SHAA……...R….K!!!
-John Eickert
Our planet abounds with life, on the surface, in the air and beneath the waves. I like to snorkel and I like to scuba dive. It fascinates me to drift beneath the surface in warm water and let the current take me over coral
reefs. I have tried cold-water dives, thick wet suits, headgear and gloves, but the cold creates a distraction for me and I do not enjoy it. So, I am very much a warm water, shallow water, coral reef diver.
One of my favorite places for this type of dive is off the coast of the Quintana Roo province of Mexico, a long strip of jungle front beach, covering ancient limestone creating some of western shore of the Caribbean
then giving way to the sea and crystal clear waters. No rivers flow out of the jungle and with the strong current through the Yucatan channel, it is possible to lay on your back on the sea floor and watch those in a boat above, 150 feet away. Divers, as well
as beach goers and sun worshippers from all over the globe flock to this part of Mexico. Cancun hosts so many high-rise beach resorts, but Cozumel is more humble and the center for scuba dive activities.
In the morning, you board the dive boat and the dive master gives instruction and details of the day then asks each to choose a dive partner. Before long, the dive boat idles to a stop and everyone puts on his or her scuba
equipment. One by one the divers fall back into the water, find their dive partner then descend to follow the dive master through the maze of reefs and underwater grottos. My favorite place to dive off Cozumel is Palancar reef, a marine national park. Here
there are large lobster, skates, rays, eels, and vibrant tropical fishes all colors of the rainbow and spectacular.
On my last Palancar dive, my partner was a funny joke telling man from Singapore and he was an excellent dive partner. Near the end of our second morning dive, the group split apart in an area of large limestone sea stacks.
Some began to ascend, the dive boat was above and waiting. My partner and I swam round a sea stack and came face to face with a seven-foot white tipped reef shark. The shark froze and hovered and so did we. Our dive master had explained that sharks were rare
in these waters because the water was too warm. We waited. The shark waited then angled his fins, observed us again then with a flick of its tail, it was gone. During the next month, I woke from sleep many times after dreaming of those gray lifeless eyes staring
at me as if I were a snack.
The Indian Ocean has many famous dive sights and I hope to dive a number of them one day. I hope some of you will join me, until then take care, cheers.
Visit a Marine National Park in India!! Click here