it into images. Cedar Pass, on the other hand, is a basically flat area with no large coral, but it does have a lot of small coral head areas, and under the ledges are some pretty amazing creatures! And I don’t think I’ve ever been on the reef without seeing turtles and a nurse shark or two. These reefs could not be more different, yet each is a fabulous dive site. Take a look!
Children of all ages love to look at fish faces! My first book, All Fish Faces, is an introduction to species living all over the planet, and fun facts about them. And of course, cool photos of fish faces! Meeting our fishy friends face to face can only help people understand and love our oceans.
Why My Favorite Dive Site in Cozumel is All of Them!
Diving Cozumel for 30 years (yikes!) means that I have been on just about every reef. Why is my favorite dive site all of them? (I still have two dive sites I have not gotten to, but hey, give me time). Cozumel is famous for its drift diving. Cozumel’s dive sites are mostly on the southern side of the west, or leeward, side of the island, between the island and mainland Mexico. Waters are much calmer in this channel, but currents can be quite strong. Most divers love to drift dive. You jump off the boat, and when you are done drifting, the boat picks you up. Much better than boats that anchor and you have to swim back to (in my humble opinion).
Currents are a blessing and sometimes a curse. In strong currents you can be swept along so quickly there is no way to take a photograph, and less experienced divers can have a tough time learning to deal with it. With the incredible stony coral in Cozumel using a hook to stop and look around is not an option. I have never been in a current here that was too strong for my skill set. I love current dives, I love the dives where you don’t feel a lot of current, and that is basically why my favorite dive site in Cozumel is all of them! Each site has its unique features, and I absolutely love the dives where there are a lot of turtles. Seeing sea turtles is always a thrill! They are endangered, and Cozumel is very fortunate to be a nesting site for Green Turtles and Loggerheads. We mostly see Hawksbill Turtles on the west side of the island, even though they don’t nest here. They nest on the mainland, and apparently they like to hang out on our island reefs. They are very welcome! Of course, I love most all marine creatures, but it must be said that turtles are very special. We all need to do our part to make sure we protect these critically endangered animals, and our oceans, so that our children and grandchildren can also feel the wonder of seeing them in the wild.
The Top 5 Reasons I Love the Fantastic Diving in Cozumel!
Do you think there are only 5 reasons I love diving in Cozumel, Mexico? Ha! There are many more than 5, but hey, I’m not writing a novel, I am writing a blog! Diving in Cozumel is so easy, most are drift dives, and the visibility is crystal clear most of the time. So here goes, the top 5 reasons I love diving in Cozumel.
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