At the ferry terminal we are bombarded with vendors offering tickets to any number of excursions, each claiming they have the best prices. But we have the goods and find our man Marco, who sets us up with five tickets for snorkeling and a discount on the ferry crossing. We line up for the Catamaran with about 50 other adventure seekers.
The trip across is about 30 minutes an a little rocky. The Catamaran is a bit wobbly in the surf. But the breeze is nice and the view is pleasant.
Once off the ferry, we get across the terminal bridge in search of our snorkeling charter. No easy task as two boat loads of people are off and anxious to get started too. Bill is in the lead, as he marshals us onward to meet our 11 am deadline! Upon arrival, we learn that we have to wait for more of the passengers to arrive. So we cross the street to wait in the shade...the sun is beating down today. When we finally pile into the boat there are 20 of us, and we blast off to the first of three reef visits.
Captain Omar is cautious at the helm, as we have a full boat and the waves a bit choppy. The Dive instructor goes through the general welcome and advises the best way to get your snorkel and mask on. There are a few novices to snorkeling (and judging by the angry red sunburns, they are new to the Mexican Peninsula!) At our first drop spot, Bill is the eager beaver and launches in to the sea behind our guide. I am next, but as I hit the water, my cap and mask come shooting off. A few tense moments as I am not sure which to save....the mask starts to sink, so both myself and the guide dive to retrieve it (I got it!). So snorkeling without my hat - not good!
Everyone in the water, we are off to see the fishes!
There are lots to see, and Pamela tries to catch a few!
We all load back into the boat and head off to the next reef. A shallow spot further up the coast.
This spot is a bit better, with many colorful fish. The dive master has a secret though...he has bits of fish food in his pockets! The fish swarm around and everyone is clicking away.
Onward to the last dive spot. A deeper area, with some heavy waves. This spot doesn't have as many fish, but the ones that are there are dark and colorful. Bill decides to have some fun on his entry!
After the dive, it is Cervezas and music on our way back to the dock. Our Captain stops at a side of the beach to point out a restaurant and promises the best Lobster you've ever had. They have showers there as well as a free drink if you mention his name. We decide the offer of a rinse is too good to pass up, so we make out way to the little yellow building (Toro's Place). It is not much to look at, and is pretty much deserted, so we are a little leery. Everyone cleans up and we decide to stay and give it a try. We order some share plates and get our free Margaritas!
The food is pretty good. We share a dozen soft tacos (the Lobster Taco's were the best!) and enjoy the open atmosphere. Bill can't finish his Margarita, too strong for him!
After lunch we hit the streets of Cozumel. Looking for shops and more adventure. Unfortunately, the water activities and blazing heat has taken our adventure and we stumble from shaded areas to A/C shops trying to muster the energy to shop. In the end, we decide to catch the 4 pm ferry back to the mainland, so we say goodbye to Cozumel.
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