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Birthdays in Akumal Last Day - 11/7/2012 4:11:51 PM
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SnorkelNfools
Posts: 2445
Joined: 7/27/2008
From: Southeastern PA
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Birthdays in Akumal
Sunday, Oct 28 2012
This is to be a fun trip for the girls of the family. Father and son have been off on a hunting trip, and now it is our turn to go relax and leave the farm to them. The impending arrival of Hurricane Sandy has us a bit worried. Will we make it out before the storm hits? So far we only have seen a little bit of rain and no wind.
Our flight from Newark takes off on time. Slight turbulence delays the food service, but before long we have our breakfast – Jimmy Dean sausage biscuits – and are flying smoothly toward Cancun.
There are long lines at both immigration and customs, but they move quickly. I get my first red light ever and have to have my bag searched. Cait appears a bit nervous about this. The camera housing is the only unusual thing in my bag, so the check is done quickly.
We easily find our USA Transfer rep and are soon loaded and driving down 307 toward Akumal.
Check in at ABR and have an OH XIT !! moment when I can’t locate my cash. After rummaging through my back pack I locate it…right where I had stashed it for safe keeping. PHEW!
Cait and I are starving, so our next stop is the snack bar for a cheeseburger. The bay is flat. The weather is warm with big beautiful clouds over the bay. Home again!
First walk on a Mexican beach!
I give Cait a short tour of the resort. We run into Doug and Cammie on the beach in front of the Moonrise.
Things are being set up for the evening Turtle Festival on Akumal Bay.
We meandered back to the office to see if our room was ready yet and are very happy to be assigned to Room 402. What a great location!
The view is excellent!
There is also a bottle of birthday champagne on the shelf!
And our very own beach kitty on our deck.
After unpacking we decide to walk into town to find a tooth brush and hopefully something chocolate from Turtle Bay. The toothbrush was easily procured at Chomak but Turtle Bay was not open, so we went back to the beach to watch the Turtle Ceremony. Outside the store we again saw Doug and Cammie - with a broken car. We wished them god luck and headed for the beach.
Offerings
By now there was a large gathering around a roped off area of the beach. Drums and flutes signal the arrival of the turtle by boat.
Quite impressive! The ceremony is interesting.
A blessing is given…
On a beautiful evening, we follow the procession into town to the basketball court. A variety of activities are planned for the evening. We watch for a while, enjoying the mix of vacationers, locals and family groups. The smell of vendors’ foods was enticing, but we returned to ABR for dinner.
After a good dinner of fish, chicken, veggies and fresh breads, Cait remarked that she would probably need bigger clothes by the end of the week.
Heat lightening over the water provides a spectacular show as we follow a full moon back to our room on the beach.
We check the news for information on the storm. It is still a monster and due to hit the Jersey coast tomorrow.
With concerns for the safety of those at home, we turn in for the night.
< Message edited by SnorkelNfools -- 1/16/2013 2:29:37 PM >
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Keav & Pam
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RE: Birthdays in Akumal Sunday Oct. 28 - 11/8/2012 7:59:08 AM
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Jamie
Posts: 2548
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Southern California
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What a nice report and pictures of the Turtle Ceremony, looks like a good thing to watch. And you have your own kitty, how cool is that
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RE: Birthdays in Akumal Monnday Oct. 29 - 11/12/2012 7:45:08 PM
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SnorkelNfools
Posts: 2445
Joined: 7/27/2008
From: Southeastern PA
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Monday, Oct. 29 First Snorkels
Strange noises on the roof wake us up before daybreak. There is no second floor above us, so it must be animals of some sort. Hopefully nothing more dangerous than a stray cat!
Calm morning on Akumal Baech
We started the day with a walk down the beach and a check of the turtle nests.
Breakfast is at the buffet with seats by the open windows in the sun. After a nice chat with some other LGers, it’s back to the room to try out the new snorkel gear. A guide from the dive shop gave Cait some great advice. For our first trip, we left the fins at the palapa, so Cait could get accustomed to the mask and snorkel tube. Later we went out again, with the fins.
In front of the Moonrise, we saw many of the usual suspects and were rewarded with sightings of five turtles, a stingray and two starfish. One was promptly named Jeffrey.
We grabbed a quick lunch at the Buffet, then went to the lobby to e-mail home. Chris and Cindy were just checking in as we arrived.
Back at the beach, the ABR photographer, Marco Cosso, was spotted with his large iguana. Cait had an enjoyable time posing for pictures.
Chris and Cindy hit the beach in record time, ready for a snorkel in the calm clear water of the bay.
We took the cameras this time and were lucky to see a 4 foot sharp tail eel.
Trunk fish
Sea slug
Blue Tangs
Cindy found a large eagle ray. You will have to wait for her report for that picture!
Finished with snorkeling and turns at the hot shower, everyone wandered back to the Moonrise for some liquid refreshment. We had fun meeting Wet one and another group of LGers , while Chris scoped out the perfect spot for his new sign. Several of the group were also here last year for the exodus to Merida from Hurricane Rina. Among the group was Tracy, who is in the middle of a 5 week stay at ABR. (We are all jealous.) Doug and Cammie stopped by for a visit. They are leaving early tomorrow morning.
Back at 402, we tried to call home but were unable to get through. TV news coverage of the storm looks pretty bad.
Evening view from room 402
Dinner in the Buffet with Chris and Cindy. Excellent company! The food was good, but nothing special...
... except for the fish in the pineapple!
Picked up the CD of Cait’s ‘Lizzard Pics’. Marco does nice work!
They are doing Miss Akumal in the Main Bar, but we all are tired and call it a day.
< Message edited by SnorkelNfools -- 11/12/2012 9:18:52 PM >
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Keav & Pam
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RE: Birthdays in Akumal Monnday Oct. 29 - 11/13/2012 6:17:09 AM
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Bosco
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Joined: 5/8/2006
From: Another day..another seedy hotel
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Nice pics and report, snf.
Love your writing style.
More please.
Bosco
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A world of my own
I'll make it my home sweet home...
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RE: Birthdays in Akumal Monnday Oct. 29 - 11/13/2012 8:02:06 AM
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Jamie
Posts: 2548
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Southern California
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Thanks, loving your report and pics
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RE: Birthdays in Akumal Monnday Oct. 29 - 11/16/2012 4:21:27 PM
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SnorkelNfools
Posts: 2445
Joined: 7/27/2008
From: Southeastern PA
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Tuesday, Oct. 30 12
I’m up early to save a palapa. A quick peek out the sliding door shows an even prettier morning. How is that even possible? The entire bay is smooth as glass. The daughter child is actually up and moving by 7:000.
The general plan for the day is Breakfast, then ‘The Big Float ‘ across the bay. Shopping in town is also on the list. We still need Turtle Bay chocolate.
After a quick stop at the lobby to e-mail home, we have breakfast on the outside seating area with Chris and Cindy. Cindy has been out for an early walk on the beach and informs us that a turtle nest hatched overnight. While enjoying breakfast on the veranda we decide to do a local snorkel instead.
Just in front of the Round building, Cait spots a Lionfish.
Trunk fish are one of my favorites!
A Foureye Butterfly fish
Some Reef squid lined up for a photo
And a turtle popped up to say HI!....and get some air...
Two Banded Butterfly fish making a jailbreak
Don't forget to clean the teeth!
Chris and Cindy have stuff for the CEA and Cait wants to stop at the Dive Shop to have a problem with her snorkel checked. Once the first two jobs were accomplished, Chris decided to go snorkel while Cindy, Cait and I went shopping.
Getting ready for Halloween
Back at the beach we opted for eating at the snack bar, which was shared with the kitties and the birds.
We spent the requisite hour after lunch reading , napping and chatting on the beach and then went for an afternoon snorkel.
I had changed the settings on my camera and it seemed to work better.
Found an eel that I had never seen before. In checking Cindy’s book later we ID’d it as a Honeycomb Moray.
Today's towel art
Our new neighbors in 401 are Tom and Sherry (Travelon ). Bosco is also in Building 4. Twirls and Bernie are due to check in soon too.
We cleaned up for dinner and managed to get a call home. The storm has been pretty ugly, but mostly high winds in our area. Both the power and land phone lines are out. Keavin is running a generator and all people and critters and buildings are OK. He lets us talk to the dogs before saying good –bye.
It is Mexican night in the Buffet. We have a lively group dinner with Chris and Cindy, Tom and Sherry and Bosco and Bernie. The company is wonderful and the food is very good – especially the lime chicken soup!
We discover that Sherry and Chris are both the same height…..as long as Chris is sitting down!
< Message edited by SnorkelNfools -- 11/16/2012 4:59:53 PM >
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Keav & Pam
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RE: Birthdays in Akumal Monnday Oct. 29 - 11/17/2012 8:40:01 AM
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ChrisandCindy
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Joined: 12/24/2005
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Enjoying your report and pix
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Video
Pix
YouTube
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RE: Birthdays in Akumal Monnday Oct. 29 - 11/19/2012 7:19:53 AM
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ChrisandCindy
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Joined: 12/24/2005
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Great pix
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Video
Pix
YouTube
A smile is the same in every language
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RE: Birthdays in Akumal Monnday Oct. 29 - 11/19/2012 8:54:23 AM
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Beach Bernie
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Joined: 1/1/2009
From: Colorado
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Thank you for all the pictures, Pam. Was great to hang with you and your Daughter; she is a super gal ( of course, you already know this ).
Thanks again,
Bernie
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Weekend at Bernie's
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