Adventures |
Diving In Veracruz Warm Water and Palm Trees Many Islands and Reefs to Explore |
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Veracruz: Clear Blue Waters
I am fascinated by the sea and beaches, especially clear blue or green waters. I think I know what Jacques Cousteau must have felt like when he came to Mexico. The Mexican Caribbean is known for it´s spectacular green waters. Because of that, the popular places are overcrowded and commercialized. Not many foreign tourists come to the Gulf Coast of Veracruz, and you can have the pick of the dive shops in the area. Within 20 minutes of the port of Veracruz are clear blue waters, that have a wide variety of marine life, and historic places to dive. Further south, in the area around Antón Lizardo is another great area to dive. None of the places around Veracruz are crowded and you have a lot of freedom. There are 6 or 7 dive shops that offer diving service for recreation or for industrial and commercial purposes. |
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The Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is known for its warm waters, palm trees, and beaches. The drive from Brownsville, Texas to Veracruz takes about 12 hours, and much of the drive is alongside some beautiful beaches. As you drive south and get closer to Veracruz, you begin to notice the water is clearer and has less sand than the beaches in Texas. The best waters in Mexico are on the Caribbean side around the island of Cozumel and Cancun. They are a bright green. But, my problem is that I have become used to having it all to myself. And maybe that´s what I like about Veracruz. Not many tourists from outside the country have discovered this area yet. |
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Lots of
Reefs and Islands Close By
There are a lot of places for to dive and explore around Veracruz. Islands and reefs with coral and fish as well as several shipwrecks. The reef system is part of the Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano and is designated a Marine National Park. |
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Interesting Diving Trips to Nearby Areas
South of Veracruz is Roca Partida and the nearby "Blue Hole" which has been relatively unexplored by tourists. Now that the highway has been paved to Montepío, more people will be going to this area to dive. Many ships have sunk the almost 5 centuries of history around the port of Veracruz. Most of the dive shops know a lot about animal and plant life on the many reefs around Veracruz, too. They also know what to watch out for. |
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A Newspaper Clipping
On the wall in Gonzalo´s office used to be an old newspaper clipping. The date is March 22, 1912. The night before two ships, the Yucatan and the Hidalgo collided. It says $5,000 pesos in cash from the Postal Service and $13,000 pesos in merchandise were aboard. The Hidalgo was in a hurry with passengers aboard fleeing to Yucatan from the violence of the beginnings of the Mexican Revolution. There are lots of old sunken ships like this around Veracruz |
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Reefs Surround the City of Veracruz
The port of Veracruz is surrounded by coral reefs and lots of places to dive. In your spare time you can snorkel around anywhere on your own. There are lots of places to explore. In most cases, you can park your car, and jump in the water. If you want to go out in a boat, you will need an experienced guide who can save you time, and show you the best in the area. That´s when I look for people with the most experience. |
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The Reef System Around Veracruz
The reef system around Veracruz is a vast complex of interactive marine life. Of coral, crabs, and fish that depend on each other. If you don´t plan your trip to Veracruz during the busy holidays you can have the whole reef system to yourself. Scubaver Dive Shop Gonzalo and his dive shop are no longer around, and I went to the Scubaver Dive Shop and talked to Joseph. It´s not far from Gonzalo´s old shop near the Yacht Club, in front of the Hotel Mar y Tierra. You can find out more about them on their web site http://www.scubaver.com.mx About the most I´ve ever done is snorkel, and maybe now it´s time to go give it a try again. |