Akumal 2013

[Treebeard]

The camera is a Nikon S8100 with an Ikelite underwater housing. Hopefully we will get an external strobe for it before the next trip.

Originally Posted by Kraken

Crazy Pics!

What camera did you use? Gopro?

[Treebeard]

Thanks!
The viz was only so-so on a couple of dives. The currents were pushing hard from the north and the viz was only about 40 feet. When the current switched from the south it was around 70 feet.

Originally Posted by daplatapus

Looks like you had some great viz. Greats shots, thanks for sharing.

[Treebeard]

There is something wrong with the movies. I will try uploading them to YouTube tonight.

[Reef_Geek]

Just came back from staying at Akumal Beach Resort.

Great snorkeling right off the beach there. Reefs start 30 feet from front of the resort, sea grass bed just a few hundred yards to the north where sea turtles and sting rays graze. I'm guessing that from the beach to about a km out is the reef flat and the fore reef is just beyond the breakers (best reached by boat).

With such great snorkeling that I could do with the wife, I only snuck off for one dive with Akumal Dive Center (about a 4 minute walk down the beach to shop) for a cave dive in the "Taj Mahal Cenote"

Here's a video with my GoPro
http://youtu.be/_HeqGUIgs_c

There's bats at 3:16 in the video. Be sure to click on the wheel at the bottom right of the player to set resolution to 1080p for HD.

[Scuba Diver Gal]

You will notice a HUGE difference with a strobe. But try renting one maybe first, cause they are SO expensive...We always rent from Cathy Church in Grand Cayman, where the vis is always 100 feet

Great photos by the way, we just got back from Cayman but they make me want to go again

[globaldesigns]

Akumal, what a great place... I didn't dive, but snorkeled there with my family. Beautiful area, and lots of turtles, so close that you can grab them... But you can't of course. Rules you now.

Great pic's!!!

[Treebeard]

My first trip to Mexico was in 2007 and we stayed at ABR. It was a nice no frills AI with some wonderful staff that made it very enjoyable. That was the trip that got me hooked on the caribean side of Mexico. I wasn't a diver at the time and it was actually the first time I ever snorkelled but I was hooked after seeing the turtles, coral and the fish.
I haven't been back to ABR since but have been to Akumal many times. I got my certification in 2009 and did 3 of my qualification dives in Akumal. My dive buddy/wife and I prefer the condo life on Half Moon Bay, and honestly Akumal Bay is overcrowded and the turtles and reef are paying the price. But we still enjoyed the occasional happy hour at Lo Ha and a pitcher of margs at La Cuevo Pescadors.
Sad to say, not sure when we will go back to Akumal now that we have discovered Bonaire. . We are booked for three weeks next March.

[Treebeard]

Do you recall the name of the dive master you dove with from Akumal Dive Center? One of their DMs was involved in a bad car accident on the 307 a few days ago and passed away yesterday. We dove with him many times when he was working at Akumal Dive Adventures on Half Moon Bay. He was a great guy and an excellent DM and leaves behind a wife and three daughters.

[Reef_Geek]

Originally Posted by Scuba Diver Gal

You will notice a HUGE difference with a strobe. But try renting one maybe first, cause they are SO expensive...We always rent from Cathy Church in Grand Cayman, where the vis is always 100 feet

Great photos by the way, we just got back from Cayman but they make me want to go again

Thanks. For sure a strobe would be nice. I'm kinda liking how portable and not-cumbersome the GoPro and pole is right now though... good heads up. Thanks.

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

Akumal, what a great place... I didn't dive, but snorkeled there with my family. Beautiful area, and lots of turtles, so close that you can grab them... But you can't of course. Rules you now.

Great pic's!!!

ah yes, of course, rules... I can say that I am a marine biologist and I know what I am doing (this is factual, have resume and degree to show, just not what I am doing for a living any more) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...04410772056192

Originally Posted by Treebeard

My first trip to Mexico was in 2007 and we stayed at ABR. It was a nice no frills AI with some wonderful staff that made it very enjoyable. That was the trip that got me hooked on the caribean side of Mexico. I wasn't a diver at the time and it was actually the first time I ever snorkelled but I was hooked after seeing the turtles, coral and the fish.
I haven't been back to ABR since but have been to Akumal many times. I got my certification in 2009 and did 3 of my qualification dives in Akumal. My dive buddy/wife and I prefer the condo life on Half Moon Bay, and honestly Akumal Bay is overcrowded and the turtles and reef are paying the price. But we still enjoyed the occasional happy hour at Lo Ha and a pitcher of margs at La Cuevo Pescadors.
Sad to say, not sure when we will go back to Akumal now that we have discovered Bonaire. . We are booked for three weeks next March.

Yeah, I've been researching Bonaire. My wife doesn't dive, so I'm trying to find more snorkel-exciting places. I'm currently researching Cabo. Looks like a few tours out of La Paz will do snorkeling with whale sharks and sea lions.

[Reef_Geek]

Originally Posted by Treebeard

Do you recall the name of the dive master you dove with from Akumal Dive Center? One of their DMs was involved in a bad car accident on the 307 a few days ago and passed away yesterday. We dove with him many times when he was working at Akumal Dive Adventures on Half Moon Bay. He was a great guy and an excellent DM and leaves behind a wife and three daughters.

That's sad. The DM with me on my cave dive was Jose. He's probably in his 50s and does not speak much english (made the day a bit awkward as it was just me and him)