vseasport - 3-13-2009 at 04:25 PM
When I arrive back here after a couple of months away I like to go for a nice easy check out dive just to re-familiarise myself with everything. Cerro
Verde, our dive site just north of Los Barriles, is ideal for this because it's sheltered from the elements, starts off shallow and gently slopes down
just about as far as one might care to go. Barely two minutes into the dive and the familiar shadow of a Diamond Stingray lurking on the sandpatch
informed me that I was back where I belong, under the ocean surrounded by blissful blue solitude with just the ever present sound of my bubbles and my
silent underwater neighbours for company. Revisiting my favourite haunts along the reef provided me with the opportunity to check out some of those
old friends. Several large Green and Jewel Morays peered out from under rocks, I figured they must have missed me as much as I missed them as all of
them allowed me to pet them gently as I passed by, albeit rather tentatively I must add! Down at 60 feet the water temperature was a cool 67'
Fahrenheit with visibility of 25 - 30 feet, perfect for hovering above the reef and letting life pass me by. Grunts arrowed down past my head from all
angles, Garden Eels danced in the sand and together with my dive partner, Becky, slowly waltzed amidst it all....enjoying it to the full! Highlight of
the dive for me was the stunning Juvenile Cortez Angel fish, watchfully chaperoned by it's parent. It has yellow and blue curved bars on the rear
portion of it's body so brightly coloured that a Jackson Pollock would appear dull in comparison, truly a magnificent fish. Fully satisfied and
heading back to shore, we were greeted by a solitary Smoothtail Mobular Manta Ray on our safety stop. It duly obliged us by circling around for the
whole three minutes and almost seemed disappointed when we waved our farewells and slowly headed back up to the surface, to the real world where
unfortunately we truly belong!
24baja - 3-13-2009 at 05:14 PM
I have never learned how to scuba, I have only snorkeled but I feel that through your description I was seeing what you see and feeling what you feel.
You have a wonderful way with words.