great white shark adventure - Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine

DESTINATION PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico with many historical and natural
surroundings to offer.
Touring the authentic Spanish forts of Old San
Juan which date back to the early 1500’s gives
a humbling and historic insight to Puerto Rico
and allows visitors a glimpse of the turmoil
she was forced to go through to maintain her
freedom. El Morro is a six level fort with
140 ft of walls surrounding her, some as thick
as 15 feet. El Morro has a gray, castellated
lighthouse, which still functions today. San
Cristobal fort covers 27 acres with 150 ft of
walls enclosing moats, booby-trapped bridges,
and tunnels. When you succumb to the
protection of the fort’s massive stone walls you
will tend to forget you are near the progressive
city life of San Juan and will soon become
mesmerized with the charm and character
of Old San Juan. Walking the cobblestone
streets designed during the horse and buggy
era visitors admire the historic architecture,
cultural specialty shops, cathedrals, the local
pubs, and the indoor/outdoor venue offered in
the unique dining establishments.
It is this end of the island that is home to the
phenomenal El Yunque rainforest nestled in the
enchanted Luquillo Mountains. The El Yunque
trails are host to many breathtaking sights
including the unforgettable view from the Mt.
Britton Lookout Tower; the La Coca waterfall
that has an 85 ft drop with a natural wading/
swimming pool to cool off in. There are many
rare species of trees; some 1,000 years old,
and several hundred varieties of exotic plant
life including flowers encompassing every
spectrum of the rainbow. The highest point
is on the El Toror trail at 3,533 ft. Of the 13
official/maintained trails, some are paved and
provide easy passage however other trails are
unpaved and muddy, therefore, recommended
for those more adventurous hikers.
In the south central region of the island in a
community called Coamo are the Natural Hot
Mineral Baths. Several major hotel chains
have tried to purchase the springs, but the
island of Puerto Rico refused to sell, choosing
to keep the Baths free and open to the general
public. The Baths are legend to be medicinal
comprising of healing powers for many
ailments.
Cabo Rojo Lighthouse is in the southwestern
area of Puerto Rico and sits at the edge of a
200 ft cliff. The half moon shaped beach is
called La Playuela. This is a very rustic setting
so bring everything you need with you. The
view from the lighthouse is an awesome sight
surpassed only by the spectacular view from
the adjacent cliffs. The swimming and hiking
are great in this area, and the water is usually
crystal clear. The water is extremely salty at
this beach and leaves your skin feeling soft
and refreshed.
In the northwestern region of Puerto Rico are
the famous Camuy Caves. This is a guided
tour, which includes a trolley ride to the
sinkhole cave entrance. The beauty of the
limestone formations and spectacular stalactite
and stalagmite formations is enhanced by the
magnitude of the Caves. The underwater river
that flows through the caves into uncharted
territory rises and falls with the rains,
hurricanes, and volcanic activity.
In the northwestern section of Puerto Rico
the Bosque de Guajataca State Forest
covers approximately 2,286 acres and has
some excellent hiking trails, which are well
maintained but can be muddy and slippery
during the rainy season. This is a self-guided
tour, but the visitor’s station provides maps,
which outline the trails and points of interest.
If you plan to explore the beautiful stalactites
and stalagmite formations in the rustic El
Viento Cave, bring a flashlight and try not to
disturb the bats, they will not hurt you, but if
you have fruit or open food in your backpack,
they may fly around close to your head.
Not far from the Guajataca Forest is the
Gozalandia waterfall. The falls are a little
challenging to find, but when you get there you
will not be disappointed. Once at the entrance
it is a short but “adventurous” hike into the
falls. You can swim in the fresh water and try
your luck at rock climbing into the falls. There
are no facilities here, but I would not bring
anything that did not fit in a backpack, thus,
keeping your hands free. If it starts to rain, I
recommend heading back to your car because
the trail can become quite muddy.
On the western peak of Puerto Rico, Rincon
marks the dividing point of the calmer
Caribbean Sea and the more violent North
Atlantic Ocean. It is at this point (Maria’s
Beach/Rincon Lighthouse vicinity) that the
annual surfing competitions are held. The
Surf Season in Puerto Rico is mid-November
through March, but the prime season is
December through February.
Unobtrusive whale watching can be done from
the observation park at the Rincon Lighthouse,
but several charter operations do offer Whale
Watching cruises in the afternoon. Humpback
whales can be seen from late December through
March, but the peak Whale Watching season
is February. Local surfers, divers, and boaters
are accustomed to sharing the waterways with
these magnificent creatures.
The author wishes to extend the deepest
gratitude to Captain “Miami” Dave Offermann,
Captain Greg Carson, and Taino Divers of
Rincon, for answering my seemingly endless
questions without complaint.
Snapshot:
Michele Jarvey and
Carlos-Miguel Cruz
Michele Jarvey is a PADI Rescue
Diver and free lance writer who
produces health and diving related
brochures, newsletters, newspaper,
and magazine articles.
Contact Michele at
mmjarvey@gmail.com
Carlos-Miguel Cruz is a Dive
Instructor who owns and operates
Parcela en la bahia Estudios, an
independent photography business.
Along with still photos Carlos has
produced footage for fish farm
studies and documentaries.
Contact Carlos at
parcelaestudios@sprintpcs.com
Ultimately the Best!
We provide our clients with the Ultimate
in service, quality, and value. We personally
inspect every resort property and dive operation
in all 22 countries that we represent. We
are committed to providing our clients with an
honest, first-hand description of any location
of interest. We are the only dive-dedicated
travel wholesaler in the Midwest. Let our
team go overboard to provide you with the...
ULTIMATE DIVE VACATION!
Popular destinations include:
Caribbean Central & South America
Micronesia South/Southeast Asia
South Pacific Australia
1-800-737-DIVE (3483)
www.ultimatedivetravel.com
udive@ultimatedivetravel.com
1814 Harcourt Dr., Woodridge, IL 60517
INTERNATIONAL
DIVE MAGAZINE
www.xray-mag.com
Fun 2 Dive SCUBA
MANATEE SNORKELING
Small Classes
Full Day Tours
2 Charter Boats
THE FIRST & ONLY MULTI-NATIONAL DIVE MAGAZINE — WORLDWIDE SINCE 2004
Read by divers in over 80 countries and produced by dive editors on four continents
X-RAY MAG truly spans the globe, bringing you dive news from Siberia to Patagonia.
Dive Travel ▪ News ▪ Equipment ▪ Profiles
Science ▪ Dive Med ▪ Books ▪ Adventure
Underwater Photography ▪ Conservation
Marine Ecology ▪ Tech ▪ Wrecks & more!
X-RAY MAG is a full-format eco-friendly
bi-monthly digital magazine distributed
via the Internet to your email box in pdf
format — printing is optional, saving trees
Scuba Training
Rebreather Training
Referral Diver Training
Locations throughout Florida!
Visit us on the web: www.fun2dive.com
1-888-588-DIVE
3 - 4 - 8 - 3
www.xray-mag.com
25 MIDWEST SCUBA DIVING FALL 2007