The Aggressor 11: Turks and Caicos, May 14th-21^st 2011

By Imogen Simpson-Mowday

The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II is described on the company website as offering a week of “thrilling wall diving along the coasts of Providenciales, West Caicos and French Caye”. It goes on to say that “the sheer walls of Providenciales begin at 40 feet, plunging into the deep blue abyss and include crevasses and ledges that are decorated with huge orange Elephant Ear sponges, Gorgonians and Crimson Rope Sponges”. I set off last May to explore how the scuba diving matched up to this description. I was pretty excited when I downloaded the itinerary and the dive map, as this was to be my second only liveaboard and my first time on board an Aggressor. The Aggressor fleet sits at the upper end of many scuba divers budgets and I was keen to see what distinguishes the company’s service and sets it above the rest.

Discovered in the Atlantic in 1512 by the explorer Ponce de Leon The Turks & Caicos Islands are the pinnacles of two plateaus which come up out from the deep. The larger of the island chains is the Caicos, which centres on Caicos Bank (see map supplied by the Aggressor). The island groups are separated by waters, which plummet to over a thousand feet. For many years the Turks and Caicos Islands were uninhabited by colonisers until salt collectors from Bermuda arrived in 1678. Salt production then became big business and flourished until recently in many islands such as Salt Cay and Grand Turk where the remnants of the historical industry are still easy to spot. Now the population of around 14,0000 is based on the economic mainstays economy of tourism (especially scuba diving, snorkeling and beach holidays) as well as financial services as the islands are tax-free. Politics in the islands are not always without disputes or issues and at present the islands are a British dependency with the main seat of government located in Grand Turk in Cockburn Town, which although tiny and sleepy in comparison to the ever-popular Providenciales, remains the capital of the islands.

The Turks and Caicos Aggressor heads out from the harbor in Providenciales on a Saturday and customers are offered up to five dives a day from the Sunday through to Thursday. On the final Friday two dives are available usually before the ship returns to the harbor when guests can explore the town before complimentary cocktails or wine and cheese is served back on deck on their final evening.

Throughout the week guests are fully catered for with full and continental breakfasts, different daily menus with a hot sweet morning snack, a buffet lunch, a savory afternoon snack, a three course nightly dinner with drinks (for those not choosing to undertake the night dives), hot chocolate and further sweet snacks post night dive. The chef (the lovely Jeff) is particularly renowned and his cooking was outstanding. Considering the size of his floating kitchen he never failed to satisfy more than our appetites, our calorific needs, nutritional balances, dietary whims and array of palates. Given that he has to cater for a range of tastes, I found his cuisine delicious, varied and globally themed. It would be hard to beat his soups, salads and desserts all of which were truly outstanding.

In between courses I had to remind myself I was actually on a dive trip rather than a culinary adventure and my primary interest was in sampling the diving. I was to discover that the dive sites on the menu were all of a high calibre and several became firm favorites with me. The range of spots was fantastic and the Captain and crew were always one step ahead of the weather and the tides, ensuring that we were taken to the best sites for each day’s conditions. Nor did we ever bump into another boat’s divers. We dived at too many sites to describe each in detail, but they were as follows: Rock and Roll (French Cay), Double D, G.Spot, White Sand Spit, The Anchor (West Caicos), Driveway (West Caicos), Gullies, RGI, Shark Hotel, The Dome and Black Forest. On most days I enjoyed four dives, sometimes five when I took up the night dives on offer. On all the dives I never felt like we were being given a ‘filler’ site and given my background diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans this area of the Atlantic actually outstripped my expectations. Another of the fantastic elements of the trip was the enthusiasm of the other divers to simply keep diving. Life on board really did revolve around the ocean, with plenty of in-between dive slide shows and time spent together poring over photographs.

Rather than describe each day and site the following is a selection of the delicacies we sampled from the smorgasbord of dives we tasted (luckily we all dived well within our limits so there was not much tasting of anything peculiar brought on by going too deep or exceeding any limits though).  The routine was well explained before we all took our first plunge and from then on in it ran like clockwork. Frequently, it was Christopher, the cameras and I, who were ‘Continental’ with our timing, and the last ones in and out of the sea.

I especially enjoyed Shark Hotel (on day six) where I dived to my deepest yet via a beautiful swim through a hole in a shelf of coral. We popped out and swam back up to find Chef Jeff merrily zapping the invasive and colonizing lion fish with a small underwater crossbow (a Hawaiian sling). I watched entranced, as pools of blood from the Indian Ocean indigenous fish oozed out in soft clouds of green, enticing in local sharks for a clearing up feast. In the background, sunlight described the outlines of fine grey feather stars inhabiting violet colored coral whips. It was great to see that Jeff, the chef who took such pride in the creation of five daily meal extravaganzas, was enjoying some time out hunting. I thought that really in a way all divers are hunters. We quest for experiences, new species, novel destinations, and previously unknown things. Underwater photographers are even more akin to the hunting type, although nothing dies: creatures are captured in lenses and digital prints. Some images are simple aide memoirs, others document loss and change, disease, growth, record declining species, habitat alterations and fluctuating conditions. Favorite pictures become akin to a diver’s family album as divers frequently empathize deeply and ‘see’ marine creatures differently to non-divers.

                                                          

 

That week, I could have so easily lost track of where I began and ended, where my fingers and toes were located, and my name, where I was from… Floating, lying supported by the sea, simply drifting in the blue staring out into a block of color time stops and the body is suspended and supported in an incomparable way. Nothing can match the sensations of scuba diving. Well, perhaps falling from a plane in slow motion could be a little like it, but there is something particularly unique about the properties of the ocean’s waters that I find it hard to locate words for. Scuba diving is after all such a non-verbal activity where all communication is done through signs, gestures or notes scribbled onto white boards, it is best transmitted via photographs. Yet, even underwater photography cannot always speak for itself, hence I can justify writing this column to compliment the exquisite pictures provided by the photographer Christopher Bartlett.

Our first dives were at French Cay where we dived at Double D, Rock and Roll, G-Spot and West Sand Spit over our first two days. First up was Rock and Roll where the wall topped out at 40 feet (thirteen meters ish) and the site was awash with large barrel sponges, pillar and Elkhorn corals. This site is renowned as a place where many divers see juvenile lobsters and young barracuda by day. I personally enjoyed meeting a few Caribbean reef sharks, silvery and slick looking barracuda, shrimp, eagle rays, boxfish, various triggerfish, elongated and colorful arrays of pipefish, a spotted burr fish or porcupine fish, honeycomb cowfish, queen triggerfish, bearded fire worms, yellow headed jawfish, shoaling horse eye jacks, a hawksbill turtle, angelfish, stingrays, box fish, pipefish, Wahoo and Sargasso seaweed. The strong current was harder work than most dives but well worth the effort to see all the life at the site. My dive buddy also identified a bearded fire worm for the very first time too.

Double D was up next (the two outcrops were named after the bra size by a female captain with a sense of humor). We dived this site twice (a few hardy souls also made it out for their fifth and final dive that day as an after supper night dive which they described as blissful as the strong current present during the day had subsided under the light of the soon to be full moon). There, by day, we had close encounters with small relaxed Caribbean reef sharks, where we spotted lobster, jaw fish, the sharks again, spotted eagle rays, a nurse shark and tiger grouper against a backdrop of delicately spreading black (red) gorgonian fans. Spotted eagle rays, Wahoo, angelfish, lobster, jaw fish and scores of shoals of reef fish hung out in the strong current at the edge of the wall and we found a medium sized hawksbill turtle who had positioned himself perfectly into a niche at the top of the wall from where it could enjoy the view of divers speeding past on their return to the boat.

Then we all headed off to locate the G-Spot! Luckily we all kept our kit on and witnessed Caribbean reef sharks who became almost daily and constant easy companions, nurse sharks, tiger groupers and huge black gorgonian fans (actually of course these are red as it is the effect of being underwater that causes the perceived color shift). Our second dive at G-Spot included a curious baby hawksbill turtle, rays (some of which were huge with intricate designs embellishing their skins like tribal tattoos) and a very clever peacock flounder whose colors were concealed in what really is a very beautiful dive site.

Beauty was in abundance. I was quite surprised, as I had somehow expected the region to be less colorful than other dive spots I have been privileged to see worldwide. Overall, the colors seemed very purple and one of the great features of the dive sites was the sponges. Throughout my other trips as well in the Turks and Caicos, the sponges certainly stood out, often because they were also blatantly phallic and funny. On several occasions, I am sure I narrowly avoided swallowing water whilst laughing out loud at their shapes and the mischievous look in Christopher’s eyes. Even at 30 meters he never fails to spot a potentially funny or rudely shaped thing! The Anchor was one such site where we encountered enormous barrel sponges, strands of fine whip coral, pore sponges, red pore rope sponges, giant barrel sponges all hosts to the passing traffic of a small moray eel and several Caribbean reef sharks.

The trip was all about the ocean but not just about scuba diving and other activities, such as fishing, were offered. So, once we have visited the G-Spot site twice, Christopher and I jumped onto the little boat and headed out to try our hand at catching supper. Both averse to large scale wasteful fishing practices, this was a real insight for me personally into how to really fish for your supper in a sensible and sustainable way. We caught very little and what we did not want to eat, what was too small basically, had the hooks removed by our expert guide and were gently replaced into the sea to swim off and live to tell the tale. I was successful catching a few Spanish mackerel which were duly prepared as part of a delicious meal later.

On another day after discovering some of Christopher’s cameras favorite friends, the shrimps, (this time Peterson’s Shrimps) I headed out for a boat ride to a white sand strip with some of the guests and crew. After we had all posed about on this tiny white strip worthy of a shipwreck tale or Vogue fashion shoot, I felt my competitive edge creep in. Our guide, Mario, a somewhat younger, and fitter, looking Colombian opponent, announced he was going to be swimming back to the Aggressor. Unable to resist I sneaked in a, (goggle-free and bikini clad) head start as he fetched his goggles and took up the chase. Half way in I realized the real distance (about a 20 minute swim) in the open Atlantic Ocean with the Midday sun relentless above and the unknown deep beneath my beating legs. Unrelenting, I buried my face in the light waves and tried not to drink too much salt water, lengthening my stroke and front crawling closer to the ship. By then quite a few fellow passengers had gathered on deck and I could see they were enjoying the ‘race’. Quite unfairly, I beat Mario hands down and although I cheated no one seemed to care, whilst he was very sporting about being ‘beaten’ by an older lady.

Quite aside from swimming, fishing, snoozing on the sun deck, bathing in the hot tub and eating, of course we were just diving and diving some more. Everyone got on with their own dives and organized themselves under the ever watchful, expert, but nicely slightly-at-a-distance dive guides, who always gave excellent dive briefings and then although ever present in the water let us all explore and experience life under the waves in our own ways. With quite a few photographers in the sea often the pace of the divers was quite different but everyone was keen to find each other to point out new discoveries and share a great new photographic opportunity.

 

The guests were all smashing companions. Many were family pairs or couples some of whom chose regularly to go on dive vacations together. Several female guests kindly shared their views with me and some of their comments follow. For, the lovely Suzanne Carasso, this was her first time aboard an Aggressor and it exceed her expectations.  Primarily because she felt she had experienced “solid diving on every single dive”. She explained to me that she would happily dive every single dive again without a problem. For Suzanne, “it was the way it was all put together, the boat, the crew, the beautiful location” which meant that  “the stars were all aligned for a great trip”. Suzanne had already dived during several trips to various spots throughout the Caribbean. She started out on the Aggressor having already done over 100 dives so she did already have a good base on which to compare the trip. For her, this trip more than measured up. She absolutely loved G-Spot and White Face. Overall it was the abundance of beautiful walls, superb visibility and the frequent sharks, which impressed her. Suzanne had not seen sharks so regularly before. Previously she only had only seen sharks when there was a large barrel of chum in the water. So for her she was thrilled to naturally encounter the sharks on the walls and reefs on almost every dive. She loved the pretty Drum fish, the beautiful coral walls, and the novel experience of being in a cabin rather than a hotel, the company and diversity of the other clients. She also loved the food, even catching a few recipes from Chef Jeff, which he generously shared. For a discerning customer who likes to dive several times a year her recommendations come pretty highly ranked.

So too do her Californian friend’s Lara Schindler’s views. Lara told me she “boarded the boat as a Type A, workaholic, worrywart.  As soon as we left port, I was able to leave all those unsavory traits behind.  Everything was thought of and taken care of by the crew.  I simply had to relax and “be”.  The dives were incredible, the food was fabulous, and the service was amazing.  I feel lucky to have spent a week of my life on the Aggressor and experience everything it had to offer. I leave enriched, rejuvenated, and happy”.

I also spoke to their friend Priscilla who travelled with Lara and Suzanne and their partners on this trip. Priscilla had never been on a live-aboard and she arrived knowing that this would be an intense diving trip, lodging, food, diving all right there at her fingertips. This was her first experience outside of a dive resort as she had done about seven such trips like that around the world previously to places like Fiji and the Caribbean. They had all decided as a group to explore the liveaboard idea and to “splurge a little bit”.  For her too it was an “absolute success”. She thinks her expectations were met. In terms of diving she did the amount of diving she wanted to do. She chose to do three dives a day, two days she did four dives and she liked the flexible schedule and the fact she could choose so freely. On the topic of sharks she thought it was great that there were sharks on most dives naturally and of course some sharks were encouraged by the shark triangle. In Roatan (Honduras, Bay Islands) she had seen the sharks which are conditioned to the divers and she felt that here it was a much more low key approach to the sharks which allowed the sharks and divers to feel comfortable around each other. Priscilla also enjoyed the laid back but supportive approach to the diving, feeling that you are given the freedom to explore with your buddy on your own but with “good dive instructors and briefings” and so it was left “up to the individuals to explore and so it challenging without being uncomfortable”.  Overall, she relaxed and felt stress free enjoying the diving and the “killer desserts”. For her all the little touches added up to make the live aboard comfortable like having a hairdryer (even though she was in the sea so much that she never used it!). Being able to kick back and relax and not have to bring or wear fancy suits was bliss.

In summary, we all seemed to feel that the ambience was laid back and luxurious and despite the early starts and the constant kitting, diving and de-kitting, I felt spoiled and rested by the end of the trip. So, if you only have a week to see this region and fancy a liveaboard then I highly recommend the Aggressor II as the way to do it – if you have the budget! (I have also reviewed cheaper and land based options in the region in other publications). Yet, each person’s relationship with scuba diving and the underwater world is surely unique and what draw’s people to select one destination over another I cannot explain. What I do know however is that scuba diving anywhere can be unifying for those with the budget to enjoy it, for it is, undeniably frequently, usually a pursuit of those with the funds available to support their interest (unless it is their employment). So, I always feel outrageously privileged to live the life I do and to be able to sample these delectable scuba diving delights: the dive sites, worldwide destinations and the dive operators and services of crews around the globe. Our month long stay in the region would have been impossible without the extensive support and generosity of many dive operators, hotels, organizations and individuals. I am especially grateful of the generous support of the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board and to Kimo for looking after us so well during our month long stay in the islands. We also visited Salt Cay and Grand Turk (reviewed elsewhere) where we had a fantastic time with:  http://www.saltcaydivers.tc and  http://www.bohioresort.com).

Personal thanks also to the local staff on board the Aggressor II and to the Aggressor fleet: “http://www.aggressor.com” “mailto:turkscaicos@aggressor.com”turkscaicos@aggressor.com

Thanks also to several luxury hotels in Providenciales:

The exclusive Somerset Hotel   “http://www.thesomerset.com/. Where a suite costs more than my monthly salary

The cheaper but still beautifully appointed: The Sands at Grace Bay Hotel whose gardens were immaculate and the suites fully equipped, pristine and pretty:  ”http://www.thesandstc.com“

And to The Alexandria Hotel:  ”http://www.alexandraresort.com” www.alexandraresort.com

Airlines:

We flew with British Airways and American Airways and local flights were provided by TCI Express.

All other images courtesy of Christopher Bartlett  ”http://www.bartlettimages.com“

 

 

 

And the winner is…….Mola Mola!!!

In the past month San Diego scuba divers have been sighting Mola Mola’s at some of the locale dive sites. They have been spotted off the HMS Yukon just off Mission beach and near Vallecitos point at La Jolla Shores. In honor of these rare encounters I would like to share some facts about this fascinating fish. YAY MOLA MOLA!

The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, or common mola, is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.
Sunfish live on a diet that consists mainly of jellyfish, but because this diet is nutritionally poor, they consume large amounts in order to develop and maintain their great bulk. Females of the species can produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate. Sunfish fry resemble miniature pufferfish, with large pectoral fins, a tail fin and body spines uncharacteristic of adult sunfish.

Adult sunfish are vulnerable to few natural predators, but sea lions, orcas and sharks will consume them. Among humans, sunfish are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, including Japan, the Korean peninsula and Taiwan. In the EU, regulations ban the sale of fish and fishery products derived of the Molidae family. Sunfish are frequently, though accidentally, caught in gillnets, and are also vulnerable to harm or death from encounters with floating trash, such as plastic bags.

A member of the order Tetraodontiformes, which also includes pufferfish, porcupinefish and filefish, the sunfish shares many traits common to members of this order. It was originally classified as Tetraodon mola under the pufferfish genus, but it has since been given its own genus, Mola, with two species under it. The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, is the type species of the genus.

Information for this creature feature was gathered from Wikipedia.

During my years of traveling as a Lady Diver I have had the opportunity to dive in some wonderful places. Each new place I visit I seem to discover a new personality to the industry of scuba diving. I am here in the western Caribbean just North of Honduras on a beautiful little island known as Utila. Home to the second largest reef in the world Utila offers some of the best diving in the Bay Islands. There are many different dive shops to choose from here as well as a few resorts. I would like to share with you my experiences in hopes to help you discover what type of vacation you may be looking for. Diving in Utila is a spectacular dream come true for any underwater enthusiast. Lady Diver’s let us spread the word about this hidden gem and happy bubbles to you all!

I recently had the opportunity to dive with Utila Dive Center in the Bay Islands. We met up at the dive center in the morning where I was greeted with warm friendly faces. Everyone was so great about getting me set up with what I needed for a fun day of diving. The dive center itself was very cool. I could feel the passion for diving the minute I walked in.

After a briefing on the boat and our plans for adventure we set out to the North side of the Island. First stop was a dive site called Spotted Bay. As we descended down to the reef, trigger fish greeted us with their flittering fins almost welcoming our entry into their beautiful blue world below. We finned our way over to the deeper parts of the wall. Coral sponges of all varieties took my breath away as we cruised along this amazing place. Declan was so great about pointing out the highlights of the area. We encountered a large Moray eel dancing just outside its crevice home. Watching an eel breath is so fascinating to me. It’s deep purple eye watching me the whole time, seemingly just as curious about me as I was of him.

Creole wrass zoomed by us by the hundreds. Coral banded shrimp peered out from their giant sponges. Our Dive Master Declan reminded us not to forget about gazing off the wall and out into the blue. Sure glad he pointed that out because as we were diving along the wall I looked out into the blue and seen a beautiful Eagle Ray gliding past. There were fun little cracks and ledges to peer beneath, and a nice sandy pathway that lead us up from the wall and  onto the shallow area of the reef. We played around there during our safety stop for awhile. The shallow reefs of Spotted Bay were filled with so many colorful fish. Trumpet fish swayed upside-down next to soft corals trying to blend in. Tangs of blue and purple swam about foraging for food. There were beautiful Grey Angelfish and the tiniest trunk fish I have ever seen!! If only I had gills I could have stayed down there forever playing with all my new friends but it was time to head back to the boat for some surface time.

Beaming with excitement from our dive we all shared our passion about all the neat things we encountered at Spotted Bay. Declan was very helpful identifying the different types of reef creatures and fish on the reef. We had fun learning about things we seen as we made our way to the next dive site.

For dive two we cruised back around to the South side of the Island to find another great spot. The Captain pulled in and moored up to a dive site called Ron’s Wreck. I had not been to this site yet and was super thrilled to try something new. This wreck was around 75-80 ft laying slightly to the side in the sand. Surrounding the wreck there were garden eels as far as the eye could see. They poked their little heads up one by one to survey our arrival. Once I got too close they popped down into their little holes in the sand. So cute, it kinda reminded me of that game at the arcade called wacka a mole but without the whacking.

After playing peek a boo with the eels for awhile I went over to explore the wreck. There were tons of fish around, and some very large lobsters beneath the hull, and a giant moray eel was taking up residence beneath the bow of the wreck. I would say this eel was about 8 feet long, huge! The wreck itself was a good size but small enough to see the whole thing in one visit. Since the wreck was a bit deeper we only stayed for about 15 minutes then made our way over to the reef for some more fun.

As we finned about the reef on route back to the mooring line we encountered many more exiting creatures and colors. Parrot fish of all shapes and sizes munched on the reef making  funny crunching noises. Squirrel fish peered at me from their day time sleeping places. Declan found us a spotted eel, and another giant lobster. As we made our way back I couldn’t help but flood my mask from smiling at such a wonderful dive.

A big Lady Diver thank you to Declan and the rest of the crew at Utila Dive Center for your passion and dedication to making scuba diving in Utila a fantastic experience!

To learn more about visiting Utila Dive Center please visit thier website at http://www.utiladivecenter.com/

AND!! Don’t forget to check out this video I put together of my diving adventures with UDC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coKNtdVNq_I

By Lady Diver Helen Colby

I’d been thinking about whale sharks for a few years.  The thought of being in the water with them was so alluring.  I’d seen pictures of them and thought they were beautiful.  On a local dive last summer, I met someone who had snorkeled with them in Utila.  They spoke about the experience with me and at once I knew I had to go to be with them.

Putting the trip together was harder than it sounded since I couldn’t talk anyone else into going with me, timing wasn’t right, who knows!

But then, one of my dive friends put together a trip  to snorkel with whale  sharks in Mexico on an island called Isla Mujeres .   I had to go.  Whale shark week for the island was coming, so we strategically planned to go the week before then to avoid the crowds.  Six women:  four divers, two snorkelers.  I couldn’t believe we were actually going to go.  For me it was really special, this would be my first dive trip outside the US and outside south Florida in fact!

We stayed at a lovely place, Na Balam  (House of the Jaguar.)  The closest I saw to a jaguar were the three cats who lived at the hotel, one of whom I made immediate friends with.   The hotel was on the beach, had lovely views, hammocks, good food, yoga classes and a friendly staff.

We headed straight to town to find a guide to take us to the whale sharks.  The next morning we boarded a tiny speedboat. The sharks were about 20 miles from shore.  We seemed to be riding for hours when the boat broke down.  By then I was sick. Even with a medicated patch and pills, being sandwiched between two hurricanes resulted in bumpy seas, an upset stomach and aching head.  Another boat was sent to get us and we transferred mid-sea to the new vessel. Another hour or so later, we saw fins.  Several of them.  There they were!

The plan was to have  two people in the water at a time with a guide.  They snorkeled and swam, trying to keep up with the leviathans.  Ok, I exaggerate a little.  The largest was about 20 feet long.  No giants, but surely the largest fish I’ve ever seen!  Then I jumped in with my camera.  Gorgeous, languid, opening their mouths to feed, then the water sifting out of their gills while they glided along.  So beautiful.  Amazing, and right next to me.  The unmistakable spots!  I was in heaven, even though I  was still sick.  I snapped and snapped, not even knowing what I was getting with the camera while trying to swim hard and keep up.  Then two out, two more in.  A dream fulfilled.  And then another few bumpy hours back.  Never mind, it was worth it and I’d do it again.

I took the next day off.  The most strenuous thing I could manage was yoga.  My sit bones ached and were probably black and blue from the boat ride.  I had to pass on the day’s dive.

The next day we drove to Dos Ojos Cenote on the mainland.  Cenotes are cave-like, but really sink holes. Caverns with openings connected fresh water with maybe some salt water incursion.  A long time ago some of them were used for human sacrifices.

Our wonderful guide Juan Carlos explained everything we would be doing. He described how to signal with your flashlight and stay in single file where we would be going. If we did well we would go to another connected Cenote called Bat Cave. We walked down to the Cenote and Juan thankfully brought our tanks, too heavy for us to wear or even carry down the steps.  We put on our gear  with bats flying overhead and we slid off the wooden platform.  The water was cool, but not too cold. It was very dark, black in fact.  Our flashlights lit up stalactites and stalagmites. It looked like an underwater “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”  Here and there we could see small openings to the sky and snorkelers looking down on us.  We went from Dos Ojos to Bat Cave, which was even more mysterious and beautiful, the formations gorgeous and plentiful.  We did great!

At the end we were officially certified Cenote divers.

Our five day trip was quick but fabulous.  We couldn’t ask for more.  Six girls, off on an amazing adventure together.

And Saturday, we are going diving.  My first night dive.

Dive girl Helen

Miami, Florida                               

During my years of traveling as a Lady Diver I have had the opportunity to dive in some wonderful places. Each new place I visit I seem to discover a new personality to the industry of scuba diving. I am here in the western Caribbean just North of Honduras on a beautiful little island known as Utila. Home to the second largest reef in the world Utila offers some of the best diving in the Bay Islands. There are many different dive shops to choose from here as well as a few resorts. I would like to share with you my experiences in hopes to help you discover what type of vacation you may be looking for. Diving in Utila is a spectacular dream come true for any underwater enthusiast. Lady Diver’s let us spread the word about this hidden gem and happy bubbles to you all!

As I dangle my sandy feet from Frank Morgan’s dock I day dream about the jewels of the Caribbean. Utopia Dive Village is on their way to scoop me up for some fun dives. The day is crystal clear and beckoning to be enjoyed!

We start out heading towards a fabulous sea mount called Black Hills for our first dive. When we approached the dive site there seemed to be a bit of a current so we changed plans and made our way to the beautiful North side of Utila. I asked our dive master where we were headed and he told me we would now be diving Blackish point, YAY!!! One of my favorite dive sites.

Dive Master Juan Carlos, also known around the island as Hooka, was so very fun to hang with. He described to us in detail how the diving would be there. He made me smile from ear to ear when he talked about the many midnight parrot fish that like to hang out around that area. After a nice briefing we were all set to go exploring.

We dropped below the surface and my heart fluttered with excitement, as we began our descent into the warm blue Caribbean.  We finned over the plateau of shallow corals to the wall where we would be cruising for most of the dive. Less than five minutes into it a very large midnight parrot fish came in to say hello. WOW Hooka must have called ahead to guarantee an encounter. Thanks Hooka! I filmed Mr. Parrotfish for awhile watching as he munched bits and pieces of the reef.

We peered under ledges and explored around corners. Hooka found us not one but two spotted eels. One of the eels actually swam out of its hole and cruised right in front of me. I was in heaven. Some may say eels are creepy but I find them sleek and graceful. blue chromis fish fluttered about the lower reefs like glitter and smaller parrot fish chased each other around. I seen many squirrel fish, yellowtail, and creole wrass. Big schools of bermuda chubs frequently swam by the top of the ledges.

It seemed like I was in a dream, silent and weightless in a world so beautiful my heart was swollen with the sheer joy of it all. I followed Hooka and the rest of the group up towards the shallow area to have a nice three minute safety stop. Hooka and I played around taking silly photos and then up up we went to world above.

In between dives there were yummy snacks of fruit and home baked banana muffins. Utopia’s boat was nice and roomy with plenty of shade and places to hang out comfortably while we made way to the next dive site on the South side.

After a nice surface interval we gathered around Hooka for some juicy details about Air Port Caves where we would be blowing some bubbles next. Air Port Caves is also one of my favorite dive sites to visit in Utila so far. It has nice shallow cave like swim throughs. The small caves have many sky lights with beams of light piercing through into the dark areas. There is something about sun light beaming through the roof of a cave that is just so mesmerizing. The diving along the reef at Air Port Caves is a shallow cruise around 45 feet but we went a little deeper in the sand for awhile to check out some of the many garden eels that live there.

I was completely focused on getting a shot of the garden eels when a large eagle ray glided past me.  They look so graceful and slow when swimming by but wow trying to keep up with them can put you out of breath pretty fast. I kept up for awhile until I figured I better not stray too far from the group. Funny though because I looked back and discovered everyone was right behind me. Ha ha sorry Hooka I guess I am leading the dive now. Just kidding! We stayed with the ray until we could no longer keep up. Amazing, was the only word in my head as we all made our way back to the shallows for our safety stop. The shallows were teaming with life. Large schools of fish swirled about completely comfortable with our presence. The sun light sparkled on their bodies sending a rainbow of colors around the already decorated corals. Finger corals reached for the sky as their polyps swayed in the surge to gather passing nutrients in the sea.

We surfaced from our dive all smiles and happy dances.

Thank you so much to the crew for a wonderful day of bubbles and sunshine!

For more information about Utopia please visit www.utopiadivevillage.com

AND!!! Don’t forget to check out this video of my great day diving with Utopia. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_0lagUQ5B8

Hello everyone, just wanted to share with you that the website is now up, the website will update every three months and the blog will still run regularly:) Enjoy! http://www.ladydivermagazine.com/ladydivermagazine/cover7_11_page.html.html

During my years of traveling as a Lady Diver I have had the opportunity to dive in some wonderful places. Each new place I visit I seem to discover a new personality to the industry of scuba diving. I am here in the western Caribbean just North of Honduras on a beautiful little island known as Utila. Home to the second largest reef in the world Utila offers some of the best diving in the Bay Islands. There are many different dive shops to choose from here as well as a few resorts. I would like to share with you my experiences in hopes to help you discover what type of vacation you may be looking for. Diving in Utila is a spectacular dream come true for any underwater enthusiast. Lady Diver’s let us spread the word about this hidden gem and happy bubbles to you all!

I went out the other day with Cross Creek Dive Center for two fun filled dives. We met around 7:30 in the morning and left their private dock at 8am. The morning was so calm and clear we made plans to go over to the North side, MY FAVORITE! The water was looking so inviting I felt like doing the happy dance the whole ride over. Captain Cookie was bumping some nice tunes so really how could any one resist a little happy dance. The boat has a stellar sound system and it was impossible not to be feeling groovy by the time we pulled up to the first dive site.

I had the pleasure of diving with two dive masters that day, Lady Diver Sara and James. These two were so much fun! We were having such a great time diving together I am still grinning. James was kind enough to share his sign for Sea Horse which basically involves him taking off his BCD and pretending to ride it like a horse. Hilarious and unforgettable, thanks James. Sara and I hung back from the group and found some amazing things. I found a sponge with some brittle stars so embedded in it that they looked like fossils in a rock. I grabbed Sara’a fin to make sure she got a peek at this picture perfect discovery. She returned the favor and found many other fun reef creatures to see, including one of my favorites Mr. Spotted Drum Fish.

We cruised along the steep walls and ledges for awhile then finned our way through some cool crevices. Towards the end of our dive we finished up near the boat in the shallow area of the reef. Just when I thought the dive could not get any better Sara, James, and myself had some fun goofing around. We did somersaults and chased each others bubbles. I played paparazzi for awhile as these two were such a gas, ha ha no pun intended.

Getting back on the boat was was really easy. Captain Cookie was so helpful, he took my fins and grabbed my tank valve to help me up the ladder. In between dives we had yummy cookies and got down and funky with some more tunes.

For dive two we cruised back around to the east side of the island and made our way back into the water. This dive was just as cool. There was a gently sloping reef wall where one could cruise the lower ledges and others could be a bit shallower and still stay together as a group. Since I had my own dive computer I was allowed a bit more freedom to dive my own profile. I thought that was way cool. However James and Sara were so much fun to hang with underwater I stuck near them the whole dive.

I seen a beautiful Queen Trigger fish swimming by the bottom part of the slope. I tried to chase after her for a picture but she was going the opposite way, darn! Next time I hope to grab a picture, they are so colorful. I came across a gorgeous fish called a rock beauty, black and yellow with a very shy personality. There were so many sponges of all types and beautiful soft corals as far as the eye could see. We were on the look out for turtles in this area as well because the the word on the boat is Captain Cookie has a knack for attracting them. One might even say he is a turtle magnet ha ha. The turtles did not make an appearance however it seems the jelly fish did. As we neared the end of our dive we came into a swarm of non stinging  jelly fish. These little guys were so amazing. You could see through their entire body as they danced around in front of our mask.

We were all so relaxed by the end of the dive Sara decided to take a nap on the back of James tank while doing our safety stop. I giggled so much that dive, I had a leaky mask the whole time.

Everyone that was out diving on the boat that day was so much fun to be around. The vibe was just perfect for laughing, making new friends, and just chillin out. A big lady Diver shout out to my silly peeps at Cross Creek, you rock!

Check out this fun video of my day….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF0wnWoIF7g

For more information on diving with Cross Creek please visit http://www.crosscreekutila.com/en/index.php



During my years of traveling as a Lady Diver I have had the opportunity to dive in some wonderful places. Each new place I visit I seem to discover a new personality to the industry of scuba diving. I am here in the western Caribbean just North of Honduras on a beautiful little island known as Utila. Home to the second largest reef in the world Utila offers some of the best diving in the Bay Islands. There are many different dive shops to choose from here as well as a few resorts. I would like to share with you my experiences in hopes to help you discover what type of vacation you may be looking for. Diving in Utila is a spectacular dream come true for any underwater enthusiast. Lady Diver’s let us spread the word about this hidden gem and happy bubbles to you all!

I find myself grinning from ear to ear each time I break the surface from below the clear warm waters of this beautiful island. I went out the other day for two fun filled dives with Deep Blue Resort here in Utila. Before we set out for our dives we gathered in the club house at the resort for a delicious breakfast. Home baked muffins, pancakes, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs and a few other morning delights were there for us to treat our taste buds and give us plenty of energy for diving. After breakfast we headed down to the dock with Dive Master Chris and made preparations to leave for the North side of the island. It was such a beautiful calm morning and just perfect for a relaxing cruise to the other side. The captain was on the look out for dolphins and whale sharks the whole ride over. Chris said if we should spot any they would stop and have us jump in the water with our mask fins and snorkel for some pre dive play time.

We enjoyed a smooth ride to the first dive site and were ready for some bubble fun. We moored up to a dive site called Blackish point. Chris described it as one of the best places to dive on the island. I was really inspired by the way he described the topography and the variety of marine life we would encounter. We were not disappointed! There were more fish here than I think I have ever seen on just one dive. I got some great photos of two gigantic Tarpin swimming by about mid dive. The spotted drum fish made an appearance, as well as a friendly trunkfish. The corals and sponges along the top area of the wall we were diving was teaming with life.

Dive master Chris even found us a baby Lion Fish. Lion Fish although beautiful are a big threat to the ecosystem here and so Chris whipped out his collapsable device to try and safely remove it. They have no natural predators here and tend to take over the reef throwing off the balance in a big way. Of coarse I snapped a few photos of this pretty little fish but was happy to know that research and actions are being taken to prevent catastrophic effects of this invasive fish.

Next we made our way back around the east side and moored up to an amazing pinnacle called Black hills. This dive was just as exhilarating! It was a large sea mount of colorful corals, sea fans, gorgonians, and yes many many fish. I had the pleasure of seeing my first White Spotted Filefish. Camera battery was done so the memory will have to do. Large grouper were hanging out near the lower parts of the pinnacle and Creole wrasse flittered in every direction. Coral crabs were out to play and a tiny little cleaner shrimp seemed very interested in checking things out.

We made our dive in a circle around the pinnacle then finished up along the top in the shallow area of the reef. As we came to the safety stop I noticed a very large Barracuda. This big fella was getting a darn good cleaning. He stayed motionless with his mouth slightly open as the cleaner wrass did what they do best. I must have been about five feet from his face because I could see every detail of his large teeth and the inside of his mouth. This was so exhilarating! Some may think these are scary, I have been guilty myself, but after this day I will never be afraid again. Infatuation has taken precedence over fear from now on when it comes to this beautiful fish.

Diving with Deep Blue Resort was such a great day. The dive boat is super comfortable, and really easy to climb up after the dives.

After a spectacular morning underwater we came back to the resort to find a hot steaming lunch waiting for us. Fresh home made tortillas, salsa, and all the taco makings you could ask for was there for our enjoyment. I must say those had to be some of the best tacos I have ever tasted. There was even strawberry cake and other treats for desert.

This adventure was every thing I had imagined and more, what a great day!!!

Check out this fun video of my dives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjjwKvOpgcI

To find out more info about diving with Deep Blue Resort please visit http://www.deepblueutila.com/

During my years of traveling as a Lady Diver I have had the opportunity to dive in some wonderful places. Each new place I visit I seem to discover a new personality to the industry of scuba diving. I am here in the western Caribbean just North of Honduras on a beautiful little island known as Utila. Home to the second largest reef in the world Utila offers some of the best diving in the Bay Islands. There are many different dive shops to choose from here as well as a few resorts. I would like to share with you my experiences in hopes to help you discover what type of vacation you may be looking for. Diving in Utila is a spectacular dream come true for any underwater enthusiast. Lady Diver’s let us spread the word about this hidden gem and happy bubbles to you all!

Today I had the pleasure of diving with Parrots Aqua Adventures. Parrots is a family owned PADI dive center conveniently located in the heart of Utila town. We set out this morning to the North side of the island for some fun on the reef at a dive site called The Maze. Before we jumped off the boat Dive master Andrew gave  us a great briefing and described what types of cool things could be found in the area.

As we all know one of the exiting things about diving is all the different ways you might get off a boat.

At Parrots the dive masters inflate your BCD for you and put it in the water. At this point you don your mask and fins and back roll into the water where you put your BCD on. I giggled at the thought of how long it has actually been since I put my BCD on in the water. Yes ladies it was just like the pool and just as fun as I remember!

Dive master Andrew had my interest right away when he mentioned the scootch entry. I simply couldn’t wait to learn how. It really can’t be explained and absolutely must be seen. If you want to learn the special scootch entry please see my video below.

Diving with Parrots was super fun and relaxing. We stayed together as a group  but no one was rushed or crowded. The boat was fast and had easy exit and entry.

We started the dive following our dive master through a shallow crevice in the reef which opened up to a nice wall around 60 feet. There were many corals and sponges of all shapes and sizes. As we finned along this incredible maze there was a nice variety of fish swimming lazily about the shallow parts of the reef. The vast blue out beyond the ledges was a site to be remembered as well.

We had a long leisurely dive of about 52 minutes in nice warm water, 82 degrees, and a wide range of clear visibility. Dive masters Jesse and Andrew were a big help getting gear back onto the boat as we all chatted enthusiastically about the great things we seen on our dive.

I had such a great time diving with Parrots today. I am happy to log this one in the book of fond diving memories on Utila Island. A big thank you to the captain, dive masters, and everyone over at Parrots Aqua Adventures.

Lady Diver Karma Jewell Crampton

See scootch video here! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz3P6Hoqs8I

If you would like to learn more about Traveling to Utila please visit www.utilaguide.com

Baby Horn Shark It’s that time of year again everyone, love is in the air and horn sharks are well……..ready to mate! The horn shark, Heterodontus francisci, can be found in warm-temperate and subtropical regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean from central California to the Gulf of California. The horn shark gets its name because it has a short, blunt head with high ridges above the eyes. They have spines on their first and second dorsal fins. The horn shark has broad muscular paired fins that are used as limbs for clambering on the bottom. They prefer a  shallow rocky environment most of the year. Some juveniles head for deeper water in the winter months. Horn sharks are usually about 3 to 4 feet long when fully mature. These small sharks are very shy in the daytime. One can sometimes see one sleeping in between a crevice in the rocks. They do not seem to mind scuba divers unless harassed. They are most active at night time when they come out to feed on small fish and invertebrates. They have small teeth used for grinding prey. Horn sharks mate in the months of December and January. The male horn shark chases the female until  ready, then both drop to the bottom of the sea floor. The male grabs the female’s pectoral fin with his teeth and inserts a single clasper in her cloaca; copulation lasts 30 to 40 minutes. A few weeks after copulation, the female will deposit the fertilized eggs. The female usually lays two eggs every 11-14 days around February until April. They can deposit up to 24 eggs in a single season. The female tucks the auger-shaped egg cases into a rocky crevice to protect them from predators. The development of embryos lasts 6-10 months, depending on water temperature. Thus the circle of life for the horn sharks continues. Adult Horn Shark