Hey all!

I have another lifetime favorite dive!!!   The Labyrinth/Pretty Bush on Utila, Bay Islands Honduras!!!  Waay kewl.  (Course with a name like that...)  Dove it twice, I could dive ther everyday for a year and not get tired of it!  Labyrinth  is the sort of dive where you have to be aware of buoyancy and technique every second of the dive or the reef will tell you about it (and show you those big puffs of sand where your fin wash hit) Oh look, a pretty fish! Crash, silt, shucks!   Pretty Bush is just plain pretty, tongue and groove, hmmm, where did they get that name from?, The tops of the reef were very fishy.  Went to Roatan with So Calif Barnacle Busters (lesbian and gay) and then went on to Utila by myself. I DO like Coco View resort and the south side diving MUCH better than the West End and resorts on the North Side.

I think I dove with Chico's in PV. Did you have a good trip?

Debbie 

Hey what's up next Friday will be in flying out for Mexican Riviara cruise with Olivia.  Will not be scuba diving there, but have booked my trip for scuba diving in cozumel Feb. 21-Mar. 03 with the dive shop.  Will be there for half of Carnival, I love cozumel it is a good time and the diving is great.  have a good one.

Lisa

I checked in with Caicos Adventures and they have stated that the reefs are undamaged.

The visibility is still a bit cloudy but they expect it to return to the normal great visibility by the end of the month. 

They have been great at keeping me updated.  So it looks like diving conditions will be good while we are there.

 

Heidi

Have been busy planning and researching my upcoming trip, so have not checked in for awhile.  The Grand Turks and the general area has been hit hard by the hurricanes, was planning on diving there, but think that the reefs are pretty torn up.  Working on my own idea of an excursion, will let you know when it and if it will happen. 

Hope all is well with all of you diver gals, any new stories to tell?

Ok, have a great nite/day.

Inde

 

Oh the 4 am thing can be a bit rough at times, exspecially if you don't get to bed early enough not so hard in the winter summer time tend to stay up a little bit later.  I guess we are going to be in port at PV for 16 hours.  Were thinking of doing the zip line but decided against doing that think just take it as it comes????  This has been harder to pick excursions normally do scuba or snorkeling nothing planed on this one going to kayak in mazatlan.  Maybe we can rent surf boards somewhere? Have to wait and see.  No we will do some shopping.  I am enjoying the day off you take care.

Lisa

So sweet, great to be able to cash that in, sure will come in handy with the way airfare is going.   I wish I had a lifetime airline pass, lol, would make flying places so much easier.  I usually plan my trips a year ahead, but not sure what I will be doing come next November, so far Olivia has not posted any trips during that time, think there may be one, but not one I want to do.  Will have to start thinking of another thing to do if nothing is offered during that month of November. 

Ok, gotta hit the hay, very early start time for me tomorrow, 4 am will be here b/4 I want it to.

Inde

Thanks for the info Inde appreciate it.  Still waiting on Cozumel to announce their Carnival to book.  I just accumulated enough points with my charge card to get 500.00 free airfare.  Cashed in 500.00 when we went to Hawaii they are changing point system Sept 29 so hope to get it booked before then.  You take care.

Lisa

How nice, 15 dives in Cozumel, oh I envy you two.  Yes, there are the waterfront shops and then there are the flea market shops, and of course the beach vendors.    I spent most of my time in the old part of PV, lots of lil shops, good prices and friendly people.  I did get into the market area for a short time, but found the old town was less populated and really gives one the feeling of being on an ol time vacation.   Really no matter where you go there is shopping, but do try to get to the flea market and just a few blocks away and across the lil bridge is old town, so hope you can get over there to shop and eat.  the bus system is good and easy to use, and almost everyone speaks English.  If you take a taxi, make sure they do speak English and first ask them how much b/4 you take off to your destination.  If you speak Spanish, then everything is so much easier, but PV is very Americanized, so to speak.

Enjoy the day, catch ya later.

Inde

 

Wow you kept yourself pretty busy, it sounds like you had a good time..  We are going to PV on the Mexican riviera cruise only in port for four hours.  Partner wants to shop around town is there a whole lot to see in the town, or decent shopping?  The other two stops we will do excursions.  Thank we will do some kayaking and I was going to check into sufing.  We did that while vacationing in Maui and really enjoyed it.  We are probably more then likely be going in Feb. 2009 the date is not exact as they have not anounced carnival for 2009 it is normally the week leading up to fat tuesday which is Feb. 24, but they have there elections this year so it has not yet been anounced still waiting.  We had such a good time there last summer we went with the dive shop.  We did 15 dives very inexspensive you cant beat the price or the beauty cozumel has.

Take care

Lisa

Stayed at a Resort down in Nuevo, about 30 minutes North of PV.  I arrived a few days b/4 the event and stayed in old town PV at a small boutique hotel.  Run by two gay guys, about ten blocks up from the beach in old town.  Very nice place, all newly built, called the Adagio.  Very quite and in the heart of it all, loved it, will stay there again when I return, or may rent a condo on the beach. 

Oh yes, there are several ziplines to chose from.  I went with Vallarta Adventures for all of my excursions.  Very professional and great trips.  Did the Canopy zipline and did the Outdoor Adventure zipline, repell a waterfall, ride a mule kind of excursion.  Was a blast!!  Really liked the outdoor adventure trip, but it was a long full day, so be ready for an all day event.  Also did some diving, water was a bit murky, did para sailing, swim with the dolphins, swim with the sealions, did the Rhythms of the Night tour, that was great! 

There is so much to do down there, wish I could of stayed longer, as it was I stayed an extra few days to boot.   When are you going to PV?  When do you go to Cozumel?

Ok, gotta hit the hay, catch ya later1

Inde

Thanks for the info,  we are going to just do some shopping and leave the scuba gear at home since we are doing the Cozumel thing wish they would hurry up and announce the carnival for 2009, getting excited.  You will have fun on 35th we did those ports on our last cruise.  Did you do cruise when you went to PV, and was the ziplining on one of the excurions my partner mentioned doing that?  welp you take care

Lisa

Drats, I did get a 2fer, but not be going, should but have my time slated for the 35th Birthday Bash in Nov., Thanksgiving week.  

Did dive in PV, the equipment was fine, went thru Valllarta Adventures, very big company and very well organized trips.  If you go with a company via the cruise ship, all is good.  Have fun!!!  Envy is oozing out of me.  And Cozumel, nice!!  When I was in PV, in Nov., the water vis. was only about 20 to 100 feet, not really very clear. winter runoff.  The town area that mos people go to is the main street/vendor row of goods in the newer part of the city.  Can go see liz Taylor/Richard Burton's house, I missed out on getting there.  Ziplining is fun, but with only four hours in port, makes it hard to get a hold on anything.  Those short stays in port really are not a service to the guest.  Good luck on choosing what to do. 

ok, stay in touch and enjoy life to the fullest.

Inde

Hey there Inde you going to Puerta Vallarta on the  Olivia women and sports mexican riviaira?  My Partner and I booked it a couple of weeks ago.  We got a pretty good deal on a two for one.  It was kinda unexpected just got back from Hawaii and then we are going to Cozumel as soon as they anounce carnival which will probably be in Feb.  going with our dive shop.  We had such a woderful time last June when we went.  We were painting the house when the two for one came that will make you think you need a vacation real quick.  Have you dove in Cabo San Lucas or mazatlan or puerto vallarta.  We were going to dive there hated to go and not take scuba gear.  Then I read there is not really any good scuba diving over there then the boat only stays in Puerto vallarta four hours my partner would like to shop and see the place.  Just wondered if you dove there or was going to be on this cruise?

Happy, happy scuba divers, great to read some wonderful stories here!!  It is always exciting to be able to travel upon anothers coat tails when one is stuck in the hum drum.  Thanks to all of you gals for sharing your adventures with us, Hawaii sounded like fun!!!!  Way to get so much done, did you get to relax at all?  LOL.

Ok, well this weekend I will be out river rafting.  Looking forward to being on my favorite rivers, the "Wenatchee".   It is my favorite for commercial guide trips.  Lots to see, on the river and along the river.  The weather is to be in the high 70's, hope so, but the river will be cold, so no 3 mil shortie for me.  Have to don a wet suit, my dry suit, the zipper is toast, repair time, or I may just buy a new suit.  Liking the later one.

Ok, best get back to planning the weekend trip. 

I can hardly wait for my trip to the Caribbean in Nov.!!  Warm water, warm everything!

Later, Inde