Vacation in Puerto Vallarta

So, before I go any further, I had to show everyone this video (sorry, I'll have to edit it down first, but enjoy some pics).

We went to Puerto Vallarta in early December for a little vacation. One morning we went with a group called Wildlife Connection, they do research on Marine Mammals, and supplement their income with tours of whales, dolphins, etc. Great group!!!! I highly recommend using them if you are planning on doing any whale watching while in PV. Very respectful of wildlife!!

So anyways, we end up closer to the coast line and stop.. this is where one of the pods of dolphins that they work with usually are, the lead person whistles (which evidently signals the dolphins, each whistle is like a name, he was basically announcing his presence) They come up, frolic a little, and while we are oohhing and aahhing like wildlife virgins, he's busy pulling out snorkel gear. By the time we've become aware of him again, he asks if any of us would like to go swimming with the dolphins, the wild dolphins, not a controlled environment, but out in wild water with 400 Lb. wild animals - dolphins.

The entire boat is silent, and my hand shoots up. Duh. So, no one else wants to do this thing. I'm given the basic instructions: dive, when they dive; circle, when they circle; and don't splash. Yeah, ok.

I've never tried to dive with a snorkel before, I'm more of a float on top and see what happens kind of girl. I get in the water, still totally freaked out and more excited than I've been in a long time.. all I can think is, if this doesn't kill me, this is gonna be totally cool! I keep thinking in my head on how I'm going to dive with a snorkel.... and then a dolphin appears and dives (of course), so I dive. Mouth full of salt water! Ok, come back up and oops.. their they go again! Ok, I figure I'll exhale on the way down and hopefully fill the snorkel tube with air so that it can't fill with water :) Actually it mostly worked, but then I realize that there is almost no visibility and I can't tell which way is up, except... the lighter the green water is, the closer to the surface I am! Also, I'm not known for my swimming skills.... again, I snorkel by floating on top of the water and propel myself to wherever anything cool might be, from the vantage point of the surface.......

This was by far one of the coolest moments in my life. I dove down once (maybe 3 feet) and a dolphin tail was right in front of me! Holy crap! I didn't last long, climbing under houses is obviously less strenuous than trying to keep up with dolphins, go figure. Enjoy the pics. The top one is a humpback tail and the bottom is Rob and I before dinner...... :)


I'll try and post more from PV, but I had to show everyone this video, seriously.... I had to pee before I went in and thought, I'll just pee in the water, but I got so excited about the dolphins, that I forgot to pee, and only when I got back in the boat did I remember!!!! Yep, still had to pee!