Cozumel, Mehico

 

Cozumel                                                                                March 21

            How many of you have been to Cozumel?  It’s a popular tourist destination—especially during spring break when the Midwestern body aches for some warm sunrays. Our latest addition to the production cast has a thing about the pronunciation of Mexico (Mehico) hence the spelling in the title for today's post. 

            We had visited here years ago, but I’d forgotten than Cozumel is on an island, also belonging to the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.  In 1996 the government of Mexico wisely decided to protect and preserve the undersea life by forming the Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park. It is a wonderland for scuba diving and snorkeling with many reefs, sunken vessels, and we saw starfish!



            There is evidence of Mayan and (earlier) Olmec tribe occupancy dating back to the first millennium AD.  For the Mayans, Cozumel was a major center of coastal trade and religious pilgrimage. The evidence of pilgrimages dates as recently as the arrival of the Spanish in the early 1500s. 

            Weeks ago, we found this tour in Cozumel that would allow us to go beyond the glass bottom boat concept.  We found an entirely clear acrylic boat!!  The photos will show our companions on this two-and a half hour tour which allowed us to float over a military area that would not allow snorkeling or diving, but we could view the starfish plastered to the coral area there. Then we floated over two sunken vessels before boating to a more shallow area (depth of 12 feet) for snorkeling.  The guides took their own camera under the water to film each of us and to attract the fish to swim with us.  Of course we needed to purchase those photos and videos!





We walked to and from the tour, about a mile and a half.  Good exercise.  Back to the boat after the tour and we were able to play some social bridge and then listen to a Mariachi band.  A bit better than one we had on the other side of Mexico, but it is not really Jerry's thing.  






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