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You love large fish and the strong feelings!
Every summer, from June to September, come to swim with the whale sharks.
Every winter, come to dive with spotted eagles rays and bulldog sharks, guaranteed 100% till March.
Divings emotions ensured
by Phocea Mexico !
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When you read this newsletter, all of you will have been back to work after this summer vacation that, we hope, have been pleasant for you.
First, we wish to thank everyone that made us happy coming to us this summer and also everyone that has been able to participate to the whale sharks trips.
2010 will be remembered as a blessed year regarding whale sharks : we have been able to see, at least, 100 sharks during each trip we have operated, without telling you about many Manta rays, dolphins…. In short, a wonderful season !
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For all those who could not come this year, just know that we will do our best to make it better for 2011...
Plus, be aware that, as we are entering the low season, many interesting offers are just waiting for you, with also lower prices for the hotel.
In September, we are having a new IDC session that is quite cosmopolitan with not only French candidates but also Mexican and Spanish ones, we wish them good luck and we hope the examination will just be a bare formality.
Then, for the ones in love with speleology, we will follow with a Full Cave session in our beloved cenotes, followed, for the ones in love with depth, by a Tec Deep and Trimix session.
Finally, in November, we will have the last IDC session of the year.
Please click on the following link to see the courses schedule :
Except all these courses, we are going to go back and dive, within a month, with Eagle Rays onto the wreck in the North of Playa and also, maybe even especially, with Bull Sharks (see the part : meeting of the month), here, just a few minutes away from our centre. For this dive, your meeting with sharks is 100% guaranteed.
Do not forget that you also can stay in touch with us on Facebook or on our blog.
We thank you for all the comments you have posted on our guest-book and we also thank you for helping us to be known by your friends who have not come yet to Mexico by forwarding them this newsletter.
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| The meeting of the month - Inhabitants of our reefs: Bull sharks |
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Bull sharks or also Zambezi sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are not more than 3,40m long. Its back is gray or brown with the extremity of the fins slightly darker and its belly is whitish.
The name, "bull shark", comes from the shark's stocky shape, broad, flat snout.
We usually see it near the coasts of all the tropical seas and southern tropical seas.
It haunts these waters between the surface to 155m deep (roughly 510 feet). |
It is a very unique animal thanks to its ability to adapt to very salty water as well as water with very few salt (even fresh water), what allows it to go up rivers such as Zambezi, Tiger, Mississippi, Ganges, Amazon or St Laurent. It has been observed in the Peruvian Amazon, i-e at more than 3700km from the shore ! It is very common in the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific. Recent studies showed that bull sharks population was incredibly decreasing, as for many squales nowadays.
Bull sharks are viviparous. Its embryo is nourished directly by the mother’s body during the 10 to 12 months of gestation.
The new-born babies (up to 13) leave entirely formed the body of the mother. They measure from 56 to 81 cm. They are euryhalins as of their birth. Sexual maturity is reached around 6 years, when the sharks reach approximately 190 cm.
It has a jaw made up of higher teeth broad, triangular and very notched and lower teeth vertical and pointed. Its food is very varied, like tiger shark: turtles, other sharks, sea water and fresh water fish, mammals, birds, squids. It is however less fond of garbage than its cousin.
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Of course, you have heard of Chichen Itza, the 7th new Marvel in the World, and you might think that it would be a quite nice outline of the Mayan culture and history but you would not be so right. During the 10th century, it has been invaded by Toltecs, from Tula so that both civilizations mixed up together.
We can notice that in the architecture, the Mayan-Toltec style is epured, the main god is Kukulcan, that used to be Quetzalcoatl before Toltecs came while the true Mayan god is Cha’ak ( Tlaloc for the Toltecs).
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The first one for the sun, and the second one for the rain, much more important in the Yucatan Peninsula, as the is no river or spring. Cha’ak was the guardian on the Underworld too, his cult was lead in the cenotes, from the Mayan word "dz’onot", that represented his mouth.
We have found many vestiges of this cult deep in the bunch of cenotes we enjoy here: pieces of crockery, human bones, even skulls, jaguar bones, pieces of jewelry.
But, do not think Mayan kind was so keen on sacrifice: before the Toltec arrival, Mayan sacrifice was just partial, scarification, kind of piercings and tattoos during which the blood was recovered and then burnt, like incense… After the Toltec invasion, sacrifice was total!!
One could say Toltecs were warriors while Mayan were more pacifist, dedicated to the handcraft, agriculture and “business”.
Unfortunately this civilization collapsed during the 12th century: many of the Mayan cities have been abandoned so that when the Conquerors arrived, Chichen Itza, Ek Balam ,Uxmal were dead cities. Historians have a few theories about the reasons of this collapse, but the only thing we know is that we know (almost) nothing. Between strikes, food shortage, revolts and water contamination ( due to the many corpses laying in the cenotes), I would say it has been a mix of all these reasons.
So, the forest, little by little, covered these cities, saving them for us a few centuries later.
Mayans were more than good at astronomy, mathematics and obviously architecture. The real Mayan style, called Puuc style (this word in Maya means hill), can be seen in the oldest part of Chichen Itza, with so many sculpted Cha’ac masks on the wall, to me the best example is Uxmal, a jewel in our inheritance. And if you do like that, just follow the Puuc road, after Uxmal you will be pleased to discover Kabah, Sayil, Labna... Such a dive in this culture will let you breathless: everything is worth discovering.
If you wish to receive more information, do not hesitate to ask us, we will be pleased to share with you our passion for this culture…. Do not forget either to ask for the tours we operate, guided or not, to spend an unforgettable vacation diving as well as discovering this amazing culture.
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During my IDCs, I always wonder why a diver decides to become a professional diver (scuba instructor).
When I ask that to my students, very often, they say me that the Rescue Diver course is the course that gave them the idea to go forward in scuba diving, improving their skills and knowledge.
Indeed, the Rescue Diver course is a crucial stage in the diver career. Although this course is dedicated to extremely serious matters and subjects, this is also one of the funniest courses you can participate to. |
More information about preconceived ideas…
This course is mostly dedicated to the prevention, management and reaction to underwater emergencies. From the tired diver at the surface to the unconscious diver underwater, without forgetting air depletions and other active panics underwater.
So, the Rescue Diver certification will not allow you to increase your own prerogatives regarding depth for example…
If not, what is it for ??
The master word of this course is to learn to anticipate and react to emergency situations underwater.
What are concerned here are your knowledge and skills that will be much more improved after the training… Indeed, the course is based upon a knowledge development, validated by an examination. You will learn everything about rescuing psychology, and, at the same time, you will improve your knowledge about physiology.
But, I had been told that we would have fun… !!
Well, if you feel the theory part is not the funniest you have ever seen, you will have to wait for the practice. To help someone at the surface or underwater, reaction to overexertions and to air depletions, assisted ascents, oxygen administration simulations, and all that, having fun and great time in the pool… In short, just happinness.
Once mastered the skills development, you will just have to apply everything you have learned during scenarios while diving onto a reef.
To sum up, the Rescue Diver course is an extremely rich and interesting training that will allow you to develop your ability to observe and that will provide you all the skills you need to become a diver more confident in yourself for yourself and also for the others.
Once finished the course, several options are opened to you.
If you wish to remain in the recreational part of scuba diving, you will be able to lead yourself towards the Master Scuba Diver (PADI MSD), this way, you will be granted the highest recreational qualification.
If you are used to diving in France, just know that being a Rescue Diver and having the Deep Specialty allows you to sit for the CMAS 3* federal level.
Finally, if you ever decide to change your career or just imply yourself greatly in your favourite hobby, you will able from then to begin the Divemaster course and after that, why not the Open Water Scuba Instructor course.
If you need more information about the Rescue Diver course and the evolution opportunities towards the different professional levels, please just contact us and we will be more than happy to answer your questions.
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| Last 2010 IDC session at Phocea |
Last IDC session of the year, from November the 20th to December the 2nd, book from now on and gain many advantages on our « end of year » trainings.
2011 IDCs
From January the 22nd to Feb. the 3rd
From March the 19th to March the 31st
From April the 16th to April the 28th
From May the 14th to May the 26th
From June the 11th to June the 23rd
From July the 9th to July the 21st
From Sept. the 10th to Sept. the 22nd
From November the 19th to Dec. the 1st |
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The underground diving means to those who practice it many feelings and also a « freedom space » that is developped and maintained thanks to the activity itself : free configurations, free access to the spots opportunity to explore virgin spots, opportunity to overpass the limitations of this kind of diving beyond the ones of recreational diving…
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It seems that for all these reasons, most of the underground divers, even in unknown areas, are not so up to leave to specialized guides the success of their dives. Maybe they fear to feel trapped, restrained or even assisted. There are just preventing themselves from the many advantages they could benefit. Here follow a few of them :
The first advantage is the transportation to the dive spot:
Some people would like to rent a car and go on their own to the spot. It could seem cheaper but in this case, logistics turns harder, you must find the access to the cenotes. Furthermore, most of the car rental agencies forbid to make your way through trodden paths. and many of the cenotes are located within farms or forest areas where it is quite easy to lost your way for hours without even finding the cenote itself, or to miss the person whom you need to speak to to be granted the access. The guide will lead you directly to the place your dive will be made, helping you save time and money and making sure you keep your good mood.
Once on the spot:
Once arrived there, as he knows exactly the place’s topography, the guide will make your access to the water the easiest possible, for your safety as well as for the efficiency of the dive. And, underwater, as he also knows pretty well the location of the permanent lines, your guide will prevent you from wasting all your gas supply while you are looking for a main line, faultily hidden.
A good guide will take his time to take you, on the first day of your dives, to a spot where he can evaluate your level so that you make the best possible dives according to your skills and experience. If you are diving with him with regularity, your guide will probably turn into an adviser who will help you improve your ease quite more quickly than diving on your own. You will go on learning while you are having fun !!
Moreover, if you realize at the very last minute that you have forgotten any item of your equipment, your guide will usually save your day as he brings with him many replacement pieces of equipment in case of need.
Unique dives:
To organize on your own your underground dive trip is actually possible, but you may just follow ways that have been done and done again. Many « usual spots » such as Gran Cenote, Carwash or Nohoch Nah Chi are spots you obviously cannot miss (you would not forgive yourself not to go and see them….), however, many other spots, quite more discrete as a bit less accessible or more recent are also quite worth seeing, without the inconvenience of the « crowd ». These are perfect spots for those who wish to enjoy the uncommon aspect of the jungle, full of shouting monkeys and singing birds that will accompany you while you are getting into the water. A genuine and wild ambient that real explorers so well know. A good guide will always think about this aspect.
And, even in more common spots of the area, an experienced guide will take you to « his » favourite tunnel, quite decorated and hidden behind three jumps (line changes), whose geological concretions would have remained unknown for ever if you had been there just on your own.
And, outside the water:
One of the main interests to dive into the land is to discover its beauty. For that, what could be better than a professional guide to show you vegetal and animal species, to explain you with accuracy how the cenotes appeared and actually got their nowadays shape, and also to tell you several legends about them. Without forgetting the folklore, that you will be able to see without the lack of spontaneity that we are always granted in the parks.
And, if you are lucky, after having done the dives of your life, you might end up your day with a traditional meal in the house of a Mayan family in order to know a little bit better this culture. Do not forget that the base of the Mayan culture takes place deep in the cenotes.
But, once more,only a guide you do trust will allow you to have such a familiarity with the inhabitants of the area, turning you into a real traveller rather than an underground tourist.
If you have been trained to underground diving and if you would like to have a few amazing underground strolls, just get in touch with us.
Or, if you would like to participate to a speleological course in our cristal clear waters, do not hesitate to ask us the schedule of 2011 on our website.
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