Ziwataneo

Ziwataneo was a quaint little fishing village with lots and lots of American type hotels. We rode a water taxi to Los Gatos beach and were the first people there. (A tip is that when cruising get off the ship first and you will get the best deals and have areas to yourself for longer.)

I was very excited to go Snorkeling. We asked some people where to snorkel and they pointed to an area around some rocks that was good for snorkeling. So Wade, Melissa, Cameron, Todd and I headed out there. Mike followed a little while later. We couldn't find the way to get out past the rocks as it became to shallow. So we all decided to head further to the west. I found a little canal that went through the rocks and figuring that everyone would follow me I swam out past the rocks. Nobody followed though. I saw lots of cool fish and was in my own world under the water so I didn't realize that there might be any danger. When I realized no one else had come I called them over and Melissa came out there.

We kept having a hard time with the waves and so we were having to work way too hard. It seemed fun to me but I guess that isn't where you should really snorkel. The next thing I knew the waves were crashing harder and harder and it was too hard to swim back. A wave too my fin and that was the last time I saw it. Well then I panicked and got washed up on the rocks and coral. After being pummeled in the coral for awhile I decided to walk across it and then swam the long way back to the beach. I was not the only one who got chewed up on the rocks and everyone had scrapes and cuts.

The most disappointing thing to me was that I had lost the fin and now could not snorkel any more for the whole trip. I went to a place that rented gear to see if I could buy some new fins and I explained that I had lost my fin. A little later a woman came and said that she had seen her cousin on a boat pull something out of the water and she thought it was a fin. So she said she would ask him when he came back. But she didn't come while we were sitting on the beach and I was really disappointed knowing that I had to buy new fins and that if I didn't buy them soon I wouldn't be able to snorkel at all.

We walked down the beach and Cameron kicked a rock harder than was necessary while he was paying attention to the beautiful sights. He got a blood blister and it hurt him a lot. We also saw a woman who got caught in a current and had to be rescued by a local. Going to the beach is different in Mexico. There are no lifeguards and you have to hope that you can swim good enough or else someone will have pity on you and rescue you.

Later as we were leaving that woman waved me over and she had my fin! I was so happy to have it back. I am glad I asked around about it since finding it was much better than having to buy new ones.

I don't have any pictures here. I am not sure why we didn't take any but I know Wade and Melissa and Sue did so hopefully soon I will post some.