Aaarrrgghhhh! Ahoy Matey!

Sunday – Aarrghhhh! Day

We slept until 8:00, then decided to mosey on over for some breakfast and to find out who was going snorkeling with us. A few people had mentioned they were going to book the same tour we did. Which was snorkeling via pirate ship (aaarggghhhh matey!). We goofed around the pool for a bit, then made our way over to the lobby at 10:45 to catch a cab to the marina for our snorkeling adventure upon the Buccaneer Queen. Eight of us all had booked the same tour. Which really helps out with the cab fare. The driver dropped us off right at the marina entrance to our boat! Lots of black crabs had crawled up on the rocks of the marina to bask in the sun. Kinda goofy looking. With their legs they were about as big as my hand. We started to board just before noon. The ship was a huge pirate ship. And they played pirate-like songs until we finally shipped off. There were about thirty of us snorkeling that day. Without our group, it would’ve been quite empty. The water was really choppy so the ship bobbed up and down, up and down. First look out the marina was Lover’s Beach, Divorce Beach, the Arch of course, and a sea lion colony. Ryan and I had debated about taking a four hour jet ski tour of the arch, surrounding areas, and you could snorkel on it too…but it was four times per person than the pirate ship excursion so we didn’t do it. If I ever go back to Cabo, I’m paying the extra money to take the jet ski tour…would’ve been worth every penny of it. Anywho, back to pirating. The ride out to Chilleno Bay where we snorkeling took almost an hour. It felt like longer with all that bobbing up and down. We all were given snorkels and masks neither of which worked extremely well and were told to walk the plank…yarrrr garrrr! So, you know how when you get brain freeze…or when someone puts an ice cube down your back and you are already cold…imagine that times a hundred. The Pacific Ocean water was freezing! But, you had to swim about 200-300 yards over to where you see the fish so you were somewhat warmer by the time you got over there. The guide would throw bread in the water and the fish would swarm around you. We both had a blast! So much fun to get to see this whole new world living underwater. We didn’t see many bright colored fish. I did catch a pretty black and orange one you’ll see in a picture. But for the most part, not many bright colors. Ryan was even brave enough to dive down to the bottom and come back up. Said the pressure though was unreal! Everyone from our little group got together and tried to go underwater for a picture…not sure how that one will turn out :o) Not long after that, I looked around and noticed the other two girls were as cold as I was…shivering horribly, so I headed back to the boat. When I turned around, I guess everyone else was thinking what I was because they were all coming too. When you got back onto the boat, you just dropped your mask and snorkel into what appeared to be normal water…I question how sanitized that stuff was…ick! Oh well…they sprayed you down with warm water and scooted you along. Unfortunately, Ryan and I had forgotten to bring towels. I dried of with a t-shirt I’d bought and put on my fleece sweatshirt I’d worn there. Did me no good. I had swallowed a bunch of sea water on accident so I went and got a drink, but couldn’t even hold it. Ryan had to hold it for me. Just spilling everywhere. I must have looked pretty pathetic or worried one of the crew because he came over and wanted me to cover up with a Mexican blanket…but then someone else needed something more urgent…a tequila shot…so I just went and sat in the sun. After everyone was back on board, we shipped off. About two minutes later, one of the guides starting shouting to look to our right that a whale was going to jump out of the water. We were all thinking, yeah right, they just kinda bob up for a second, spray then go back down. But then, whoosh! Baby whale jumps totally out of the water! He was about ten to fifteen feet tall. It was unbelievable! Like what you see on the Discovery Channel or National Geographic! And then up he comes again, and again! Apparently his momma was coaching him on how to jump! All within like thirty feet of us. Then momma bobbed up out of the water, sprayed and went back under…she was about thirty feet long herself! She was gigantic! It was something I won’t forget for the rest of my life that’s for sure :o) All the guides on the boat even had out their video cameras and regular cameras and were taking pictures and all. We had started out as the only boat around, but soon found ourselves to have about five others there with us. Too cool…we pay for snorkeling and get a bit of whale up close and personal in for free. The music on the way back was traditional YMCA, Jimmy Buffet, etc. Everyone I think was on a high from the baby whale. We got off the boat and Ryan and I immediately ditched the rest of the group to hustle back to the hotel…it was already 4 and we had spa appointments at 4:30! The rest of the group went shopping around CSL. We got back to the hotel in just enough time for Ryan to rinse off, and me to change clothes. Ryan got a massage and I got a facial. Both very very relaxing. Neither of us had ever been so lucky as to have these things before and they were both awesome! Especially after several days in the sun running around, etc. We finished up at 5:30 and were supposed to be at the cocktails/appetizers at 6:00 then had a dinner reservation for 6:30. We decided to go ahead and cancel our dinner. We’d heard the food at the place we’d reserved wasn’t all that fantastic, and we really didn’t feel like rushing after just getting out of these soothing appointments. We got down to the cocktail hour and mingled for about forty five minutes the went over to the buffet and had a light dinner. After dinner we walked around the resort a bit, looking at the stars, enjoying the full moon…when this weird looking dude wearing a three amigo costume but white instead of black with a giant wind-up looking thing on his back starts waddling toward us. He had tons of makeup on too. Both of us were a bit creeped out by the whole thing and headed up to the lounge area to see what card games were going on. There I met one of Ryan’s coworker’s wives who is so sweet! She and I talked for about two hours while Ryan talked to the coworker, then went to play some dominos. She’s a mommy entrepreneur and came up with the Secure 2 Me blanket. http://www.secure2me.com/ It is a blanket that clips on to you, the stroller, just anything. That way it doesn’t fall. She and I chatted for quite a long time until eventually more people started joining our table. One of the girls brought over some cards and we started playing BS. You know, it’s the game they play in “How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days.” It started out with four of us and grew to ten! This was also quite fun. We played until about 12:30 then all decided we needed to get some rest before heading home on Monday. Action-packed day for the Smiths…and another one of those nights where you are so tired, it still doesn’t matter the bed isn’t the most comfortable.
And by the way...I felt like I was on a boat the entire night...ugh...up and down...