It’s a bit funny to be working as an intern at a scuba diving company when you have absolutely no scuba diving experience. And while I got to know the sport from working at Dive Logz over the past year and a bit, looking at pictures is nothing like the real thing.
Recently, Peter and Sandra, the dynamic duo behind Dive Logz, decided that enough was enough. Just like that, we packed our bags and headed for Costa Rica.
While the trip was a bit of a mixed bag (read all about it here), the one thing that was a runaway success was my first diving experience!
To make it happen, we got together with the Montezuma Crew and rented their private yacht for the day. Being out on the water was amazing, and we became fast friends with the crew: Miguel, Tomas, and David.
The best part? I went scuba diving!
I wasn’t able to get certified because our trip was cut extremely short (because, ahem, reasons) but I was able to get a taste of scuba diving. It was amazing.
I did a ‘Discover Scuba’ experience which lasted about an hour with the incredible Miguel, a certified diving instructor originally from Rome.
Now it’s time for me to fess up – I don’t remember too much before the dive. I’m sure there was a safety overview, but I was a bit distracted. I do remember being suited up (I looked like a member of the Avengers at that point). And I remember Miguel explaining the bubbles.
Scuba diving can be a bit claustrophobic in a strange way, and I think it could be easy for newbies to be overwhelmed. But as Miguel said, “Focus on the bubbles. The bubbles are life.”
While I never felt claustrophobic, I admit that I was a little freaked out for the first two minutes. And then I found the harmony. It really is therapeutic. It’s just you, your bubbles and the ocean. And Miguel, whose arm I held onto. Unfortunately, I don’t think he will be available for everyone’s first time.
The scuba hand signals were interesting. Looking back at it, the signals make sense, but there were a few times when I accidentally gave Miguel a thumbs up instead of the okaysign. Which could have ended in disaster but didn’t.
During the dive, I saw two sharks, and lots of fish including, starfish, and puffer fish. I didn’t want to stop. And let me tell you something, the ocean was warm. You don’t need a wetsuit when you’re diving in Costa Rica!
Costa Rica is truly an incredible place. Expert divers would be happy with this destination because there are so many things to do! Admittedly, if you have a trip with the sole purpose of diving, and you have a few dives under your belt already, Costa Rica may not be the best match. But if you’re a beginner like me or travelling with a diverse group, Costa Rica is gold.
I also can’t rave about the Montezuma Crew enough. If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, and if you’re planning to stay in theSouthern Tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, give them a visit, it was the highlight of the trip.
I didn’t have a dive watch, but I recorded every detail of the dive in my waterproof dive log (thank goodness it was waterproof because there were a lot of splashes). I’m glad I recorded the dive because now I will have this memory to look back on for the rest of my life.
While the scuba experience wasn’t very long, it was impactful, and I can’t wait to go out again. I’ve already made plans to get my certification and to get back out there.
https://www.divelogz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/kris-mikael-krister-575661-unsplash-1.jpg30785472Dive Logzhttps://www.divelogz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/divelogz_logo-copy.jpgDive Logz2019-05-02 17:33:132019-05-20 13:50:10My First Experience with Scuba Diving in Costa Rica
If you’ve been following Dive Logz you’ll know that we recently spent a few weeks in Costa Rica on a Dive Logz work-ation. Dive Logz is a family business, so that kind of thing is easy for us to do. As it happens, our intern, Jolene, has just finished university, and was free to come along. So, we gathered our troops, our scuba gear, and our sense of adventure, and went off to work on new plans, new products, and new content for our fans, away from the distractions of daily life and the deep freeze of Canadian winter.
We had some serious work to do, so we chose a place a little bit off the beaten path: Montezuma, near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. It’s a small town with some great beaches, amazing waterfalls, lush jungle, and, of course, diving nearby.
Getting there is, as they say, half the fun. We flew into Liberia, packed ourselves into a rather rough-looking 4×4, and hit the road for the 4 ½ hour drive.
The dusty road from Liberia to Montezuma, Costa Rica.
Things started smoothly, the paved highway almost empty as we headed out early on a Sunday morning. The paving didn’t last, though, and we soon found ourselves on rough, rocky dirt roads with a few precarious drops and many, many construction stops.
Dusty but excited, we arrived at Casa Maya, a pretty swanky house just up the hill from “downtown” Montezuma. The internet was strong, the garden lush and lively, and the plunge pool inviting. It was perfect.
We quickly settled into a routine of early mornings, inspired brainstorms, and twice-a-day trips to the beach to play in waves, snorkel, and explore. It’s the kind of rhythm that digital nomads like us love… an easy, natural lifestyle with lots of room for work and play.
The area offers lots to explore. One memorable morning involved a hike to the famous Montezuma Waterfall, followed by a swim in clear, cool waters.
Dive Logz founder, Peter, stands by the beautiful Montezuma waterfall.
Another found us at the small pier in nearby Cobano, where fisherman sell their daily catches. But mostly, we could be found at the beach, where the waves rocked or rolled us, depending on the day.
Eating is one of my favorite things, and Costa Rica, it turns out, is a great place to do that. In fact, the Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s five “Blue Zones” – where people commonly live past the age of 100. A Costa Rican 60-year old is more likely to reach the age of 90 than anybody else in the world. Fruits, vegetables and fish abound, and the local cuisine showcases them in simple, delicious ways.
We did our part by making starfruit ginger jam with the fruits growing in the yard.
Making starfruit ginger jam in the kitchen of Casa Maya in Montezuma.
The sun, the sea, the flavours, the pace… we love it all. We were happy. And then, one day, we weren’t.
We’d been in Montezuma about 10 days when two friends from Toronto came to join us. They brought the party, arriving with tons of luggage and some duty-free booze from the airport. We celebrated by going out for dinner – something we hadn’t done yet, since night falls fast and early in Montezuma, and we’d gotten into the habit of working at night so that we could enjoy the beach during the day.
The Dive Logz crew + friends out for dinner. Little did we know what would happen next…!
We returned, laughing, two hours later. We were piling into the kitchen, pouring night caps, when Peter, suddenly said “where are all the computers?!” We’d left them secured in the safe. But he was standing in front of the safe and the door was jacked open. The computers – four of them in total – were gone. So were the cameras, a phone, an iPad, and some cash. We’d been robbed!
Turns out a safe isn’t really a very safe place to keep your valuables after all.
We kicked into action immediately, texting the property manager, running upstairs to check the bedrooms, then waiting for the cops to show up, which they did in droves throughout the night. The municipal police came. The “special private investigator” came. The property manager came, then her husband, then her son. The cleaning lady and the pool guy came. It was a circus with a symphony of languages going – English, Spanish, and French – as we all tried to understand each other and make sense of what had happened.
The property manager, police, and others descended on the house the night of the robbery, taking statements and soothing our fears as best they could.
When everyone had finally gone, we were left in the stillness of a crime scene, with instructions not to touch anything before the police returned the next morning to take fingerprints. They needn’t have worried – we retired to our respective beds, and spent the night sleepless but still, alert to every sound. When the sun finally rose around 5, we’d already been up for hours.
The next morning, Peter and I headed to the police station to make another report. By the time the police followed us home to take fingerprints, we figured the worst of the experience was behind us, and started to relax into the new, unexpected reality that we’d now have no choice but to just be on vacation.
If you’ve ever been robbed, especially in a faraway land where policing is…uh… relaxed, you know that there’s no hope of getting your things back. We had to let go of the “stuff” we’d lost, and so we did, right after a frenzied day or two of changing passwords and securing accounts.
Harder to let go was the emotional side of being robbed – the feeling of not being safe, of not knowing who to trust, of being vulnerable at every turn. We began, without meaning to, to sleep in shifts, so somebody was always awake to the noises in the house. We stopped staying home alone, naturally falling into a high-alert buddy system.
But we also reached out for community, not just with each other, but with the people we’d met, the property manager, the Americans next door, and the very welcoming community of retired expats in Montezuma. We allowed ourselves to be taken under their wings, consoled, and cared for.
We recognized that in a country where poverty is rampant, we’re lucky that we have such valuable things to steal. And while the theft certainly disrupted our lives for several weeks, it’s probably nothing in comparison to the daily lives of people who feel like stealing is their best option.
We decided that the best revenge – and the path to redemption – was to laugh. So that’s what we set out to do.
We started with a bang, chartering Montezuma Crew’s private yacht for a day on the water. It was the perfect antidote to the harrowing days we’d had. They thought of everything and handled all the details. All we had to do was relax.
The Dive Logz crew and friends with our new buddies at Montezuma Crew. A private yacht day was just what we needed to put the break-in behind us.
As the crew shared with us, Costa Rica is a great place to learn to dive. So, we sent our intern, Jolene, out on her first dive that day. You can read about her magical experience with Miguel here. Peter got a dive in, too, and even logged his dive in our new waterproof dive log, which was a big hit with the crew.
From there we left Montezuma and the drama of it all behind, and headed to Santa Theresa where we booked into a little hotel in an enclosed compound with security. Finally sleeping again, we were able to enjoy the beach and really drop into the vacation vibe at last.
The beautiful beaches of Santa Theresa, Montezuma.
We ended our trip 10 days early and headed home to set ourselves up again with computers, and phones, and all of the other gadgets we’d lost. We’re oddly both more and less relaxed than we might have been if we hadn’t been robbed, but we’ve certainly learned a great deal about resilience and how laughter and love really do conquer all.
In the end, we still had each other. And isn’t that all that really matters?
https://www.divelogz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Plant-Vegetation-Cana-Nature-Bamboo-Garden-2807529.jpg8531280Dive Logzhttps://www.divelogz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/divelogz_logo-copy.jpgDive Logz2019-05-02 17:27:182019-05-20 13:51:02Happy, Sad, and Robbed: A Tale of Revenge and Redemption in Montezuma, Costa Rica
If you live in one of the many places on the planet where winter is thing, we feel you. Us, too.
So, what can we do other than take a deep breath in, find the coat and gloves we put away in the spring, and brace for months of shovelling cars out from under the snow? We can plan a dive vacation!
Winter is one of the best times to go on a scuba-cation. Here are 5 of our top picks for this winter:
1. Maldives:
The Maldives is known for its incredible underwater world, white sandy beaches, and beautiful hotels. Scuba enthusiasts around the globe love this destination!
Wondering what the diving is like? The Maldives are known for big fish and gorgeous coral reefs. This is also a great place for drift diving – you can see amazing hammerheads and tiger sharks.
Winter is the best time to go to this paradise dive destination, with the best visibility and plankton-rich currents.
2. Mozambique:
Mozambique is a water-lover’s paradise. Both the snorkeling and the scuba diving are top rate.
You’ll find tons of great dive sites, crystal waters, and the largest Marine Protected Area on the African continent in this winter escape. From coral reefs teeming with life to mangrove forests and an incredible diversity of sea creatures, there’s a lot to take in along the more than 2000 kilometres/1250 miles of coastline.
Picking a favourite area in this rich environment is tough, but Whale Shark Alley off Praia do Tofo, Inhambane, is a serious contender. This plankton-rich, current-fed corridor attracts whale sharks all year round, so you’re pretty much guaranteed to see them there. That’s definitely one to mark in yourtravel binder!
Note that Mozambique can be a little more challenging than some other destinations because of strong currents. But the conditions are perfect conditions for drift diving!
3. Bonaire
Bonaire is one of the top diving destinations in the Western hemisphere and is a perfect getaway during the cold winter months. It also offers beautiful landscapes and wildlife areas.Known as the shore diving capital of the world, Bonaire offers some of the world’s best diving, 24/7 diving.
While Bonaire draws in lots of advanced and technical divers, most of its 90+ dive sites are easily accessible even for new divers. Beloved Bonaire dive sites include Hilma Hooker, Bonaire Marine Park, Windsock Seep, and Pink Beach.
While there’s lots to love about diving Bonaire, one of the things we love most is its long-standing track record for environmental conservation and protection. Need more reasons love Bonaire? Find them here.
4. Micronesia
Looking to escape winter and head to a real tropical paradise? Look no further than Micronesia – an incredible destination that features everything that divers love! With its tiny uninhabited islands, vibrant culture, pristine reefs, temperate waters, great visibility, and amazing variety of marine life, Micronesia is a treasure trove for divers.
A favourite dive site in Micronesia is Chuck Lagoon– possibly the best wreck diving site in the entire world! Here you’ll find a rich World War 2 history to explore, with 200 air crafts and 60 ships beneath the waves. Another favourite, Palauis perfect for the tropical diver. There’s shark diving, wreck diving, and incredible coral reefs. The diverse sea life ranges from manta rays all the way to reef sharks.
5. Red Sea, Egypt
Egypt’s Red Sea has long been one of the world’s top scuba diving destinations. And why not? It’s got warm, clean water, tons of marine life, and lots to see and do! Egypt’s most famous dive spots include Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada and Marsa Alam. The water may not be as warm as the Maldives, but the cooler streams makes winter the perfect time to spot oceanic whitetips and hammerheads
Are you ready to take that much needed dive-cation? Take your travel friendly scuba log binder with you!
https://www.divelogz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/places-to-dive.jpg32644928Dive Logzhttps://www.divelogz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/divelogz_logo-copy.jpgDive Logz2019-05-02 17:11:442019-05-20 13:51:12Avoid The Chill: 5 Hot Places To Dive This Winter
Get your passports ready, divers…here are the top 5 diving destinations in 2019:
1. Palancar Horseshoe, Conzumel, Mexico
Palancar Horseshoe is a world renown dive site and for a good reason. It’s stated that Palancar Horseshow is the best diving site in all of Mexico, it has over 3000 5-star ratings on TripAdvisorand the general area is known to be affordable!
Cairnes, Australia, also known as the “Reef Experience” is a diving destination known for its beautiful reef scenery and fish life. This diving site has over 2800 5-star reviews on TripAdvisor. And if visiting Australia for the sole purpose of diving the Cairns then the other local activities and food will seal the deal.
The Galapagos is known for its sea life that can be seen almost year-round, and 20% of the marine life can’t be found anywhere else. Book your flight and be ready for the experience of a lifetime. Darwin Island is full of diving sites that are all unique on their own. The island itself is full of incredible history including an extinct volcano. The Island is found Northwest of the main Galapagos Island and is under the administration of Ecuador.
4. Blue Corner, Palau
Palau is known for its action-packed and stunning diving sites; however, Blue Corner is known as the best diving site in all of Palau. This dive site is best for the experienced diver due to its unpredictable conditions such as the currents. However, this site is best for shark lovers. Cruise along with Gray Reef Shark, and then move towards the sandy channels and experience the turtles, Manta Rays, Large Dogtooth Tuna and tons more. I think its time to pack your bags!
The Cathedrals in Lanai are known for the offshore ledges, rare species, delicate nature, and amazing sea life. Lanai is found in one of the sixth Hawaiian Islands and has a rich history and amazing outdoor activities for the adventurer. This site has amazing reviews from the TripAdvisor community and is a must see!
Cathedrals, Lanai | Photo Credit: Mar Tamarack
After giving our readers a strong case of wanderlust, let us know what places you really want to dive in 2018, what’s your diving bucket list, and have you visited any of these spots?
