Cozumel, Mexico

We arrived in Cozumel, Mexico today.  I can’t deny that I had most been looking forward to this day of the seven days on the cruise.  It was the one and only day that we would be able to dive as a family with the Lees.  Johannah and I finally had our C-cards in hand, and we were all signed up for a two-tank dive in the azure blue waters of Cozumel.  I had it all worked out with David, how we would get our Christmas card picture for 2011 under the water J

I could hardly sleep, and like the night before, was up early, anticipating the dive.  I was a bit alarmed when I walked out on deck at sunrise to find the wind gusting and to see white caps on the water.  John sensed my nervousness and quieted any worries that the kids about the weather too.  I knew that the dive definitely wasn’t going to be the serene experience of Grand Cayman or Isla Roatan, but as I had already learned, 10 feet under the water is a completely different world from the one up above.  No worries, right?

We got everything ready, including covering every inch of skin in sunscreen.  The dive bag was packed, we ate breakfast, and we left the cruise ship.  Whoa—we could hardly walk upright as we headed towards the shore.  The wind was really blowing.

We saw our diving group ahead, but there was no leader, or tour guide, or dive master with them.  The looks on everybody’s faces said it all—the dive was cancelled due to the wind.  I can’t begin to describe the disappointment we all felt—it was the last dive of the trip, and we were finally going to be together.  Too, David had told us of the beautiful creatures to be seen under the water here.

Yesterday, we had done everything we could to find a diving outfit that would take us out in Belize.  We had walked all over looking and had found nothing.  We figured it would be the same in Cozumel, so we headed back to the ship to shower, change and head out to see the city.

Two hours later, we were headed into the city via taxi, and we were amazed to see scuba center after diving center after scuba shop lining the main road into town.  We realized that we might have lost a golden opportunity.

Lunch was heaven.  We actually ate at the smallest Hard Rock Café in the world!  We have made it a family tradition to eat at any and/or all HRCs that we find, but this one was a treasure.  

The pina colada was LEGIT!  

The waiter gave us a look when Glo ordered the nachos, but it wasn't until we saw the huge plate of them that we realized Glo might have literally "bit off more than she could chew".  

The ceiling was painted with a scuba scene, and the people were friendly.  Too, unlike every other HRC, this one was light and airy with windows opening onto the ocean.  I say again—there is a reason that people who live in warm climates are happier than those of us who don’t J

We decided to hoof it back to one or two of the scuba places we’d seen on the road.  You can’t possibly imagine our disappointment when we found out that they had had dives running all day—one at 8:30 a.m., one at 11:00 a.m., and there were people out on the shore at that exact moment going out.  Are you kidding me?

We looked around one of the shops and saw a log book that listed 40 individual dives to be found around the island.  Amazing fish, turtles, rays, coral.  It was one of those moments where we wished we could have rewound back to the morning.  We could almost taste the salt water in our regulators….

The kids at least took home diving jackets from Cozumel, but I wouldn't let them buy a patch since we didn't actually dive.

The only good part that came from missing the dive is that we are determined, now more than before, to come back soon and take that dive.  And another.  And another….