Jason touring The Eagle

Our first dive was on The Eagle. Although the seas were virtually flat, there was definitely a current. I was lucky to buddy up with Jason and his wife Brianna. I’ve known Jason for a while and we dove together in Mexico, but I had never met Brianna. Let me just say she is like a long lost sister. We had many laughs over the weekend and I’m sure Jason regrets that we met. So, I dropped down the line first, followed by Brianna and Jason. We hit the wreck and the strong current was obvious. That didn’t stop us for exploring. All the good stuff, unfortunately, was on the side of the wreck with all the current, so we really couldn’t hide from it. No worries, we still made our way along the wreck and it was just beautiful. There were tons of fish and the coral growth was outstanding. Way too soon it was time to hit the line and head back up to the boat. I was pushing the camera, so I had sucked down more gas, faster than J&B, so I headed up the line while they finished up. It seems that the current got even stronger while we were down on the wreck, but again, it wasn’t horrible.

Brianna explores The Eagle

On the boat, we drank lots of water and headed over to our next site, Hens and Chickens. We knew we were in for a treat, as we could count the fish on the reef from the boat. The visibility was pretty much perfect and there was no current and flat seas. This reef is protected, so there is no fishing there. This was one of the best reefs I’d ever been on. It was teaming with life. We saw nurse sharks, fish of all kinds, a turtle (a big one), lobsters, moray and spotted eels, rays, you name it. It was pretty much an hour long deco stop, as I don’t think I ever hit much more then 20 feet. The diving was so relaxing. I’ve never been to the Keys in the summer. I’ve always been in the winter, so I’ve always worn a wetsuit. When I dive the caves it is always a wetsuit or drysuit. It was a treat for me to dive with just board shorts and an under aarmor to protect the ink from the sun.

Hens and Chickens Reef

We headed back to the dock and then off to lunch at Hog Heaven. I had THE best sesame chicken salad going. The real draw of this salad was the dressing, a delicious Cucumber Wasabi dressing. After a short lunch, it was back to the boat for the afternoon dives. The first dive of the afternoon was Crocker Wall. This site was really more of a valley than a wall, but it was still beautiful. Again the visibility, seas and current all cooperated.

Alex being Zen at Hens and Chickens

On this dive, I saw an even larger sea turtle just sitting on the bottom getting cleaned by fish. I was able to approach him slowly and got pretty close before he decided to circle me and check me out. He stayed close as I swam around in circles like a madman snapping his photo. Jason found an anchor. For the second dive of the afternoon, we hit a reef known as Davey Crocker. It was also beautiful and clear. The fish were out in force and seemed happy to see us.

After the dives, we headed back to the Bayside Inn to shower and get ready for dinner. Some went back for Sushi Nami and some of us hit Boardwalk Pizza in Islamorada, which has excellent food and a great staff. Back at the the hotel, it was time for lights out and dreaming of the great day of diving we had and the new one ahead. Sunday morning saw us back at Islamorada Bakery for breakfast. The Morning Gloria was my breakfasst of choice and perfect for a day of diving. Fresh fruit with yogurt, granola, and a mini muffin. Yummy!!!

Turtle in flight

We were back at the boat ready to cast off at 8:30, unfortunately, there was a miscommunication and we had to wait for two of the group, so we ended up leaving at 9:30. Captain Sonny took us to a site he called Alligator Deep for the first dive. It was supposed to be a deep wall dive, but was more like a sort of sloping dive. Had to swim 15 minutes to get down to 85 feet. No biggie, saw some awesome sights.

Diver down

The most impressive was the school of Eagle rays that swam by us. They were really big and it was awesome to watch them silently glide by. Unfortunately, we were too far away to get any good shots. It was really amazing to watch, however. We also saw a few other smaller groups of them and a few singles. This site didn’t have much in the way of teeming life like the other reefs did. It was a lot of sandy areas with nothing. When we got back in the boat, we headed for Alligator Ledge. Now this was a beautiful reef. There was so much to see on this ledge. I had great spotters. Brianna, Jason and Alex, would signal me if they saw anything good, and I would try to get it’s photo. There were some nurse sharks, tons of lobster, eels, fish everywhere, sea urchins, it was really beautiful and so peaceful. After the dive, we peeled off our gear and then some of us jumped back in and just floated on the surface waiting for the other to surface. It was the best time.

Sea turtle glides around me

Alligator Ledge Reef

Unfortunately, it was marred by one person in the group. He was also taking photos and I was really perturbed as I watched him poke a 8-10 inch plastic shark into a hole in the reef repeatedly. Obviously, he was molesting the sea life. I’m not sure, with all of the sea life around him, why he needed to poke. When we got back on the boat, I asked him what he was doing. He told me that he was poking at a spotted eel to get him to come out for a better photo. He said, “you do whatever it takes to get the photo”. What an incredible ASSHOLE!! I was not happy. I said that there really is no need to antagonize the wild life to get photos, just take photos of whatever you can see. He said, that wasn’t how he operates…that’s because he operates like an ASSHOLE!!! This guy was without a doubt the biggest jerk I’ve ever had the displeasure to dive with. In addition to his complete disregard for the life on the reef, he also was arrogant and obnoxious. He treated his dive buddy like a piece of dirt, and he NEVER shut up. When I say NEVER, I mean he was talking out loud to the air on the boat and nobody was even listening, the whole time, every damn second. On every dive, if you found something good, he was right there pushing you out of the way to get a photo. I pretty much just shook my head and groaned for the whole trip until the last dive, which was completely uncalled for. Sad, really.

Unmolested Moray Eel waiting for lunch to swim by

Anyhoo, after the last dive, we packed up and headed back on the long 5-6 hour drive to Tampa. I hate the ride home, but it was worth it. The conditions were perfect, the diving was awesome, there were great friends along (not counting the asshole), the food was good, the accomodations were comfortable, and I didn’t have to drive. I’m already looking forward to my next trip to the keys.

Brianna explores Alligator Ledge Reef

Tubing at Ginnie Springs, courtesy Amanda Cotton

Everyone laughed at the though of my fat white ass in a bikini. They even started showing me potential fashion as we stopped into the Ginnie Springs store. This past week, I spent time looking for the perfect bikini and accessories and enlisting the help of friend and awesome professional photographer, Amanda Cotton, with her trusty partner and “monkey” Jeff Schreiber. Amanda immediately agreed to photograph the event, and we even started teasing it on Facebook. She posted she was doing a bikini model shoot and she had offers from lots of guys to be her assistant. We laughed.

Smoke on the water

I started at Wal-Mart to find the perfect bikini. I wanted to stay far away from a thong bottom (there is art and then there is visual napalm). I found a pair of bikini trunks and a non-matching neon bikini top. When I got them home, I found out that an XL women’s bottom was too big for me….go figure. So, I had to bring them back and told the customer service person they were too big for me. Imagine the look on their face, when I went and exchanged them for a smaller pair of even brighter women’s bikini bottoms. I also acquired a cigar, a tall boy of Bud Light, some pretty awesome sunglasses, a pair of hot pink flip flops, and a floppy straw hat. “The look” was complete.

Buxom Bikini Model

I showed up on Saturday morning and met Amanda and Jeff. Amanda was excited for the shoot, and Jeff was a little freaked out I have to say, Jeff was a really good sport about the whole thing. I know he had a good time. We decided to do the bikini shoot first and then dive where both Amanda and I would shoot underwater photos in the cave. Amanda got her camera together while I readied for my debut as a bikini model. I got the cigar out, poured out the beer and filled it with gatorade (yes the beer can is just a prop), and put on the bikini. Amanda came over to do the catch on my bikini top and then we were off to shoot.

Acknowledging my public

I have to say, I don’t think I’ve had that much fun in a very long time. We posed and walked all over. I had two photographers shooting (Amanda with her camera and Jeff with mine). It looked like an actualy photo shoot. I found out that one of the staff actually radioed up to the main office “Tell Rose there is a guy down here in a bikini and there are photographers with him”

We made our way to the water with my tube and Amanda got in the water with me and her underwater camera rig. She did some great shots in the water, that I am thrilled with. We laughed and took photos for a while. The cave divers in the water were noticeably apprehensive. They really had no idea what to make of the whole thing. I rested my feet on some Cypress stumps, which I later learned housed a water moccasin.

Amanda was laughing the whole time, and I was choking on the nasty cigar in my mouth.

Bikini Model Cover Shot

Relaxing at Ginnie Springs

After the in water shots we headed back to the parking area where we went out on the roadway to get some reactions. I have to say, the rednecks, they love a man in a bikini. They were going by with their Redneck flags flying high and they would catch a sight of me and slow down, hooting and hollering. The girls appeared a little jealous, but the guys were big fans, almost too big.

Communing with the Red Necks

We then walked to the far entrance to the water to get more reactions. The tubers went nuts. This was the scene of one of the funniest interchanges of the day. Some guy yelled “You’re so hot, that is awesome, show us the backside” So, I turned around and shook the money maker and then he yelled “Now, that’s just gay”. I was dying. I got in the water and got mowed down by a few people putting tubes in the water, which made things even funnier.

Hanging with the tubers

We headed back to the car and took a few more shots as I got out of the bikini and said goodbye to the bikini….for now at least

No, Jeff, it's not "that kind of photo shoot"

We then geared up and headed to the water to dive in the caves. It was going to be dueling dome ports. I must confess, I had camera envy. I have a 6 inch dome port and Amanda has an 8 inch. Trust me, 2 inches makes a world of difference. So, we headed into the cave and Amanda got some awesome shots of me. These were the first really good underwater shots taken of me. I’m always behind the lens, which is where I prefer to be anyhow.

Me coming out of the Corn Flakes

Jeff and I in the Gallery

Me on Deco in the Eye

I was able to get some decent shots of Jeff and Amanda, although they are not as awesome as Amanda’s. That’s why she is the professional. I was very fortunate to be able to shoot with her. After the first dive, Jeff took all our tanks to get fills and amazingly got the same parking space when he returned (it was a parking zoo). We did a second dive, and I left the camera, while Amanda took hers.

Amanda with her rig

Jeff might be stuck

Amanda and Jeff pulling thorough the Eye

After diving, we dried off and headed to The Great Outdoors for dinner. We shared some laughs over the day’s adventures and shared some great conversation. As we left, we talked about getting together again soon (although probably without the bikini). I had an amazing day, and was happy to spend it with great friends like Amanda and Jeff.

Me with my camera

PS- Please check out Amanda’s website and blog, as she is one of the most talented people I know. You won’t be disappointed!!

Ginnie Springs recovering from flood

So, yesterday, it was time to get back behind the camera. I headed up to Ginnie Springs to dive with Sam and Ryan. I told them that I was bringing the camera and we could get some shots. When I got there, Sam had Gibby with him and he joined in. The Santa Fe has recently flooded, so the water was up at Ginnie and the flow was down. Winter is clearly over, as the drunk tubers were back in force. Nothing says “you’re my BFF” like a chick yackin’ on her friend’s feet, while said friend holds her hair back. Seriously, the quiet peaceful Ginnie of the winter months is gone and replaced by…well….drunk messes.

Diver descending through tannic water at Devil's Ear

We geared up and headed to the water. I was stoked, as river flooding means lots of tannic water over Devil’s Ear. I was not disappointed. The water and the sun cooperated nicely. The tannic water was thick and swirling and I didn’t actually see the deco log until I was about 2 feet away from it. Those were perfect conditions for a few photos.

Diver descends through tannic water at Devil's Ear

We then hit the Eye which was clear and took a few shots before diving into the cave. The flow was way down and the cave was peaceful with a greenish tint. Overall it was a beautiful day with great dives. I’m glad I took the camera. Not my best day of shooting, but I got a few that I was very happy with and that is all you can hope for.

Divers exiting Devil's Eye

Snorkler in Devil's Eye

99 has been hanging in there. She is eating a bit more and drinking plenty of water. It’s clear she is in a lot of pain. She can’t lift her head when she walks and can barely make it up and down the stairs to go out and do her thing. Her swelling has not gone down any. It is really painful just to look at. She is, of course, a dignified lady and is carrying herself that way. I know that on the inside she’s in pain. The tears in her eyes are a giveaway. I spend a lot of time on the floor laying next to her and just scratching the top of her head. Last night she kissed my hand, and she even barked at one point, which I took as a good sign. We’re going to take it slow and hope that she’ll get back to her old self in time. The vet has warned me that she is old and may never be fully how she was before the attack. I don’t care. As long as I haven’t lost her, I’m happy.

Through all of this, Max has been a champ. It’s pretty clear that he knows something is not right. I’ve been keeping him separated from 99 so that she doesn’t strain herself. He doesn’t like that. He is such a sweet guy, though. Yesterday, I was working in the office and I heard him whining from the bedroom. I went in and he was sitting on the floor whining, looking up at the TV. I realize that I had not turned it on, which I normally do. I turned it on, and he started waging his tail, jumped up in the bed, settled down with his head on the pillow and proceeded to watch TV. He sleeps with me at night and always cuddles up next to me for some belly rubs. When I can’t control the tears, he is there to kiss them away, always patting me on the head with his paw. He is really a bright spot in my life.

The whole situation with Chief still seems like a bad dream that I want to end. Little things remind me of him. I haven’t had the heart to break down his crate or put away his food and water bowls. I started to yesterday but just couldn’t do it. Time….more time….. Today I picked up my keys and his collar with his tags got caught on them and fell on the floor at my feet. Everywhere there are reminders. And so, in many ways, I wish I were Donnie Darko and could make things alright again. Wish I could make some sacrifice that would bring back Chief and make 99 whole and healed. But that’s the movies, not reality. So instead, I’ve got to do it the hard way. I’ve got to just take it a day at a time. I’m not unfamiliar with the concept, just not always patient enough to let the healing occur at its own pace. Still, I’ve got 99 and Max and for that I am grateful. The rest is just up to the universe.

I have also been sad to know of Chris’ baby, Brutis. He’s been very sick in the vet hospital at UF and they still don’t know what’s wrong. I really feel for Chris and for Brutis. He is a lot like Chief, lots of energy, lots of love, and always has a smile (you really can tell when they are smiling). I hope that Brutis has a speedy recovery for his sake and Chris’.

Everyone loves 99

In the morning, she finally moved from her spot in front of the front door and drank some water. I was thrilled, she was drinking water. She wouldn’t eat, except for the peanut butter I was feeding her from my fingers. She was also not crying any more. She looked haggard and old, and swollen. But she was still my girl. This afternoon, we went back to the vet for a change of her pressure bandages. God, there was so much blood. When the bandages came off, I got to see the true extent of the damage. She is torn up, and her neck, shoulders, and one side are swollen huge. There are gashes everywhere. The spot on the front of her neck where the blood pooled is the size of a softball. My baby is in rough shape.

The Dr was pleased that the bleeding appears to have stopped. 99′s gums were nice and pink and surprisingly through all of this, her tail was wagging. Every single person working there popped their head in to see how she was doing. Everyone loves 99. They all said the same, she is such a good girl, she is such a lover, she is the sweetest dog. They were all right. She is all of those things. She came into my life when I was just restarting it. Newly sober, and without many friends she rescued me. She was my companion when I felt alone, she pushed her way into my life and it has never been the same since. Her wagging tail is a given at any time on any day. Her pain these past few days has been hard for me to watch, because she deserves a life free from it.

The Dr says I need to keep an eye on her for infection. She gave me some high calorie prescription food, which 99 is loving. She can have as much as often as she wants. Right now, she is sleeping on the floor, and hopefully, she will continue throughout the night.

So, I am optimistic for 99 and her recovery. She has a road ahead of her, but she is walking it, and she won’t be alone. Still, the house is so very quiet. Chief is still in my head and my heart. Last night while I was sleeping there was barking. I kept telling Chief to settle down until I finally realized it was Maxwell….that hit me. This morning, I was so focused on 99 that I was able to pull myself together and go to work for a few hours. Half way there, Chief would not get out of my head, so I arrived at work with red eyes and an aching throat. My coworkers gave me a very nice card on the loss of a pet, and that wrecked me. I picture Chief now, nudging my hand while I am trying to type. He did that all the time and it used to annoy the hell out of me. How many times did I tell him to go lay down? How many times did I push his head away so I could work? How many times did he run around the house like a madman, wagging tail knocking things over and off shelves? The house was never quiet with Chief around. And yet now it is. It is so very quiet. Max and 99 are older, and just not spastic like Chief was. They love quietly and softly, while he loved loudly and hard. I’ve been very fortunate, so many friends wishing me and 99 well. So many people understanding. I guess my head knows the deal. Unfortunately, my heart is going to take awhile….soon….I hope…..

This was not the first time that Chief attacked. Almost 2 years ago, he went after Max, my middle dog. Max required emergency surgery to save his life. I refused to give Chief up, so I made due. I structured my life so that Max and Chief were always separated. When they had to be together, like in the car, they both had on basket muzzles. I sacrificed in a number of ways, so that I would not have to give up Chief.

This time, I couldn’t sacrifice any more. It was pretty obvious that Chief would not be adoptable. He was a danger to other dogs. Frankly, I was, for the first time, afraid for what could happen to me if he turned on me. I made the most difficult decision of my life and brought Chief in to be euthanized.

It was the worst thing I’ve ever been through. He ate treats out of my hand right up until his last breath, and then I just held him and cried. I feel like someone has torn out my heart. Chief was such a lover to me. He showered me with kisses every moment of the day, and his tail wagged so hard that the staff at the vet’s where I’d board him always said he left bruises from his tail wagging. He loved to curl up at my feet and would push my hand with his muzzle if the rubbing and petting stopped for too long. The bottom line is he just plain loved me. No matter what, good day or bad, he loved me. It doesn’t seem right that I could make the decision to end that love, but I did and now I have to live with that. There are all sorts of reasons that friends and family tell me I did the right thing. I’m not sure I believe any of them. I just know that I wish today would start over and everything would have been different.

As he took his last breath, I told him I loved him and that we’d be together again. I hope I was right.

My buddy Chief

Chief posing

Good bye Chief

Kiholo Bay, Hawaii

She said he was a great guy, and everyone loved him. He had a younger brother (in his 30′s) who is developmentally disabled. Although the brother lived in assisted living, apparently, this guy took his younger brother everywhere with him. He also donated his time to help the developmentally disabled. There were a number of developmentally disabled young people at the service. By all accounts, he was one of the good guys. I’m not sure why, but this news got me thinking. Here I am 43 years old. I cave dive pretty much every week, and lets face it, that is a risky sport. Aside from that, just like this guy, I could be gone for any number of reasons in the blink of an eye.

Kilhauea, Hawaii

So, what do we leave? What will we be remembered for? Who will miss us when we are gone? I know these aren’t earth shattering questions. I know we all ask them at various times in our lives. But what are the answers? Looking back, I can see that my answers have changed many times in my life. Sometimes, I’m not even sure I’ve known the answers.

At the stable

Right now, I know this…..I am in awe of the world we live in, the people we live with, and the mind numbing immensity of the universe. We are unique creatures. We are small and insignificant and huge and powerful at the same time. We are capable of great acts of heroism, simple acts of kindness, creative acts of beauty. We are able to stand on the edge of possibility and peer into a future that we decide. And in the end, we are ALL, every one of us, the same. We all have hopes, dreams and fears. We express them in as many different ways as stars in the sky, and in yet in the end, we are all part of the same planet, the same world, the same universe. Our diversity and unique nature make us awesome.

Sunrise at Aventuras Akumal, Mexico

So what do I leave? I hope some images that convey the beauty of this world. What will I be remembered for? Who knows, maybe a twisted sense of humor…. Who’ll miss me when I’m gone? Funny, it doesn’t matter. I’m concerned with the people in my life now, the people I know and love. I read this on the interweb the other day, and it is definitely a motto I want to follow:

It’s not the number of moments you breathe, it’s the number of moments that take your breath away.

Temple of Doom

Diver in NoHoch

So…I had no problem enlisting the services of Carlos and Roberto, our tank sherpas. Roberto was also our drivers, and Carlos came along on the rough days when we needed more tank assistance. These guys were amazing. They would throw a set of tanks on their back and then sprint to the water with them. They seemed to just float over the rooty rocky jungle paths. Truly amazing, and the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet. We got to the water, donned our gear and then slipped in and got ready for the dive. Tush Xubaxa is a Mexican power cave. Huge passages that are decorated with lots of stalactites and stalagmites. It was a breathtaking dive.

Divers making their way through the beautiful passages of NoHoch

After the dive we went just a few hundred feet up the jungle road and had lunch in the jungle. Empanadas with various meats and cheese and pico de gallo. It was another awesome jungle lunch. We relaxed and chatted in the jungle and then got ready for our afternoon dive at Tres Estrellas. The entrance was as beautiful as all the others will the bats and the cave, and the steps and the platforms. Every entrance to every cenote was different and each was stunning. This particular cave had lots of T’s some with lines going off and then just ending for no reason. It was tighter and siltier yet was still beautiful. After the dive we packed up and headed back up the jungle road to the Villas for dinner and relaxation.

More of the beautiful passage of NoHoch

The next day, our sixth and final day of diving was at NoHoch. NoHoch is a beautiful site. When you arrive, while you are gearing up, the tank helpers are owering your tanks down to the platform on a rope. You walk down the stairs and get geared up and then ready for the dive. Again, the cenote itself was beyond what words can describe. I was excited for this dive and sad at the same time, as it was to be our last dive of the trip. The dive was awesome. The cave was huge, one of th biggest we’d seen, and the decoration was just amazing. We stopped along the way to look at Drippy Dick which is a formation that looks just like, well you guessed it. Take a look at the photo and see for yourself.

Connie proudly displaying Drippy Dick

The cave was awesome. I know that these reports have a lot of “amazings” and “awesomes” and it’s too bad. Words do such a poor job of conveying the beauty of these underwater treasures. Even photos cannot capture the expansive beauty of these systems.

More beauty in NoHoch

After a great dive in NoHoch, we headed back to the Villa for lunch and then off to Tulum for some refreshments. I did a little shopping and haggled for a hammock and some shot glasses. I was offered the opportunity to buy some “good weed” on a number of occasions. Apparently, I look like a party animal Tulum was an awesome little Mexican town with great sights and smells. We all had a great time at the bar enjoying the sights and sounds of Tulum.

Our First Class guide, Connie LoRe

Morning came far too quickly, and it was time to load up the van and head to the airport. Alex said it best “I like arriving at the Villas de Rosa a lot better than leaving”. The flight to Orlando was smooth and even landed a little early. Now it’s back to the reality of work and home. Last night I dreamed I was diving in the cenotes and I woke up only to realize I was in my own bed. I’m pretty sure I’ll have CW (Cenote Withdrawl) for quite some time. I feel very fortunate that I got to go on this Mexican vacation with some great guys. I am forever grateful to Connie for th magic she performs every day keeping tings moving and getting us to the sites and guiding us. I can’t wait for my next trip, which needs to happed ASAP.

Entrance through the ceiling at Caracol

I had forgotten my booties at the Villas, which meant that I got to try something new, Croc diving. My Crocs, became my booties. They worked out pretty well, except my feet were sore by the end of the dive. OK, where were we? Oh yeah, wqe climbed down the ladder into the beautiful cenote. There were bats and tree roots, etc. It was really a beautiful scene. We dove the main line and it was just amazing. The cave was heavily decorated and white. Passages were big, although every now and then they pinched down, just to make sure you were paying attention.

World renown cave model, Jason at Caracol

After the dive, we changed and then headed over to the main palapa. There were a bunch of hammocks strung up and we took advantage of them. The day was sunny but not too warm, there was a nice breeze and the hammocks were comfortable. After a 30 minutes rest on the hammocks, it was time for lunch. Giant chicken wings, sausage, black beans, fire roasted potatoes, tortillas, chips and salsa. The meal was delicious. Sergio and Pep were great hosts and it was great meeting them.

Our awesome guide Connie LoRe at Caracol

After lunch a few of the guys rode the zip line down to the dry cave and took a walking tour of that. I should have, but I was wiped out and the hammock was calling my name. Another 30-45 minute siesta in the hammock and then it was time for the Mayan blessing in another cenote. Francisco did the blessing in Spanish and Mayan. While we were walking out of the cenote, we saw a spider monkey up in a tree, swinging along through the jungle. It was a great way to end our visit to Labna Ha.

Alex shooting video at Caracol

We headed back to the Villas de Rosa and got cleaned up for our afternoon “dry dive” at La Buena Vida. Located in Akumal, it is a great little beach bar with swings for bar seats. We all had a great time having a few decompression beverages and watching the scenery. The day ended like all the rest with a great dinner at the Villas and an evening of checking out photos, watching some weird shit on Nat Geo, and relaxing.

Divers in the distance at Pet Cemetery

After a while you come along a section where the water gets really tannic and you can feel the temperature changes, and then you are at the edge of the Blue Abyss. The abyss is a hole at least 100 feet across and over 200 feet deep. Once you start going down, you drop through a serious halocline and you are in salt water. The walls are pure white and the water is a clear blue. As we looked up, the second half of our group descended into the abyss. It was an amazing sight to see the divers dropping down through the halocline and into focus and then drop below us as we ascended through the halocline.

Divers entering Pet Cemetery

For the second dive, we headed up the Dark Side of the Moon line. This section was a little tighter than the first dive, but was still beautiful all the same. The formations in Mexico are just wild. The stalactites and stalagmites were formed over thousands of years, thousands of years ago. They are a window into the natural history of the area and I can honestly say, I’ve never seen anything as beautiful.

Diver working his way through the Dark Side of the Moon

Everyone seemed to enjoy both dives. We headed back to the villas for another great dinner and another evening of fish stories and twisted humor.

Connie LoRe, our fearless guide