Travels with Tam

Too Close Encounter in Cozumel

July 3, 2013 By Tam Warner Leave a Comment

Nope, not with a shark this time. This time it was a fan. Yes, a ceiling fan. About 5a.m. this morning, Randy and I heard a major crash….I thought someone was smashing in the glass doors…I heard glass breaking and scattering, a one of a kind sound. Obviously, it woke us both up. So Randy turned on the light and said, “Holy shit, Tam, it’s the Great White Shark again”! At the end of my side of the bed was our bedroom ceiling fan, glass all over the floor and the bed. Randy said I was very lucky, if it had landed on me…..well, I was very lucky. Another incident/accident in Tamlife. Have you ever heard of a ceiling fan falling into the bed in the middle of the night? Another lucky escape. Whew. I’m glad none of the fans are directly over the beds…we will be having someone make sure they are secured. The first words I spoke were, “well, I guess I’ll go back to sleep”. Randy said, “of course you will.” In my defense I did go get the broom and started sweeping, but my loving husband said I wasn’t doing it right, so I went back to bed. After all, I was diving this morning, I needed my rest!

We arrived yesterday, and we all headed out for a snorkel late afternoon. We saw an octopus, lots of yellow rays, scorpionfish, crabs and itty bitty baby lobsters. It was raining, and I have never seen so many silverside fishes, they were thick, how many million of them? I don’t know. It is fun to swim with them, though!

We had very nice dives today, we went with We-b-Divin-Cozumel as usual, and it was great to see Yasser (Dive Master), Carlos (Dive Instructor), and Captain Jorge again. We’ve been diving with this group for about 10 years now. Their service is very nice, water, drinks, breakfast fruit and bread, then lunch between dives. If you like to take it easy and enjoy the ride, this is the dive boat for you. If you like to get out there FAST, in a small boat with water and fruit, I recommend Troy’s Pelagic Ventures or Challenge Diving. Our first reef was Palancar, made famous by Jacques Cousteau in the 1960s. Since then, divers have come from all over the world to dive here. Palancar is a huge reef, and it is dived in “sections”, today we did Palancar Bricks. It was Hawksbill turtle day! We saw 3 of them on that dive alone. We also caught sight of a Southern Stingray cruising along with its usual fish followers, waiting for leftovers. On the ascent, I saw a fish go after “food”, then pull away and take off. There was a tiny, tiny floating fireworm in the water, so tiny and fuzzy! Cute, yes, but oh, so toxic! NOT a good snack, and never touch one!

During our surface interval we sat and chatted with the other divers, it is always fun to meet people with the same interest. Then, our second dive was at Tormentos, one of my favorite dives on the island. It never disappoints, and it did not today! Groupers, coneys, crabs, fireworms (huge one!), egg cases, lobsters, eels…the list goes on! Please check out my Dive Encounters page for all the photos from today. The current was not bad at all, but there was a lot of particulate (food?) in the water. The dive was beautiful. I love finding tiny creatures and beautiful fish and…everything down there! Back in the water tomorrow!

Joburg 2012

July 1, 2013 By Tam Warner Leave a Comment

May 6 2012

I am exhausted! Traveling for two days is tiring, even when you’ve travelled in the utmost comfort. I arrived at the Da Vinci Hotel in Nelson Mandela Square at 7 a.m. and thankfully they had a room ready for me, even at that hour. Beautiful room…I love the style. I was asleep by 8a, and didn’t wake until 330p. I have no clue what that means as far as my body’s clock is concerned; the only thing I know is that my body is tired, and not only from the travel, but from losing items on every plane and every security stop along the way. I swear, being ADHD can be very inconvenient. I have a “stick” with me, it looks like a walking stick but it is actually a mount for my new camera. I lost it no fewer than 3 times, and I found it all 3 times if you can believe that. I lost my hat, but it caught up with me at the baggage claim here in Joburg. Of course I had to check my backpack dozens of times for items…glasses, power chargers, medicine, etc. I really am a walking, talking tornado. No wonder I am always exhausted!

I am awake and planning to stay conscious for an hour or two…well, maybe less. The car comes at 730 a.m. to take me to OR Tambo Joburg Airport and my flight to Inhambane, Mozambique. I confess to being nervous about it….first, the plane is a prop which seats 70, and LAM (Mozambique airline) is one of the airlines banned by the European Union as having “safety concerns”. Well, this flight goes every single day, so there is no reason to suppose that tomorrow would be the day something would happen. I shall follow my usual coping method which is to make the decision to do it (which I have) and ignore the rest. The volunteers on the project will be on this plane as well. I have no idea how many of us there will be, or the ages of the volunteers. I have a feeling I will be the oldest at 52. 52! When my parents were that age I perceived them as old…I do not feel old, at all. I worry about being able to keep up because of my bad back which is held together by 4 rods and 8 pedicle screws, but that worry has been with me all of my life, it is not an age thing. Hopefully my fellow volunteers will be an interesting group. I am a little embarrassed about all of my (heavy!) luggage, but I have to have my cameras and strobes, and my new GOPRO Hero 2 with its different mounting systems. I must have my computer to process the photos and videos I plan to take. I have to have clothes for the safaris Randy and I will take after the volunteer trip. So. I will just have to be embarrassed.

Well, tomorrow will be the big day of meeting my fellow travellers, arriving at my destination, doing an orientation. I am eager for the work to begin.

Adventures in Mozambique 2012

June 30, 2013 By Tam Warner Leave a Comment

In May 2012 I did a volunteer trip to Tofo, Mozambique. The trip, with All Out Africa, marked a turning point in my life. I kept a journal while I was there, and I would like to share my memories and photos with you. Also, I will be taking another research trip in January with Dr Andrea Marshall, Queen of Mantas. I am also excited that some of my fellow volunteers are coming to Cozumel this summer!

So, where am I going? And why? I am going to Tofo, Mozambique, home of the Foundation for the Protection of Marine Megafauna, (it is on Facebook), headed by Dr. Andrea Marshall (manta rays) and Dr Simon Pierce (whale sharks). For anyone who doesn’t know me well, I am an animal lover, an ocean lover, a scuba diver and an enthusiastic amateur underwater photographer. I heard about the project in Tofo through NatGeo (or Discovery). Andrea Marshall is known as the Queen of Mantas. She is in Mozambique where she researches the manta populations, and she discovered the existence of two species of manta.

To say I admire what she has done and what she is doing is a vast understatement. We can all argue about what causes climate change, but one thing we do know and can agree on: humans are harming the balance of life everywhere on our planet. The ocean is at the heart of all life, we depend on its food sources, its plant life, its currents, and its temperatures. The ocean and its animals are at risk. I decided I need to do my part. I’ve been doing fish species surveys for REEF for a year now, and this trip is, I hope, the first of many such ventures.

I grew up on Jacques Cousteau specials, the famous boat Calypso on its voyages of exploration, and how I wanted to be a part of it! Of course, I think every kid of my generation wanted to be Jacques Cousteau. In the days before world of warcraft, home computers, the internet and Facebook, we had to find our own fun and we didn’t live our adventures on our Xboxes, we lived them through our imaginations and through individuals like Jacques Cousteau, who generally had two television specials a year. No, we didn’t have cable, so we had to find out when it would be on, and be sure we tuned in. No, there would be no rerun or repeat of the show.

The first look at SCUBA (Jacques Cousteau invented the Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus), watching dolphins play, seeing sharks and incredible creatures from the deep for the first time fired my curiosity and wonder. I have never lost it. I have been diving with all kinds of animals, including Great White Sharks, manatees, dolphins, sharks, eels, all manner of fish, etc etc, but this is a dream come true, to participate in research designed to assist in the protection of our seas. I am excited to be on my way.

So, trying to stay awake as I hang out in the Admirals Club Lounge, waiting until 5p when I have to take a bus to another terminal to catch a British Airways flight to Johannesburg. Conserving my energy! I’ll sleep like a baby on the flight tonight. I will check in tomorrow, from Johannesburg!

UPCOMING TRIP: COZUMEL, July 1

June 27, 2013 By Tam Warner Leave a Comment

Diving. yoga. Beach walks. Diving. Eating. Sleeping. Diving, diving, diving. Stay tuned!

Great White Sharks and the Cape

June 18, 2013 By Tam Warner Leave a Comment

The next day was our Great White Shark Adventure, which turned out to be a pretty lousy day. Did we see a Great white shark or two? Yes…a BIG one. But no breaching, and the visibility was so bad that they could not be seen from the cage. The weather was awful, swells of 8 feet or more, there was definite seasickness on the boat. One poor woman was completely passed out. Seal Island has over 30,000 seals living on it…they make quite a noise and one does not want to be downwind. It is sickening, absolutely. Overall, we were tremendously lucky with animals…but the weather did not cooperate with the sharks. The boat and captain have been on Nat Geo, it was just a lousy winter day. Worth a try!

south africa — Guys with HUGELY fat seal!

We spent our last day going to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, driving and seeing wildlife, and of course, having a fabulous meal on the waterfront. Our guide took us to a marina to see the “seal man” who has “tamed” a wild seal who comes daily to visit and be fed. We all enjoyed feeding this huge guy! He is in his thirties we were told…he is hugely fat!

We stopped at an ostrich farm and fed ostriches….it was great fun, but I was really the only one that loved it. They are so funny….and strange looking! But I loved them. I laughed so hard and could not stop when they pecked my fingers…I heard Ran say to the kids, “Now you know why I married your mother!”. Ran is so sweet. sigh.

baboon, south africa, table mountain — Just a few days old.

We drove up the Cape Point and saw baboons, one was even sitting on a car! One needs to be a little careful with these guys. If they decide to sit on your car, that is tough luck for you! You’ll be waiting until they choose to get off! We also saw a baboon family of three…they are so human! The baby was so pink and only a day or so old.

South Africa, Bantry Bay — Sunset on Bantry Bay

That evening was one of the best sunsets we have ever seen….we have a great view from our balcony of the ocean, but we walked down to the water to see the sunset.

Africa has been a revelation in so many ways…we all want to return. It has been a tremendous adventure and one of the best experiences of our lives.

Boulders Beach

June 16, 2013 By Tam Warner Leave a Comment

Outside of Cape Town is Boulders Beach, a beautiful spot where a South African Penguin Colony lives. They are the cutest …birds you can imagine! They are birds, but of course, they don’t fly in the air, they fly underwater! The penguins are nesting at this time of year…I had no idea that penguins made little dens and sat on their eggs. These little babies are brown and furry! We always hear about the Emperor Penguins, but most penguins do not live in such arctic conditions. These penguins are known as Jackass Penguins. I’m not kidding. They are called Jackass because of the “heehaw” sound they make! They really do sound like donkeys! We walked among them, saw their nests and their young, then walked on the beach where a small group of them came out and swam. I sat near the water and enjoyed watching them in their little tuxedos! It was a cloudy day, and “winter” (to them) as well, so we pretty much had them to ourselves. The beach was pristine, with huge boulders (hence the name Boulder’s Beach), and tidal pools filled with sea stars and crabs and other little critters. Incredible experience!

Wes and Ally...bouldering — Wes and Ally…bouldering

We also met a new animal, the Rock Hyrax or “dassie”. Strangely enough, their closest relative is the elephant! They look like rodents….they are absolutely adorable. I’m sure you will agree that Ally took some wonderful photographs of them.

The Rock Hyrax, or “Dassie”!

We stopped for lunch in Simon’s Town where Ally took a bit of a tumble (fell on her ass, actually). It is usually me, but Ally took the fall on the continent of Africa! (Of course, I have fallen on Africa too….just not on that trip!) Afterward we went up Table Mountain to see the view….endless vistas…

Another beautiful day in South Africa!

Travel Adventures!

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