Tag Archives: Snorkel

Watch the Manta Rays Go Round and Round…

Leave a reply

I don’t know about you, but I wanted to be an Oceanographer when I was in college – must have been sitting in the middle of a tax accounting class when I had that overwhelming desire.  Why do I bring this up?  I have always been fascinated by the sea and everything in it.

The Big Island (BI) is my favorite island in Hawaii..volcanoes, green sand beaches, rugged cliffs, lava, amazing golf courses and home to the phenomenal Iron Man competition.  BI is also the stomping grounds for Manta Rays, one of the largest fish in the ocean.  I hear they have wingspans of up to 20 feet – though I cannot confirm the stat via personal experience.  Have you ever seen these guys in action?  So graceful when navigating the big, blue magnificent ocean.  They also have incredibly large mouths so they can scoop up as much plankton as possible.  It is amazing to me that something so large can subsist on such minute bits of food.  I personally need a ribeye and a loaded baked potato – throw in some cheesecake and I am good to go.

If you happen to find yourself exploring the BI, one of the the best places to see these amazing creatures is off the Kona Coast. Specifically, just offshore at the  Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keahou Bay.  It sounds ridiculous but it’s true. In fact, the hotel has lights that shine at night so you can see them swimming from the viewing deck of the hotel.  The lights attract plankton like moths to a flame, thus drawing the Mantas into a feeding frenzy.

Photo: Courtesy of Mail Online.com (http://www.dailymail.co.uk)

If you want to get up close and personal with these gentle giants (assuming you are not a SCUBA diver), consider a snorkel tour with Hula Kai Adventures.   What is the scoop you ask?  Once the sun begins to set for the day, you hop on a boat which will take you about 100 yards away from shore, don a wetsuit (if needed), life jacket and snorkel gear and jump into the water.

Once in said water you hang on to a floatation device that looks similar to a raft and will be instructed to stretch out as far as possible, plank-like so the chance of accidentally touching the Mantas will be unlikely.  Your legs will be held up by the assistance of a ‘pool noodle’.  The tour operator will shine lights in the water to attract the plankton. Within 10 to 15 minutes a Manta will be inches from your face – and I mean inches. They got so close to me, I screamed in my snorkel which subsequently led to hysterical laughter as the sound was so ridiculous! They seem to be starving when they arrive – they will circle round and round like there is no tomorrow.   The tour lasts for about 90 minutes (varies) – just long enough in my opinion.  We had the opportunity to see 2 mantas, but there can be a heck of a lot more if you are lucky. If by chance you don’t see any, you can come back FOC.

It is definitely in the top 5 of things to do in Hawaii and most definitely in the top 25 of all time experiences.  I think this is the one time in my life where I regretted not buying the video :-/.

Noteworthy Information:  I have a propensity to get motion sickness so after watching these guys and gals go round and round for 60 minutes or so, I almost puked – but it was well worth it!

Get on the Life Bus and hang with the Manta Rays on the Big Island of Hawaii – you will not regret it!

Exploring Cenotes in Tulum, Mexico

Leave a reply

When I first saw the word Cenote, I immediately thought of a $100 bill.   After asking a Mexican local to repeat the word several times I finally learned how to properly say it (say-no-tay).  What is a Cenote?  It is an open water pool most likely formed from the collapse of the roof of a cave.  Over a period of roughly 6500 years, these geological events and other forces of nature created over 300 miles of interconnected passageways and cave systems in the Yucatan Peninsula. Cenotes are specific to this area and offer up the chance to explore crystal clear waters and encounter geological formations such as stalactites and stalagmites – some of the most unique natural wonders of the world.

Snorkeling or diving in one of these underground wonders is a must do if you are in or nearby Cancun, Cozumel, Playa or Tulum.  The one challenge you will face is determining which one to explore – there seems to be hundreds of them in the area. We asked a few American ‘locals’ and they all recommended Dos Ojos (Spanish for two eyes). Apparently there is an IMAX film floating around out there called ‘Journey into Amazing Caves’ that features Dos Ojos.  If you can find it, it will give you an idea of what to expect.  I have not seen it yet, but would say if it has an IMAX tag associated with it, it has to be pretty sensational.

Dos Ojos is one of the longest underwater cave systems in the world so it is primo for SCUBA diving.   If you don’t dive, don’t let this fact intimidate you, snorkeling is just as enjoyable.  If you SCUBA, you must have a guide, if you snorkel, you have the option of hiring a guide or going at it on your own.  I typically don’t enjoy the whole guide thing, but we decided to hire one anyway.  Mostly because we got there an hour before they closed and we wanted to maximize our visit and squeeze in as much snorkeling as possible.   It turned out to be a good idea as he took us to parts of the cave I am pretty sure I would not have ventured to for fear I would not get out alive.  It was totally cool – we saw the geological formations I noted above, and can fully validate the water is amazingly  crystal clear.  There is also a small bat population dwelling in the caves – I don’t know what it is, but I am always completely fascinated by those little creatures.

Key Tips:  The water temperatures are supposed to be constant at 77 F, but I found after an hour or so of being underground, I got a little chilly.  If you have a tendency to get cold, I would bring a swim shirt.   They do offer wetsuits but that seems to be a little excessive.  If there is a chance you are claustrophobic, let your guide know.  We found ourselves squeezing between some tight spaces that got my blood flowing.

Visiting the Yucatan Peninsula doesn’t have to be all about lying on the soft, white sand beaches and relaxing in the sun with a good book and a margarita in hand.  If the sound of that bores you in any way, you can get a bit of an adrenaline rush with visit to a Cenote.

The Awesomeness that is St. John’s USVI

4 Replies

Who knew that you could find quiet beaches, secluded hikes, pristine snorkeling, and an environmentally friendly resort in the Caribbean without shelling out hundreds of dollars a night? Todd and I certainly didn’t until we happened upon St. John’s USVI and the Concordia Eco Resort.[slideshow]

On a whim, Todd and I decided to go to the Caribbean over Christmas. Not exactly the cheapest place to visit that time of year! Just as we thought it wouldn’t work out,  without a huge financial commitment, we came upon an article I had torn out about snorkeling Waterlemon Cay on St. John’s and the Concordia Eco Resort.  We called immediately and, as luck would have it, they had one room left for the nights of our trip.

We couldn’t have imagined a better Caribbean experience.  Even at the busiest time of year in the Caribbean, we found ourselves frequently alone on hikes and on beaches.  Thanks to philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, approximately two thirds of St. John’s is preserved as a US National Park.  This means that for most of the island there are few roads, mega resorts, mobs of sunburned tourists, or drunk cruise ship passengers over running your paradise.  Cruz Bay, despite being a port town,  is remarkably laid back and retains it’s charm.  Coral Bay, on the opposite side of the island, is even smaller and more laid back than Cruz Bay.  It does have amazing dining, however.  (See Food Finds post on restaurants here).

So, what to do while you are on this paradise?  The options are numerous but here are some of the things we did which turned out to be fabulous!  Waterlemon Cay surpassed our expectations for snorkeling.  To get to Waterlemon Cay, you hike along a beautiful trail around Leinster Bay.  You can snorkel all the way around Waterlemon Cay but be mindful that with strong winds, the far side can be a bit rough for a novice swimmer.  Be sure to bring a picnic lunch and sunscreen.  Combine this with a hike up to the Anneberg Ruins for an amazing day of sun, snorkeling, views, and sheer Caribbean beauty.

The Reef Trail hike was a beautiful hike where you can get some good exercise.  Todd and I started at Little Lamshur beach and hiked up.  There was actually a decent amount of elevation gain on this hike.  We made it to the old plantation ruin, covered in a beautiful pink vine, before it got too late.   Little Lamshur is in the national park, it is a rather quiet beach.  At dusk, when Todd and I found ourselves alone on this beach, we threw caution to the wind and skinny dipped!!  The road to the beach is a bit bumpy but well worth the ride.  (4×4 may be advisable.)

Then of course there is Trunk Bay, Hawksnest, Cinnamon, and Maho Bay.  These have all been written about extensively and rightly so.  Beautiful, beautiful beaches.  FYI – Trunk Bay does get a lot of day-trippers from the cruise ships.  We went here later in the afternoon and had the beach all to ourselves.  No skinny dipping this time.

Driving is of course a small thrill unto itself on St. John’s.  You drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is also on the left.  Not too bad getting used to.  The roads are narrow two lane roads with sharp turns and 20% grades.  Nothing scary, just fun.  4×4 totally the way to go.

Last but not least, is our awesome hotel the Concordia eco resort.  Concordia is not for someone seeking a luxury 5 star Caribbean hotel experience. Concordia is a special place for so many other reasons. The location of this resort is unbeatable. Concordia is near Coral Bay.  Even though it’s only approximately 12 miles across this island, the steep, narrow, curvy roads make it hard to drive faster than 10 mph. Most people don’t even venture over to this side of the island.  The Coral Bay side of St. John’s is so much quieter you feel almost like you are alone in the Caribbean. The USVI National Park lies between the two sides of the St. John’s.  www.concordiaeco-resort.com/

Todd and I stayed in Premium Eco Tent #19.  A permanent canvas tent with everything a happy camper could want.  Full pan and dish set with 2 cooking burners, a sink for washing dishes, a cooler chest for food / beverages, a separate smaller building with solar shower / WC, and endless beautiful scenery. Potable water stations are located everywhere.  The way the tents are situated it is almost impossible to have any of your neighbors get a glimpse of you unless they are really motivated to do so.  Given the secluded setting of each tent, you can (and should) unzip all of the walls of your tent and let the amazing breezes blow through your tent along with the sounds of the sea and the glimmer of the stars.    In the event  you don’t feel like leaving this great place, the food here is very good as well.

St. John’s was a serendipitous, spur of the moment Life Bus experience.  One I could repeat year after year!  Enjoy this Caribbean jewel.  Oh yeah, don’t forget to keep a look out for the donkeys and sheep that roam the island freely.