We are deeply glad to give you a new heading in our newsletter. In fact, each month we will talk to you about one of the inhabitants of our reefs. Obviously, one of our favorite underwater representatives here in Phocea is the turtle.
More than our emblem, it is for us a magnificent animal. The quiet strength. This animal we quite regularly meet on the different dive spots of Playa del Carmen, often laid onto the sea bottom, grazing sponges and algae, just turns into a marvel when it takes off.

But who exactly are these turtles that populate our coral reefs ?

First, as for any presentation, let’s begin by its name… Commonly called «Hawksbill Turtle» its true name is «Eretmochelys Imbricata».

«Imbricata» in Latin gives «imbricated» in English, this name comes from the unique positioning of its scales. Indeed, after the 5 main scales on the top of the carapace, the hawksbill turtle has 2 pairs of 4 scales positioned like tiles on a roof on each side of the carapace.

Its habitat includes all the tropical oceans. It would even be the only sponge-eater reptile.

Its carapace can be up to 100 centimeters long and the animal usually weighs between 43 and 75 kg.

Although it usually lives near the shore, our favourite turtle is also a great swimmer and a great apneist, able to swim at 24 km/h speed. Moreover, it has been observed diving in the area of the 70 meters during more than 80 minutes.

As we have seen earlier, this turtle mainly feeds on sponges, but also on jelly-fishes and shellfishes. Interesting characteristic about its food, this turtle would be able to eat toxic sponges, what explains locally the extreme toxicity of its flesh an dits skin. Another funny detail, the eyes of the animal is the only part of its body that is not protected against the irritant organs of the jelly-fish so that the turtle has to close its eyes while feeding.

This turtle is known as a late maturity animal. Indeed, the hawksbill turtle can begin to reproduce from 10 to 20 years old. It is sexually active during 10 years.

The reproduction and the laying of eggs can take place between every 9 months to every 10 years!

Like very often for the marine turtles, the females come back and lay its eggs on the beach they were born.

The Yucatan peninsula beaches precisely are a zone of massive nesting for these animals.

The hawksbill turtles have an extremely important role for the health and wellbeing of the coral reefs. Indeed, as they eat the sponges that colonize the reef, they release space for the coral reproduction and, this way, maintain a constant level of increase of the reef.

Unfortunately, the like of the hawksbill turtle has not an easy life.

It has been calculated that between the predation of the eggs by crabs, birds, human beings, the disappearance of the juveniles eaten by sharks and other large fishes, the pollution, and the fact they are too oftenly victims of fishermen who catch them accidentally in their nets, or worse to sell their scales, only 1 egg on 1000 would end up as an adult specimen !!!

Broadly, the hawksbill turtle population has decreased of roughly 80% for the last 100 years. This animal is indeed on the CITES list of critical danger of extinction animals.

Of course, many projects in order to help the reproduction and the breeding are operated all over the world to promote the conservation of this species.

From our point of view, we can really help this animal with simple gestures… Systematically recovering while diving as on earth, plastic bags that too oftenly kill our beloved turtles that confuse them with jelly-fish. Never buying while travelling decoration or jewelry items made of turtle scales and making our friends and relatives know about this awful issue.

Thus, we will be able to go on enjoying this marvellous take off and the gracious swim of these majestic and so placid reptiles.

Where can we see Hawksbill turtles ?

Usually, they are all over the Riviera Maya. To make sure you will not miss them, Phocea proposes you the following dive spots :

• Tortuga Reef (Turtle Reef) : a dive from 18 to 24 meters, this is the dominion of the Mexican turtles, obviously, you will meet up there Hawksbill turtles but also Loggerhead turtles (caretta caretta ) and Green Sea turtles (Chelonia mydas).
• Punta venado (Deers Point) : a dive from 18 to 30 meters, between sponges and coral pinnacles, you will have the opportunity to meet our mascot.
• Barracuda and Sabalos (Barracuda & Tarpons) : dives from 8 to 14 meters, it is not so rare to see a representative of these reptiles on the top of the reef while it is having lunch…
• Moc Che Profundo and Pared Verde (Tree root deep & Green wall) : along these 2 walls between 22 and 30 meters, it will not be «Dances with wolves» but «Swims with turtles».

For once in our Pro Newsletter, our Course Director will not speak but will leave this pleasure to our more than happy candidates.

Carol and Jerome came to the Scuba Diving Paris Show in January 2010 with many ideas and projects in mind, and especially the will to change their life. After a short talk to Martine and Didier, the decision was made : they are going to exchange their costumey habits for wet suits and fins.

6 months later, they made it, they are both Dive Instructors.

Yes, just 6 months to turn themselves into Instructors !!!

But look : in the meanwhile, Carol and Jerome spent the whole days with bubbles in the mind and thoughts… As a result for this new season begining for them : 6 grades of diving courses passed, 2 grades of First Aid courses (Primary and secondary Care), more than 100 logged dives, and many opportunities to participate to the teaching of courses such as Discover Scuba Diving, Open Water, Advanced Open Water course and also a few exams !!!

• Phocea Mexico : Quickly, who are you and which is your professonial background ?
• Carol : 35 years old, impassioned by life and trips. For years (too many !!) in the frenzy business world, for 4 years in Paris as a consultant and trainer in commercial management, and since ever with many dreams in my mind !
• Jerome : 35 years old and with all my teeth !!! 1m85, 82kg, just a handsome guy !!!
  Ancient commercial manager in banks related to the inheritance and professional management for a little bit more than 10 years.
  Since ever, impassioned by water sports and the sea, almost 20 years of swimming competition, I also made as much as I could sailing, bodyboard, snorkeling… In one word, water is my world. When I was between 18 and 25 yo, I have worked in vacation centers as a base leader and director in a nautical base with teenagers in order to make them spend nice moments through the sharing of my water passion.

• Phocea Mexico : When have you decided to become scuba diving professionals ?
• Carol : I have discovered scuba diving in Bali, my first meeting with a turtle just changed my whole life… ! In my mind, I thought : « I want to be able to see that for my entire life ! ». When I met Jerome, we realized our dreams were quite similar, so it encouraged us to lead towards this huge turn in our life. We both decided, in november 2009, to become dive Instructors and to make our dreams come true.
• Jerome : I have always loved the ocean, each time I am close to the sea, I cannot prevent myself from spending a lot of time in the water thanks to many recreational activities.
  In november 2009, right after I met my beloved « Carolina » and after realizing our specific place (for both of us) in our society.

• Phocea Mexico : Why such a reversal of career ?
• Carol : My original path was the one of an ordinary careerist, as I was used to thinking that professional success would mean happiness and blooming.
  However, My (real) beliefs and ideals : nature, environment, travels, humanism, sharing… were so little integrated in the way of life and especially of working I had at that time.
  And, one day, we do take our time, we do think about what we do want and here comes the revelation… Professionally, I like to give the desire of learning, the human contact and the satisfaction of people in front of the learning process. Humanly speaking, I want to be able to contribute to the conservation of the environment, of the nature, in one word of Earth. Ideally speaking, I am dreaming of finfing the place where we will make great things, combining the teaching of scuba diving and the discover of the marine life and reefs to the conservation of the biodiversity. We have many ideas !!! « Dreamly » speaking, why not taking advantage of scuba diving to give sense to young people’s life who have not many benchmarks in countries without great opportunities (cf : Divers of the World).
  I want to do great things !!!
• Jerome : The other part of this reversal was that I realized quite quickly, roughly 6 years ago, that the way our society was living was a major issue for the worldwide ecosystem. After several readings and much information about this matter, I could not bear not doing anything anymore. The scuba instructor work will allow me not only to share my passion of the ocean through teaching and accompanying my future « clients » but also to sensitize concretely these people to the nowadays and future problems of our planet.

• Phocea Mexico : How much time did you need to make your dream come true ?
• Carol : At a stroke….. 6 months !
• Jerome : Till now, 6 months training to turn me into a dive instructor but for my dreams that will come true, the goal has not been reached yet.

• Phocea Mexico : What are your short and medium term plans ?
• Carol : We would like to travel for 2 or « years, to teach scuba diving in countries that sound attractive to us : Egypt, Asia, Indonesia, Maldives… This way, we will improve our languages skills and, who knows ?, maybe find a place that will be our paradise…. !
• Jerome : To get married with my « Carolina » and then, to work in a Dive Center, maybe in the Red sea to begin. Then, we wish to travel, discover and work in asia, Indonesia for 2 or 3 years in order to get experience in my new job, open my eyes and get a wider point of view of the world, of its underwater sea bottoms and of the ecological situation of the countries we will go through.

• Phocea Mexico : What about long term plans ?
• Carol : To get involved in an area of the world where we will be able to do great things, to have many scuba babies and give from us and our time to help (the way we can) the local development and the conservation of the environment.
• Jerome : To find a place on earth that will allow us to combine the sharing of our experiences in the teaching and the knowledge of scuba diving with sensitizing to the environment problems creating a local and international structure that matches our ideas and convictions.

• Phocea Mexico : Today, do you have any doubt or regret regarding your life change ?
• Carol : In just one word : NONE !
• Jerome : None, ningun, aucun…. !

• Phocea Mexico : Why, among so many dive centers, have you chosen Phocea ?
• Carol : We met up with Didier at the Paris Scuba Diving show. Naturally, our first destination has been Playa del Carmen in Mexico. Obviously, the sympathy but also the professionalism of the Phocea team incited us to make our course with them..
• Jerome : The imposing breadth of the boss just did not allow us to refuse ! Seriously, the first contact at the show sounded us very easy and sympathetic. Once we got there, I realized that not only they were very convivial real professionals.

• Phocea Mexico : Do you have any comment regarding Phocea and the pedagogical team that works here ?
• Carol : We have travelled a lot through Central America, met up with many dive centers and the teams they had… We have seen the worst we cane ver see (also many good ones, however !). But regarding the Phocea, I can say that this is THE center we felt the most professional, and so did we regarding the team… Regarding our IDC, I am really not sure that we had been able to find anything better, precisely regarding Camille’s pedagogy ( very good listener, adaptation, conviction, passion for his work and so many others more….).
• Jerome : The whole team of Phocea is more than qualified, open minded and sympathetic.

• Phocea Mexico : What have you like/dislike during your course ?
• Carol : The MUST : the adaptability, the team cohesion and the desire to make it together, the Course Director professionalism.
• Jerome : What I liked : the professional and personalized accompaniment all over the course, technical pieces of advice but also psychologic ones. For Camille : he is more than professional, open minded and always listening to anyone who would like to talk to him…
• Both : What we disliked…. Hmmm, the rythm : a lot of work in not so much time but we cannot get anything without a real effort !

• Phocea Mexico : Would you recommend Phocea for a professional course ?
• Carol : YEAHHHHH !
• Jerome : Obviously ;-) !!

• Phocea Mexico : And to end up with this interview, speaking about diving, what is attracting you the most in this activity ?
• Both : This is an outer world, impassioning in which there are so many things to discover. The underwater world is fragile, we must take care of it and we like to communicate to the world our ideas regarding the conservation of our oceans.

Therefore, The main part of their project has not come true yet, indeed, this summer, Carol and Jerome are going to get married, so the whole team of Phocea wishes much happiness to our future married Instructors.

Once more, 100% success for our Course Director, Camille Laquerrière, as our 12 candidates perfectly passed the IDC and the instructor examination.
The whole Phocea team is very proud for and of their success. Carol, Elodie, Jerome, Josselin, Nicolas, Guillaume, Thierry, Alex, Javier, Danny, André and Randy, congrats to all of you, you made it perfectly !! After the IDC, the majority of our candidates participated to a further course to be able to teach various specialties such as Enhanced Air, Wreck dive, Deep dive and many other ones.

July has been defined by a Full cave session for Gilles, Julie and Nicolas.

Yes, the very same Nicolas who made the Idc with us in June.

Thanks to the Full cave course, Nicolas is now a cenote guide, beyond a dive instructor and that allowed him to find a job quite quickly in a dive center that has been very interested in Nicolas’ polyvalence.