Adventures in Cozumel

Fab Photos Friday: Cozumel Above and Below

June 16, 2016 By Tam Warner 4 Comments

There is no doubt that Cozumel is a one-stop vacation destination! You can even pose with Bob Marley at the Rasta Bar on Punta Sur (the south point of the island)! Cozumel is always fun, and there are cool places on the west, east, north and south sides! I never go to the island without checking them all out! For Fab Photo Friday, here is a synopsis of my latest trip.

cozumel, rasta, fab photos friday — The Rasta Bar!

we b divin, cozumel, rasta, fab photos friday — My cousin and I headed out to dive on the Yucab III, owned by We-b-divin’ Cozumel! They are fantastic! Great boat, breakfast and lunch, and the best dive master on the island, Yasser! If you are headed to Cozumel, dive, or learn to dive, with We-b-divin’!

scuba, cozumel, diving, we-b-divin' — My cousin and I below.

scuba, cozumel, we-b-divin' — Cool shoes, girls!

cozumel, rasta, fab photos friday, we-b-divin' — I am not sure what this is….a decorator crab? A shrimp? If you know, tell me!

cozumel, scuba, dory, fab photos friday — A strange fish, indeed! A member of my scuba tribe says I am the Dory of the group! In a nice way, of course.

cozumel, scuba, we-b-divin' — Four eyed butterflyfish

Haven’t been to Cozumel? You MUST go! Head to My Favorite Travel Sites and book it now!

**(The dolphins you see in the above video live about a mile down the road. They are penned, and I visit them when they are not “working”. They always seem happy to see someone new. I believe, however, that dolphins should never again be captured from the wild, and I am unsure about breeding in captivity. I mean, really, what is so great for these incredibly intelligent animals to spend their lives in a pen the size of a fish bowl? Yes, when the kids were young we swam with the dolphins, but I doubt very much if we would do it today.)

15 Photos to Make You Want to go to Cozumel!

March 28, 2016 By Tam Warner 4 Comments

The Mexican Caribbean is stunningly beautiful, and nowhere will you find more colors of blue than Cozumel! Cozumel’s blue waters are often referred to as the seven colors, or Cozumel de Siete Colores. I find the blues and greens on the island to be mesmerizing. Check out these photos and you will be ready to make a reservation!

Cozumel, Villa — Hammocks on the roof of Villa Coronado, our vacation home on Cozumel. The view of the blue waters and skies is incredible. Click Here for Availability!

Cozumel, Cozumel Blue — Cozumel Blue. Looking up at a snorkeler while on a dive.

cozumel, diving — The diving is fantastic.

cozumel, east side — Cozumel has different ecosystems…the East Side of the Island is beautiful with strong waves, blow holes, and sandy beaches.

Cozumel, snorkeling — Cushion Sea Stars abound at Cielo, a favorite snorkeling spot toward the southern point.

Cozumel, queen angel — The Queen Angelfish on Paradise Reef, Cozumel

cozumel, cozumel diving — Cozumel’s dive spots have mountains of coral structures and walls.

15 tam and margarita — The margaritas are available everywhere!

cozumel, la cocay restaurant — Of course, Cozumel has world class dining as well!

cozumel, la cocay — My favorite Chocolate Torte at La Cocay. Each plate is a different piece of art!

15 sunset stunning — Cozumel’s sunsets have to be seen to be believed. I took this photo while I was snorkeling.

2015 sunset at Villa coronado — Villa Coronado is an amazing spot to watch sunsets! I took this photo from the pool deck.

So…ready to make your reservation? Head on over to Skyscanner and check airfares! Skyscanner is a great tool to use to find the best fares! See you there!

Monday Funday: Sponge Porn!

November 22, 2015 By Tam Warner 20 Comments

No, I’m not talking about Sponge Bob or any of his pals! I’m talking about sponges, the real sponges growing on the ocean floor. They are always beautiful, of course, but I had the thrill recently of seeing them spawn!

At first I thought it looked like those ocean vents in the very, very deep ocean, the ones that are smoking with heat from the earth’s core…then I realized, it is sponge sex! Sponges have both eggs and sperm, and can reproduce either way. As to why a sponge decides to send out sperm to fertilize other sponge’s eggs…it is a mystery too deep for me to solve! Here are some gorgeous sponges and enjoy the dive video!

coz 10 jan pal pinn sponge fingers — Gorgeous sponge fingers, or tubes.

coz creatures jul 06 fire coral — Encrusting Orange Sponge

coz vb 12 parrot camo and sponges of color — Barrel sponges and sponge fingers…see the parrot fish hiding?

sc 10 fran barrel arrow crab sea pearl baby — You never know what you will find in a sponge barrel!

The Downside of Travel

November 10, 2015 By Tam Warner 12 Comments

Gorgeous Golden Fall in Maroon Bells. — Gorgeous Golden Fall in Maroon Bells, Aspen, Co.

Travel is good for you. I believe that simple truth, and there is no dearth of literature to support it. However, there can be a downside: illness.

My parents liked to travel, and they took my brother and I on the road to Florida every year of our childhood…until flying became the way to go. During my childhood I had mumps, measles, and chickenpox…in Florida. All on vacation. I also sustained injuries on those trips: dislocated hip (from jumping waves), and a Man of War jellyfish sting (thankfully a small one, because it was incredibly painful).

dad holding our hands in ocean — Ft Lauderdale, FL…the scene of many illnesses for me!

The trend has continued throughout my life. I either get sick on vacation, or immediately afterward. I was in Cozumel most recently, and I returned home last Monday. I functioned with painful joints and a lowgrade fever through Friday, and Saturday put me into bed where my fever spiked to 104 degrees. My joints were on fire. Today my fever is finally broken and I feel human. I haven’t been able to eat much, my joints still hurt a bit, and I feel completely worn out.

I sent my doctor an email and asked him if I should come in for a blood test to see if it was Dengue (again). He said no…if I’m feeling better there is no reason to do it. It could be Chikungunya, another mosquito borne disease that causes fever and joint pain, similar to Dengue Fever. Mosquitoes swarm in Cozumel during the wet months, like October.

I do hate getting sick. I’ve been sick on every continent I’ve visited! There are two left…I wonder what Australia and Antarctica will do to me. For now, I am planning a trip to St. Lucia in December to help do reef and fish surveys. I wonder if there are many mosquitoes in St Lucia. I hope not.

Wordless Wednesday: The Day of the Dead

November 4, 2015 By Tam Warner 16 Comments

The evening began with a gorgeous sunset as we left Villa Coronado.

Dio de Muertos is a Mexican holiday that honors those who have passed. Families celebrate the lives of the dead, and pray for them, to help them on their spiritual journey. It is a tradition that dates back to the Aztec, and their celebration and ritual regarding the Lady of the Dead.

On October 31, All Hallows Eve, the children make a children’s altar to invite the angelitos (spirits of dead children) to come back for a visit. November 1 is All Saints Day, and the adult spirits will come to visit. November 2 is All Souls Day, when families go to the cemetery to decorate the graves and tombs of their relatives. The three-day fiesta filled with marigolds, the flowers of the dead; muertos (the bread of the dead); sugar skulls; cardboard skeletons; tissue paper decorations; fruit and nuts; incense, and other traditional foods and decorations. -Frances Ann Day, Latina and Latino Voices in Literature.

I thought Cozumel might have a big celebration during the 3 days, but though there were examples on the plaza, there wasn’t a fiesta or party. Going to the cemetery seemed like an intrusion, so I did not go there and cannot tell you what happened there.

Enjoy the photos of The Day of the Dead! I think it is a fascinating tradition…I love the skulls and imagery of skeletons!

Holding hands with ... a dead guy? — Holding hands with … a dead guy?

A pretty display with treats and flags....and skeletons! — A pretty display with treats and flags….and skeletons!

The displays were so fascinating! In our culture skeletons are "scary", but not here in Mexico! — The displays were so fascinating! In our culture skeletons are “scary”, but not here in Mexico!

I loved this altar, it was clearly done with much love.

An indoor display...lots of candy, but I didn't take any! — An indoor display…lots of candy, but I didn’t take any!

Why I Haven’t Blogged for a Week!

October 26, 2015 By Tam Warner 12 Comments

Why haven’t I blogged in a whole week? My car broke down and I was stuck for a week waiting for a tow truck? I’m in Mexico and the internet has been down? (that one is true, actually!) My dog ran away and I’ve been chasing him? What other lame excuse can I come up with? The truth is: I’ve been so busy diving and snorkeling and going out to dinner I just haven’t made time. I sleep, eat, dive, dive, eat, dive, sleep. The perfect existence for me!

15 gray angel face close up — I had to catch up with friends, you know….

15 honeycomb cowfish closeup — Honeycomb Cowfish are usually shy…but this one came quite close!

Oh, wonderful Mexico! How I love ya, how I love ya! We arrived in Cozumel last Monday and had no internet. Now, I wouldn’t mind being off line so much, but when you are a blogger trying to build your brand and your traffic, it can be rather inconvienent. I’ve been to both Starbucks on the island. One cannot spend the day there, though, how depressing would that be? Too much for me to deal with, especially when there is an ocean full of fish and coral and all kinds of wonderful things just outside my door. I just can’t stay out of the water. I’ve only had one day off from diving, but I am taking the next two days off. Too many divers on the boat…and Randy and I have errands and other things we want to do.

Iggy, our resident iguana, was here to greet us.

The diving has been nice and easy, with hardly any current, which is unusual for Cozumel. Instead of flying over the reefs, I’ve been able to stop and look around. That’s my favorite!

The food has been rather wonderful…and I will get to that in another post! In the meantime, check out the photos and see what I have been up to!

I heard tapping today...and thought someone was at the door... — I heard tapping today…and thought someone was at the door…

fight club — This dude was in my door frame….

So I took a few pictures....and off he went! Cute, isn't he? — So I took a few pictures….and off he went! Cute, isn’t he?

Then off to dinner and a lovely margarita at La Cocay. Yum!

So, what have YOU been up to?

Adventures in Cozumel

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