Akumal Dive Shop

Diving with poor eyesight

ingrid — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:00:47 +0000

Having poor eye sight is probably one of the biggest concerns for new divers who are dependent on corrective lenses in order to see properly. In the surface you might use either glasses or contact lenses but you probably ask yourself how you are going to be able to see underwater.
Well, thankfully there are many options available to forget about this issue and enjoy your dive.

It is impossible to dive with glasses because the mask would not adjust and seal properly on the face; however there is a spec designed to insert prescription lenses into the mask and that is transferable between masks.

Alternatively you may get prescription lenses from your optometrist and get them customized with a special mask created so that the user can change the lenses with just a screwdriver. More specialized diving stores that are representatives of brands like Cressi, sell a wide variety of masks with corrective lenses. An example is the Cressi “Focus” mask.
This is a good option but remember to buy more than one mask as backup in case you lose one and you are diving in remote locations where it might be difficult to buy a new one.

A second option is to dive with your contact lenses but make sure you always wear soft contacts as they rarely cause problems. Hard contact lenses are sucked painfully onto the eye due to the increased pressure underwater or there might be gas bubbles forming between the cornea and the contact lens.
If you flood or remove your mask, always close your eyes to avoid your contacts to wash away and consider having rewetting drops with you after the dive.
If you need bifocals to read your pressure gauge, put a small stick-on magnifying inside your mask!

And what about diving after eye surgery?

Although diving is possible after most types of eyesight corrective surgery, always consult your ophthalmologist.

Radial keratotomy (RK) decreases the strength of the cornea and may increase the risk of serious injury if subjected to extreme facemask squeeze. Still there are no documented reports of traumatic rupture of the cornea from diving after this type of surgery. If you follow your surgeon’s advice and wait at least three months to allow the eyes to heal you should be alright but go for a follow up consultation to confirm that that your eyes have fully recovered before returning to the water.

Another alternative is to get laser refractive surgery (PRK) done. This procedure uses laser to reshape the cornea instead of making incisions. This method does not decrease structural integrity of the cornea therefore there is no risk of corneal rupture as a result of a facemask squeeze. Recovery time is also less than with RK but discuss with your surgeon so he/she has a final word on the matter before you dive.

If you had surgery for a more serious eye condition always consult an ophthalmologist before diving.

Now you have a few tips and recommendations so that you feel more confident even if you have poor eyesight to enjoy the world underneath the surface!

Chichen Itza Equinox

ingrid — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 05:00:41 +0000

Chichen Itza is one of the most astonishing Mayan ruins on the whole region of the Peninsula of Yucatan, with hundreds of thousands visiting every year it is definitely one of the landmarks of the region and a must do activity in your travel schedule.

To add some excitement, this site is the protagonist of the spring and fall equinox, an amazing show happening twice a year that reunites thousands of pilgrims and curious tourists alike. This phenomenon carefully observed by ancient astronomers and architects in the past is represented in the grandest of all the structures of the site: “El Castillo or the Castle” or also known as the “Temple of Kukulkan”. Here on the spring and fall equinoxes the afternoon sunlight bathes the western side of the pyramid and in the main stairway causes seven triangles to form and create shadows simulating the descent of a 120 foot long serpent.

This spectacle has been admired for thousands of years until our days. In the past it is believed it served for certain rites of agriculture or celestial events.
Nowadays though, you can come and admire this remarkable show regardless the reason, just as a curious tourist, an energy thirsty new ager, historian or anthropologist or a modern maya coming back to keep the tradition of your ancient people.

Be a witness of this event every March 21^st and six months later on Sept. 22!

Diving in Akumal

ingrid — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 05:00:52 +0000

Diving in Akumal is from a start quite a spectacular experience. Why? It is one of the few places where you will be guaranteed to see up close sea turtles. And well, that is the least you can expect to see if you are in the largest coral reef in the Western Hemisphere and the second biggest in the planet: the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System or MBRS. It encompasses 1000km from Isla Contoy to the Bay Islands of Honduras.
Akumal happens to be almost right in the middle of it and at a throwing stone distance from Cozumel which is considered one of the best diving spots in the world. Akumal however and in contrast with Cozumel, still profits from its anonymity and although in the diving industry it is well known for being the headquarters of the Club de Exploraciones y Deportes Acuáticos de México (Mexican Expeditions and Watersports Club) founded in the 50’s, it is still a best kept secret for most of the international tourist scene.

So how is it like to dive here?
Water temperature ranges from 25°C to 32°C during the year, visibility is incredibly superior to 50m and the flora and fauna that inhabit this reef makes it one of the best places for diving activities. Akumal Bay has really calm waters and allow beginner divers to make a calm start to their open waters experience as in some parts and during some times of the year it may seem as confined waters. Thus you have a perfect place for all levels of diving abilities, from beginners to intermediates or expert divers.

The reef system here is home to more than 500 species of fish, 350 species of mollusks and 65 species of coral. Sea turtles found here are the Greens, Loggerheads, Leatherback and Hawksbill turtles. And exotic animals hard to see elsewhere may be the West Indian Manatee, the Splendid toadfish, the American Crocodile, the Morelet’s crocodile and the Nassau Grouper.
If you are lucky you might spot a dolphin, a whale shark that transit the area until they get to Isla Contoy to feed and mate or why not a manatee. This reef system is home to one of the world’s largest populations of manatees with estimated numbers of 1,500 or more.

Close to Akumal you will find a wide variety of cenotes were you can dive in their cool crystalline and pristine waters and have an almost real sensation of flying or experience something completely different by dipping yourself into a hydrogen sulfide cloud into a complete different world where underwater rivers flow such as the Angelita.

If your thing is getting to know places out of the conventional and far from the touristy, you must come to Akumal and experience a different world of diving with so many different options you will never dive in the same spot twice while you are on vacations visiting this incredible little gem of the Mexican Caribbean! Come and discover the wonders of diving in Akumal!

History of Akumal

ingrid — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 05:00:43 +0000

Akumal, once a huge coconut plantation owned by Don Argimiro Arguelles was acquired along with thousands of hectares of land by an exclusive tresure hunting dive club in 1958 whose president and founder was Pablo Bush. Attracted by adventure and the salvage of the ship “Nuestra Señora de los Remedios” aka “Matanceros” that sunk in 1735, many treasure hunters started coming to this exotic region accessible only by boat at that time.
A few years later and as Cancun rapidly gained popularity as a world tourist destination at the end of the 70’s, it didn’t take long for Akumal to be in the spotlight as a new tourist destination of the Riviera Maya.

But the history of Akumal goes a long way back before the arrival of Pablo Bush. Ancient mayans inhabited this land and in 1511 something quite significant in the history of Mexico happened.
A shipwreck stranded a small group of spanish foreigners in the coasts of the Peninsula, they were taken as prisoners and most of them died but one; Gonzalo Guerrero. He fell in love with the chief’s daughter Zazil Ha, also known as Ixchel Can and married her. This event historically marked the beginning of the Indian – Spanish mix in Mexico called “mestizaje” with Gonzalo’s offspring being the first mestizos in the region.

Considered thus the father of “mestizaje”, he quitted his nation, his King and religion and stayed with the mayas and his family. He made a position for himself as a war counselor among the mayas by teaching them war strategies of attack and defense unknown to them. He became part of the tribe so successfully that he even underwent several mutilations and had ritualistic tattoos done to him. He adopted the culture to the point that he even allowed the deformation of his children’s head with a piece of wood and made them cross-eyed, considered a symbol of beauty at the time.

He even let his first daughter Ixmo, to be sacrificed in Chichen Itza as an offering to the gods and fought against the Spanish conquitadors of Hernan Cortes when they tried to retrieve him.

Today however, Akumal is a much quieter place compared to those days of war, conquest and human sacrifices! It is a place where you can come and snorkel with the peaceful turtles, SCUBA dive or just lay lazy on the beach daydreaming of the treasure hunting adventures of Pablo Bush or envisioning the days when Gonzalo Guerrero walked this same land and fell in love with it… but be careful you too might fall in love with Akumal and quit your nation, King and religion to stay in this beautiful paradise!

Protecting the turtles of Akumal

ingrid — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 05:00:17 +0000

Akumal in maya language means land of the turtles and if the mayas named it, it means the turtles have been coming to this bay for a really really long time. They feed here and females lay their eggs here every year, thanks to their biology every turtle that hatches here, will come back at some point of their lives and female hatchlings will do the same but to lay their own eggs. And the cycle is supposed to continue that way as long as enough food is available and their ecosystem remains peaceful. However when Cancun gained popularity as a world class tourist destination everything there and around started growing at an alarming pace not caring much about the impact that would eventually result in the ecological disaster Cancun has become now.

When the Riviera Maya was born the folks at Akumal decided they didn’t want Akumal to have the same dark fate as Cancun and therefore created the Centro Ecologico Akumal or Akumal Ecological Center to act as the protector of all ecological matters in Akumal bay. As tourist activities started to bloom CEA needed to act as a regulatory organism to limit the operations in the bay and therefore make it more sustainable. Some of their programs focused on taking care of the turtles, monitoring the state of the reef, water quality management and educating people to create conscience of the ecological importance of preserving the resources of the bay. There are also regular presentations on the CEA Turtle Watch Program, with slides of the sea turtles and a lecture about their evolution, ecology, behavior, the threats to their survival and how we can help them.

As all species of sea turtle are in danger CEA takes special care of two species of sea turtles that nest on the beaches at Akumal: the “loggerheads” (Caretta caretta) and the “green” (Chelonia mydas).

Some other hotels have joined along with CEA to the protective efforts and help the program to take care of the turtles that lay and hatch on their beaches; this is the case of the Club Akumal Caribe and the Akumal Beach Resort. Gran Bahia Principe has its own program as it is located further away from the main Akumal bay.

These programs run mainly from May until November and involve with the help of volunteers, going every night to patrol the numerous beaches of the area and wait for the female turtles to emerge and lay the eggs. Once they finish laying the eggs their job is to secure the nest or relocate it and then mark it with a sign that explains the day the eggs were laid and when they are expected to hatch. During the hatching period volunteers dig the nests and see if the eggs have hatched, they collect the baby turtles and wait until its dark to minimize de encounters with predators and release them into the ocean.

If you want to help you can donate to the program by adopting a baby turtle and naming it andyou will receive a certificate of donation and a poster.

So when you come to Akumal please help by donating but most important be conscious and try to spread the word on conservation so that we and many more generations can enjoy yet another wonder of Akumal: the sea turtles.

Wonderful Cenotes!

ingrid — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:00:35 +0000

Cenote or “tzonot” as they are known in Maya language means “sacred well”. These wells were formed at the end of the last glacial era 18,000 years ago when ice melted and the sea level rose up filling the caves with water. These caves were formed by the impact of a massive asteroid in the Peninsula of Yucatan believed to be responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. This event resulted in the formation of around 3,000 cenotes from what we know the existence of only 1,400 and the rest remain still unexplored.

A cenote for ancient Mayans represented the entrance to “Xibalaba”, and therefore several rituals were conducted in them and offerings were made to the gods of the underworld which sometimes were in the form of human sacrifices.

Cenotes had a great importance as they too have been the only source of fresh water in the entire region of the Peninsula of Yucatan and the water that runs in them is pristine and pure since then.
Hundreds of cenotes are nowadays open to the public to snorkel and scuba dive and the most well known ones can be found along the Cancún – Tulúm highway and on the way to the Chichen Itzá ruins.

From Akumal you can easily reach many of the most famous ones such as Dos Ojos, whose exploration started in 1986 and is still in process. It has more than 25 different entrances and is part of one of the longest cavern systems in the world. This cenote was the star in the IMAX movie: “The Journey into Amazing Caves”.

Cenotes that are near to Akumal feature a stunning unique beauty of pure crystalline waters easily confused with air while snorkeling and diving.

Taj Mahal for example, has at least 50 meters visibility and many caverns. It is as well a great place to go with the kids and swim in refreshing cool waters while hundreds of little fish swim around you.
Chac Mool has two cenotes that lead you to a larger cavern,
Ponderosa is definitely your gateway to heaven! Jump from a tree and submerge into beautiful waters with a lot of life.
Chikin Ha has a chamber that you need to reach by swimming through a tunnel.
Kantun Chi is a good place to dive but also to do horseback riding and biking.
Cenote Cristalino is rarely visited by many tourists and if you are lucky you will have all its beauty just for yourself!
Azul is (as its name say) a stunning blue water hole in complete open air.
The Temple of Doom is in the middle of a movie like setting of thick jungle foliage and despite its name, it’s a beautiful cenote with three holes where light comes through.
Gran Cenote
Also called Sac Aktun, the Gran Cenote is one of the favorite as it has great speleothem decorations and transparent waters.
Car Wash
Also called Aktun Ha, it is named Car Wash because locals used to wash their cars here. This cenote is ideal during the winter months.
Cristal
Great for snorkeling and swimming.
Escondido
Romantically remote, Escondido has crisp, clear water as well as some excellent stone formations.

Cenotes were considered sacred by ancient mayans, however mayans of today still regard them with the same respect as their ancestors and they say that those who drink a mouthful of cenote water will someday come back to that same cenote. If you believe so drink and let the magic of the ancient mayans bring you back to this beautiful and mystical place called the Yucatan Peninsula!

SCUBA for kids???

ingrid — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 05:00:01 +0000

Nowadays almost anyone can SCUBA dive and kids are no longer the exception. And hey if we as adults feel like children every time we go diving imagine how they would feel if they try it.
Additionally children are naturally curious about everything that surrounds them; they want to know how everything works, why and when and if you have a taste for adventure yourself and you are already a diver, your children might as well follow your same steps.

If your child is at least 8 you might be able to introduce him/her to scuba diving as long as you are fully aware of what are your child’s physical and mental abilities as well as his/her level of maturity.
If you are a diver, this is probably the next best adventure for you! Seeing how your child learns to dive and following through the entire learning process might be as exciting as diving with sharks! And you might be thinking that you just not only found your best dive buddy on earth, you will also become closer to each other and create a special bond through something you both enjoy doing. And you don’t know how this actually will influence your child’s life; you might actually be looking at the next Jacques Cousteau!

Thus, there are a few programs available from different diving organizations to learn depending on the kid’s ages and most dive shops offer them. Dive shops are also abundant around most beach resorts worldwide so do a little research first and if you can meet the instructors and have a little chat with them, go with the one that you feel more confident with. He or she will also pick up some potential problems he/she might see on teaching your kid.

The organizations that offer diving courses are:

PADI: Professional Association of Diving Instructors (Worldwide)
SSI: Scuba Schools International (North America and South East Asia)
NAUI: National Association of Underwater Instructors (North America)
BSAC: British Sub Aqua Club (U.K. and Europe)
CMAS: Confederation Mondiale des Activites Subaquatiques (Europe)

PADI for example offers two different discovery courses for 8-10 year olds: Bubblemaker and Seal Team. The courses take place mostly in the pool and it introduces your child to scuba equipment and letting them try it out for themselves with games that are lots of fun. They will not be able to participate in any open water diving after these courses though, but it’s still a fun way to learn and a stepping stone that gives them credit towards higher levels of certification when they become older.

SSI also offers a program for children aged between 8 and 12. Children take an oath and become members of their SCUBA Rangers program. They give them a thorough introduction to diving similar to PADI and they even get to visit an aquarium to learn about the fish at close!

So does children should actually SCUBA dive?

Diving is certainly a dangerous sport but as with any other activity with the right approach it doesn’t necessarily need to be crossed from the list. As mentioned above this is a decision parents and instructors should take together as well as considering your child’s opinion on how he or she feels about it. PADI has a guide for helping assess the situation to see if your child is ready to enroll in this activity: “Children and Scuba Diving: A Resource Guide for Instructors and Parents”.

With the precautionary measures taken into account, you might as well give it a go especially if your child feels curious about the ocean and is really excited to experience SCUBA!

Tips on traveling with your SCUBA gear

ingrid — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 10:30:13 +0000

I don’t know a single person who loves packing. Everybody loves going on holidays, however when it comes to the packing… it is something we all wish we could skip and just magically have our bags ready with all the necessary stuff in the car.

When going on a SCUBA diving trip is even trickier, although you know exactly what to take with you, you have no idea how you are going to fit everything in the bag and you wonder if it is a good idea to put all that expensive equipment in a bag that is most likely going to be thrown, kicked and stepped on at the airport. Additionally, some airlines charge extra fees for letting you travel with all your gear.

So, how is the best way to pack in order that everything fits and is safe?

Well, firstly it would be a really good idea to get in contact with the airline you will be flying with to find out if your gear can be checked for free along with your luggage at no extra cost.
Scuba tanks are usually available at most diving destinations so you wouldn’t worry about that. If by any chance there is no dive shop at your destination, remember that you can’t bring pressurized tanks onto an airplane and you must figure out how to get tanks at your destination. Weights are also available at all shops and that is something you might not want to add to your already heavy luggage.

Now, if you have made a significant investment buying some or most of the gear, it is worthwhile having a special SCUBA gear rolling bag. These bags are designed with pockets and separate compartments for specific items of your gear. There are also special bags for regulators only.

However, this post is to help you pack the best and more efficient possible way to travel. If you don’t have a special bag, try packing your gear in a big rugged bag and as for the regulator, wrap it in your clothes and in the middle of the bag so that it has some cushion. However, if you feel more comfortable, you may also put it in your carry on luggage.

Masks are very durable and if you don’t have a protective case or don’t want to take it because they are bulky, you may do the same and put it wrapped in with some clothes to prevent scratches.

If you own your own BCD, there is actually not much you can do but to ensure is properly deflated and putting it in first will give some cushion to the rest of the equipment. However, it is important that you ensure is protected from anything sharp that might puncture it, so try wrapping it tight in a towel for more protection.
With your fins you might be able to put them in the sides of the bag without bending and stick little things such as socks to save room. You may also put them in opposite direction from each other. Try doing the same with your boots.

To keep things dry such as your dive log, you may use a resealable plastic bag.

Before you return, wash all your gear in fresh water thoroughly and allow it to dry well before packing. Cleaning your scuba gear this way will prevent the growth of mold and funky smells and will definitely last longer.

So, if your packing seems like never ending don’t worry too much, at the end you are going on a diving trip and in no time you will be jumping into the water so pack with that idea in mind and you will do it with joy!

Amazing ocean

ingrid — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:30:37 +0000

The oceans are an incredible place!

Life began in the ocean 3.1 billion years ago, so after all those millions of years it wouldn’t be a surprise that now an estimated 75% of all life from on earth belongs to the sea. Having only explored 10% of the total of the sea, we have found to date around 200,000 marine species; however if we take into consideration the remnant 90% still to be explored, it is estimated that there are possibly as many as 25,000.000 marine species that haven’t been discovered or classified. This is because 85% of the area and 90% of the volume of the sea that hasn’t been explored constitutes the dark, cold environment we call the deep sea.

The sea is actually so rich and diverse in life that it has been revealed that around 900 species from around 100 families and a dozen phyla have been found in an area of half the size of a tennis court. Moreover, after all those millions of years of evolution and the little we actually know about the ocean it really makes you wonder on the eccentricity of the life forms that inhabit the oceans.

From what we know, this diverse fascinating group of organisms range from relatively motionless invertebrates to large whales and sharks that roam across the world’s oceans.

Some of the most fascinating well known creatures have really odd features; octopuses for instance have three hearts and blue blood but sea stars have no brains and not a single drop of blood in their bodies. Crabs have teeth in their stomachs and a jellyfish is 95% water. Turtles “cry” the absorbed salt in the water and sea horses utter musical sounds while mating.

The sea is a source of endless inspiration for design, architecture and all kinds of inventions from robotics to biomedical breakthroughs. In fact, scientists are increasingly turning to animals like octopuses and lobsters for help in designing the robots of the future. The reason is simple. Nature did it first and did it best, so we ought to be able to learn a lot by looking at biological systems that do some things a lot better than we can.

That is what architects like Calatrava are doing with models like the Chicago Spire building and Callebaut with his Coral Village.

Volkswagen is also designing a car inspired on the ocean’s waves and a new line of superyachts have a streamlined superstructure and hull design inspired by killer whale and sperm whale’s body forms.

The shape and texture of the sharp scales of sharks has already been used to create extremely aerodynamic swimsuits for Olympic teams and seaweeds contain compounds used in ice cream, instant puddings, salad dressings, printers ink, cosmetics and pills coatings! Isn´t this incredible!!!

And well, what can we say about the alien looking organism that live deep in the bottom of the oceans.

There is a lot we have to learn from the ocean but I’m sure we will continue to be amazed from it and its lifeforms. At the end we still have to discover the rest 24 million 800 thousand species speculated to be out there! You cant say the sea is not an amazing place, because its breathtaking!!!

Beautiful Akumal! Reasons to stay little longer…

ingrid — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:00:04 +0000

Akumal, “the land of the sea turtles” is a small group of charming bays that despite being small it is really well known because of its natural beauty, relaxed atmosphere and breathtaking scenery. It is a beautiful peaceful place where to spend a whole day snorkeling, diving or just relaxing.

Akumal is famous because it is a nesting site for marine turtles so every year in summer, loggerheads, green and hawksbill turtles come to Akumal to lay eggs, those who hatch a few months later in autumn. However you are able to see turtles swimming around in the bay the whole year because Akumal is also an important feeding ground for them. This is the reason snorkeling is so popular because by the moment you step foot in the water you are surrounded with marine life you don’t get to see in many places. All of this because the bay is sheltered by the second largest coral reef system in the world: the Mesoamerican reef, thus diving here is diving in one of the best places in the world. Fishing is also a popular activity with guaranteed catches of sailfish, mahi mahi and barracuda!

It is of great importance to mention that Akumal is along with the rest of the Riviera Maya a safe tourist destination according to the updated data from the U.S. State Department with hundreds of tourists coming every day from all over the world. So you can have peace of mind when you visit us.

Leaving that aside, Akumal is the perfect place to spend not only one day, it is great to stay here for the rest of your vacations (and many stay here forever!).Due to its central location right between Playa del Carmen and Tulum you can find most of what happens in the Riviera. Most of the fun parks like Xcaret and Xel ha, many of the almost virgin beaches like Xcacel or Xpu ha and the most famous cenotes for snorkeling and diving are nearby.

Accommodation is plentiful and of world class ranging from resorts like the Gran Bahia Principe complex to beautiful private 5 room villas such as Balam Ek and Casa Luna or 1 and 2 room apartment rentals.

There are many restaurants to choose from and with a diverse menu. Seafood is always at the top of the list here and there is even a restaurant specialized on serving freshly hunted lionfish dishes (Gynn’AK). However, Akumal caters for all kinds of tastes to satisfy even the most demanding palate. La Cueva del Pescador is the perfect place to indulge on today’s catch, head to the ocean front restaurant Lol-ha for a steak, burger or pasta or try the Turtle Bay Café for a salad, a lentil’s burger or one of their delicious homemade breads and cakes! You may also venture yourself to Akumal pueblo and try some real Mexican food like tacos, tortas or sopes. Don’t miss going for an ice-cream to Lucy’s after dinner where Mirna will serve you one of the most exquisite homemade ice-creams of the Riviera Maya.

If you feel like having a few drinks you may want to go to La Buena Vida Bar, right in front of the sea and on the sand with its elevated huts and typical Caribbean swings where you can enjoy of live music and karaoke nights some days of the week.

Akumal is also a cultural venue with various events taking place every month mostly with the reason to support an ecological cause such as the Turtle Festival and the CEA Festival. It also has a few art galleries where you will be able to find turtle themed paintings. Handcrafts made by local artisans such as fine Mexican arts, ceramics, sculptures, figurines and jewelry are also available to get that special something to that special person.

And as if this was not enough, Akumal couldn’t be missing its own archeological site which has just been discovered and is being considered to be opened to the public soon.
So, it is very likely you will fall in love with Akumal and if you decide to spend more time here (and you will!) you will discover that there are many more things to do and see! Pay us a visit and easily fall in love with the place, the nature, and the people!