Mitsugirly needed to ESCAPE from the cold weather

[mitsugirly]

And then we seen it...I think me and Sakari seen it at the same time! It was so beautiful.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

But it wasn't letting us get close to it at all.

 

 

 

 

Following a Parrot fish

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, time to show my pictures and get caught up.

 

I'm honestly not sure what happened with my first picture. After going down into the water and heading toward the bottom, which had a sandy area, I snapped my first picture (as we waited on Sakari to come down the rope).

 

We were at 22.3'

 

 

 

She was slowly making her way down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We kinda circled the area around and around while I got used to moving my foot/leg and waiting on Sakari. We were at 14'-23' at any given time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

At some point, we all took off on our little scuba journey, exploring the reef around us. As I mentioned before, I did see A LOT of bleached out coral.

 

I took a picture of my watch and it was now 2:15pm and we were headed out.

 

 

 

 

 

We were around 16' at this time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This maroon blob of coral was pretty neat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are staying around 17-18' feet now and weaving our way around all the coral.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[marcia014]

10 hours ago, mickeyhereicome said:

Great review as always.  Does Sakari wear prescription glasses? If yes, did you buy her prescription goggles?  My boys, 11 & 9 (10 in January) love to snorkel. We are eventually going to all learn to scuba dive but around us they require you to start at age 10.  Anyways, my boys both wear glasses and haven't gotten used to getting contacts in yet.  Wondering if prescription goggles would be work it.  Our next cruise is in April on the Freedom out of San Juan for a ABC cruise.  Can't wait!

I went to my eye doctor and he ordered a prescription for my mask.  It was glued into the inside of the mask and I can see really well with it.  My prescription hasn't changed significantly in the past 12-15 years other than for reading and going to progressives, and my mask is still great after all this time!

Oh, and it cost less than $100.00.

Edited December 31, 2019 by marcia014

[mitsugirly]

20-22' now and finding more valleys to go down in.

 

 

 

 

 

So many beautiful colors

 

 

 

So having this broken leg and ankle did provide to be a bit challenging this time around diving. Out of all the diving I have done, each time I concentrate on my breathing and air consumption. One thing I did learn when Sakari was doing her classes (I paid attention to everything so that I could learn too) is how to control your breathing to make yourself go up and down and stabilize yourself and buoyancy control. Well this time, I would really have to work on it. While I think I do a pretty good job most of the time, I always know that if I get too close to a coral and need to zoom away quickly to keep from hitting it, I can always kick. But this time...not so much. So, that meant that I had to be VERY careful with the coral that I chose to try to get close ups on. I had to make sure that it would be in an area that I knew there was no risk of touching a coral. I absolutely LOVE macro shots and I had a new camera that operated differently from my old and should be better for macro shots....if only I knew how to use it and practiced a little more then they would have turned out a little better.

 

Here was my first macro

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes a flash helps...sometimes it don't. This time it did. I absolutely LOVE the bokeh in this next shot. This is how they all should be if shot right. I need practice.

 

 

 

This didn't quite focus on the front "branches" of the coral like I had wanted it to but I still think it's neat. (Why my camera decided to focus on the "branches" on the furthest side is beyond me.

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are 15 minutes into the "true" start of our dive, after Sakari came down, and her instructor is still hanging on to her by the "rope".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful green parrot fish chomping away, took time to smile for the camera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

We are still around 20-24' at this time. This is where I seen the hubby dart off in somewhat of a fast pace. I knew he had seen something interesting and I was going to try to make my way over.

 

 

 

Only I didn't have to go too far because once they passed him, they headed my way and around me. So beautiful....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is my video of the blue tangs going by. See the difference between my Olympus Tough and the GoPro? Such a better quality!

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I spotted the most beautiful Rock Beauty Angelfish. I'm not even sure if I have seen one before either diving or snorkeling. I have seen one once in a saltwater store, but that's it I believe. She was a beauty and a pretty decent size. She was a ways down there, and a camera never seems to show the true size of something. I hate that about pictures. But her beautiful yellow caught my eye. I just wish I could have got a close up and especially of her lips! They are black protruding from her bright yellow face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

We are now around 30-35'

 

Although this picture did not turn out the clearest, I liked that everyone was in it...and Sakari is still being held onto by her instructor. 😏

 

 

 

I really wished this picture would have turned out a little better. I don't know why it turned out so dark. Maybe I was focused more on the light shining down. But, I still thought it looked pretty neat. You could see the sun out above, the light beaming down and the darkness of the ocean ahead. It kinda had a dreary feeling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

Now this is my all time favorite sponge. I see these blue beauties almost every time I dive and the color of them is just one of my favorites. (That and the purple ones). While I may know most of my fish names, I'm not very good (at all) with sponge or coral names (except brain coral...everyone knows that one lol).

 

 

 

Isn't it beautiful????

 

 

 

 

 

 

And there's that unmistakable brain coral

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

Once again, around 15-20 minutes into the dive and I'm left. The hubby, my personal assistant and Sakari on her instructors leash...all way up there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There goes my personal assistant. LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A damsel has claimed this coral

 

 

 

There's one of my favorite sponges again....but the looks of it caught my eye...

 

 

 

It had a blow out...or either one of the residents that took up shop decided they wanted a window in their new home. I am at 38' now and in case you wondered, the water temp was 86.1 degrees. 😲

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

A very pretty Spotfin butterfly fish. Of course these fish were being shy today and just didn't want to show their face. The Spotfin Butterfly has a black line down it's face.

 

 

 

 

 

So the eerie picture that I took of the dark and the sun shinning from above...look at this next picture. I remember taking this picture. Off in the distance there was the ring of light. It never moved. I remember looking at it and thinking "I wonder what that is". It did not beam from above, it did not look like someone swimming with a light on their camera, it was just there. It was not round but oval shaped. I remember thinking Nemo and the light on the angler fish...only we weren't deep lol

 

 

 

I don't know what it was about this area. It was a lot darker. Maybe the sun was behind the clouds. But, it was just a weird feeling and dark and not so clear at the time. We were only at 33 feet in this area.

 

 

 

As I'm staring out in the deep blue (that wasn't really too deep of course) I got this weird feeling that came over me like I was being watched. There was the feeling of pending doom lurking over me. I was kind of frozen. I seen something coming at me. It was pretty big and swimming from side to side. It was coming right at me. I didn't know what to do. I just sat there as it got closer and closer.

 

Then I seen it was a pretty big fish. It was coming right at me with no fear. Then it kind of went off to the side. Oh gosh...why am I frozen? I need a video of this!!! Then I started recording.

 

 

 

 

As he went by me, he glanced over and just floated by looking at me. I really wish that a video could capture the size of him. It makes him look so small.

 

Ok, I was safe and he wasn't under attack. Time to move on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

 

 

I must have been following Sakari because I noticed in this shot (on the bottom left corner) was the sea fan with the purple in it. I must have not noticed it as much when I was swimming, otherwise I probably would have gotten a close up of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another deep dark picture

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the lobster peaking out from the coral where it looks like it's a little torn up?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure what happened to the exposure on this one. I was trying to get a close up of the Christmas tree worms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

And then there it was....the puffer fish...ahhh So cute!

 

 

 

We were at 13.7' at this time.

 

 

He was definitely keeping his distance from us.

 

 

 

 

Here's my video of the puffer

 

 

 

 

It's funny when you are down in the water, you never really see all this stuff floating by you like you do in the video. The camera must pick up every microorganism there is. LOL

 

Now PLEASE someone tell me what the heck this is??? This will make the 3rd time I have seen whatever this is (in different locations in the Caribbean). It kinda reminds you of an eel, it appears like a soft type of skin (looks like...meaning it's not coral) and it's always coming out from under some coral. It sways back and forth with the water and always appears like it's not alive. It usually has some type of stripe/spot coloration and the end of it is kinda like a square and not rounded. ANYONE???? This drives me nuts each time I have seen it.

 

 

 

 

 

Is it some really massive type of worm??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

I noticed some bluish purple tinted coral down below and went to explore.

 

 

 

Purple brain coral? Or was this the start of some bleaching?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Victorious8]

I love your reviews but I have an irrational fear of fish/marine life and get anxiety reading your scuba posts. However I am so invested in your family vacations I have to read all of the captions even though it legit makes me chest feel tight LOL

[Laszlo]

Kim, before you go snorkeling or diving the next time pick up some filters for your GP. That will help to take care of the hue issue with color

 

https://amzn.to/2u8PT4P

 

Mitch has some excellent videos that show you how to get better color 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

Hey! I see you taking a video of me!

 

 

 

 

 

Well I'm going to take a picture of you then. LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This next picture just goes to show...I make a lot of blooper mistakes when I take pictures as well. Everyone always talks about how great my pictures are, and I have always said for every 5 pictures I take I get a good one that I want to use. At this point, I'd like to say for every 5 pictures I take I get 1 bad one I can't use. 🤣

 

Here's proof of that and I have no idea what happened to the focus. LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was very obvious that we were heading back and almost done with the dive. We were now about 50 minutes into the dive and I was looking at Sakari on her leash and noticed her look down at something and bring her body down real fast to take a picture, tugging at her leash during this movement, then once she snapped the picture, back up she went quickly (as in the movement of her body). Well I noticed when she did that, she kinda came up quick enough to hit her instructor and he let go of the leash. She was free...free as a mermaid. She was happy finally. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

 

My personal instructor was kinda hovering in place and pointing off in the near distance. I slothed over slowly to check it out. She kept pointing. I had to get closer.

 

 

 

 

There was something in that hole. I thought maybe it was an eel.

 

 

But no, it was the biggest darn black grouper with his pointy teeth glaring out at us. I took so many pictures but it was so hard to see him in there. I ended up having to crop in a picture and lighten it to even see him. Here's that pic

 

 

 

 

 

The hubby was taking a video...it was quite apparent that the size of this thing combined with it's teeth freaked him out a little bit and he didn't get nearly as close as I would have with the GoPro and I wouldn't have casually swam by and kept going. LOL  I guess I'm going to have to learn to operate a GoPro AND my camera while swimming to get the shots I want. 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

See my teefers???

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

I looked up and could see the boat above us. Darnit...the dive was over.

 

Sakari was still fascinated with the bubbles.

 

 

 

She took a picture of the boat above her.

 

 

 

 

Our dive was about an hour long. Then came the task of me trying to get back up on the boat using a ladder. I knew this wasn't going to be easy and especially with the boat moving. Thank goodness the water was fairly calm that day. I started questioning my decision to do a boat dive at that point. I mean after all, we didn't even get to see any turtles at turtles crossing. 😞

 

 

But, I didn't have a choice. I had to get back up on the boat one way or another and from the looks of the boat, it didn't have a hoist on it. I removed my flippers and my bsc and tank. I slowly stepped up one step at a time and finally made it. I was so relieved.

 

The hubby told me how proud he was of me and I honestly couldn't believe I was able to do this dive. But, I had put my mind to it that this was going to happen! I did pretty good for having a broken leg and ankle. There were maybe 2 times that I twisted it the wrong way and it had some pain. But, for the most part, it wasn't too painful the rest of the dive (or maybe I was just so into everything around me that I didn't notice it as much). The movement of my leg just felt tight and very awkward.

 

 

Sakari would take one last photo for the day...#photobomb

 

 

 

On the ride back...we would talk about what all we had seen and the excitement was still there about mommy getting to do the dive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived back at the dock and there was only 1 military guy standing there at this point. I just had to get a picture.

 

 

 

 

Do you see the ghost guy? Maybe that's what the military guy was going to check out. Was his eyes deceiving him?

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

I really dreaded the walk back to the dive shop. I knew it was going to feel longer than the walk there since I had just spent an hour diving and wearing myself out. I eventually made it and was relieved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Sakari's instructor was on to the next group of people.

 

 

 

 

Sakari had morphed into a mermaid. She got a new mermaid tail for Christmas. This is the new and improved mermaid tail. They have the fins on the back and side now!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

So call me crazy but you just can't take a fish out of the water...even when their fin is broken.

 

I decided I would head out and do a little snorkeling. I had given Sakari's dive log book to the instructor and we always get a DSD book with each dive to be completed and stamped. I keep track of all of them and I was told that she would fill it out in a little bit.

 

So, off I would go to do a little snorkeling in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NaiNoNo]

Hi Kim - long time lurker...just wanted to say thank you for these amazing reviews!  I have an irrational fear of the open water but I am hoping to attempt some diving on our cruise in May.   It probably won't happen (irrational), but I see from your pictures what I am missing!

[blarko]

8 hours ago, Victorious8 said:

I love your reviews but I have an irrational fear of fish/marine life and get anxiety reading your scuba posts. However I am so invested in your family vacations I have to read all of the captions even though it legit makes me chest feel tight LOL

 

Omg! This is exactly me!!!! And then the thought of trying to hoist myself out of the water onto a boat....nope.

[mitsugirly]

This would be the very first cruise that I did not take my fins with me. I figured I wouldn't need them since the dive shop provides these for the dive and there really wasn't any need for them anywhere else. It would save on some weight and added space in our luggage. I honestly felt lost without them.

 

This meant while snorkeling I would need to kick with my feet...which provided to be somewhat painful without a fin. So, I stayed really close to the shore and floated and walked while looking down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a picture of a flounder (with the eyes on the side of it). I caught it out of the side of my eye and by the time I tried to take a picture, it was swimming off. Of course the pic turned out crappy.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I spotted Patrick. I went over to say hello and get a picture.

 

 

 

 

 

There was a family near me and I heard the 2 girls say "I found a starfish!!!" But they hadn't. They were just joking. So I went over and showed them mine that I really had found. They checked it out and then it was released.

 

So, Sakari was near by and I told her "follow me". I went back over to the girls and their dad and said "Did you find anymore starfish?" They replied "no". So I told them "I found something better than a starfish. Have you ever seen a mermaid?"  They thought I was nuts until up popped Sakari. They were so excited!!!