2003 Dive Trips

March 8-16: COSTA RICA

Imagine a place where there is no military. Where the major national concern is the environment. And wherever you turn you see beautiful landscapes, rich colored flowers and ever-strange and fascinating animals. Now just picture us. Twelve travelers. Ten divers. Two non-diving partners (Frank and myself) right there in Costa Rica. Yes, it was fabulous. Relaxing. Joyous. On my own. And yet in the company of true adventurers. That's how it felt to this “non-diver” on the March Village Diving Club's Trip to Costa Rica. After exploring San Jose for one day, we headed out on an eight-hour mini-bus trip to Playa de Hermosa. (Although every bus ride was scheduled as a two-hour trip, we fared well with the eight, nine or ten hours…staring out the window…napping peacefully…and stopping off at great local places for lunch.) But the beach was worth any waiting. Playa de Hermosa brought 85–90 degree days. The ocean water was warm and delivered only the mellowest of waves. As for me, I spent my morning walking on the beach and swimming, while the divers braved the underwater magic. Playa de Hermosa is the ideal beach for the lone swimmer. The warm water, and the gentle waves were just right for a solo swimmer. Frank and I welcomed the divers in each noon or so…and then we all cooled down in the little pool at the hotel. Every afternoon involved some exploration. Maybe a trip to the local Coco beach…famous for shopping and its infamous Mexican Restaurant, where “relaxed” service took on new meaning. (Lunch, with service drifted into hours.) Every night we headed to a new restaurant…with the exceptional return to “Mom’s”—a restaurant run by American expatriates and “famous” among us twelve for Moms special desserts. After an incredible five days at the beach…we headed out again. This time our goal was the Rainforest, the Volcano and the Natural Hot Springs. I had warned my “diving” partner that I would not participate in the flying harnessed trip across the rainforest. But as things turned out I found myself on the walk to be harnessed and then poised across a rope from platform to platform. Basically, fear kept me from seeing anything…but the reward was a late afternoon dip in the hot springs and an amazing massage set in the most outstanding setting where one hears the rain and views the outdoors. And, at on what was the last day for nine of us, at our fearless leader's (Steve's) suggestion, we headed out to the park for a great morning hike at the foot of the active volcano—which included catching sight of a monkey family. As for the remaining threesome who headed back to San Jose, we kept going with a scrumptious dinner at a local hotel…and some wild dancing at San Jose's hottest gay club, La Awispa. La Awispa, with several dance floors includes an upper level featuring a giant screen where Cher was performing her HBO Las Vegas concert. Maybe perfection does exist!

January 14-16, KEY LARGO

Fleeing the cold for New York for a long-weekend, 14 club members dove the warm waters off Key Largo. VDC member Rob Birnbaum arranged 3 nights and 2 days of diving with Ocean Divers, and included a couple wonderful evenings of cocktails and dinners. The group car pooled from the Miami airport to Key Largo so there wouldn't be any lost drivers (there were a few anyway, but they were eventually found). The group dove the world reknowned John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, doing four reef dives. The crew on Ocean Divers let us organize ourselves and permitted us to go unguided on the second dives each day so we got to enjoy the dive and practice their navigation skills (refer to lost divers above). We saw green sea turtles, two snoozing reef sharks (with fishhooks and fishing line in their mouths—ouch!), and many wonderful corals and fish. ’Twas a great trip...and a bargain at $380 for accommodations and diving!