So we didn’t have an underwater camera and I wish we did, because it is hard to describe our underwater adventure without them, but I will try.  The pictures we do have from the trip are mostly of a little known cenote on a secluded beach that dumps into the Caribbean Sea a bit north of the Tulum Ruins.

So our adventure begins with a little bit of a hangover from the previous night.  Erik, one of the staff at Mezzanine, introduced us to his friend Angel and his brother Daniel.  Angel and Daniel own a boat on the beach called Chac – Chi.  Chac -Chi is a type of fish that has huge lips and appears to be wearing lipstick.  We had arranged for a 10am snorkeling excursion the day before.  We were feeling a little rough, but up to the task.

We met Angel and Daniel at there boat a short walk up the beach.  We were joined by one other person, an older french women who was currently living in Mexico.  We hopped in the boat and off we went.  Angel informed us of the reef about a quarter mile out from the beach and told us we would not be going there.  That’s where the tourists go.  We were going to a very secluded area were rarely anyone snorkels.  These guys know these waters well.

On our way to the reef we would be passing the Tulum Ruins.  Angel explained that the main castle or ruin, El Castillo, was a type of ancient light house for fisherman and other boats centuries ago.  There are two small windows in the sea facing wall.  When a boat is perfectly lined up with these two windows the crew can  see daylight through them or the sunset.  This puts you in a channel that allows passage through the reef.  At night fires were placed in these windows.  We followed the ancient Mayans and navigated our way through the channel.

We cruised past the ruins to a spot with no other boats or people as far as you could see.  Angel dropped anchor and we donned our snorkel masks and flippers.  Angel and Daniel had a great plan.  They had brought with them a bucket full of bloody chum.  They dumped it into a plastic shopping bag and told us that when Daniel got into the water we should follow him around and look for signals from him and Angel on where to look if they spotted something.

We took the plunge and were immediately greeted by a hundred or so various types of fish.  It was AMAZING!  Daniel got in and began to feed.  Hundreds of fish followed after us.  Three Grouper at least four foot long hung back a little, but every few minutes shot to the surface to feed.  All types of beautiful fish swam about.  About twenty minutes into the feeding a large sea turtle swam by.  It wasn’t to interested in the fish food but it wasn’t in a rush either.  The feeding lasted about forty-five minutes.  It was a spectacle.

We snorkeled for about an hour and then headed into the beach.  We arrived at an abandoned resort.  No signs of other people anywhere.  We beached the boat and hopped out.  The water was crystal clear.  A few yards from the boat was a cenote.  I don’t recall the name but not many people knew about it.  The cenote dumped into the sea in a little protected cove.  We explored for a half hour or so.  These are the pictures we were able to take.  Enjoy.

 

 

Quite a beautiful place.  If you’re on the beach in Tulum check out Angel and Daniel on the Chac – Chi.  It is usually moored in front of the La Vita e Bella resort.  They will supply snorkel gear if needed.  It was $35/person US dollars.  Well worth it.