Whale Sharks are known as the largest and most amiable fish in the ocean! These gentle giants can grow to be 12 meters or 40 feet long, weigh 11 tons, and live up to 70 years. They are filter feeders and feed almost solely on plankton, so they are completely harmless to humans. Here in Isla Mujeres, Mexico we are extremely lucky to have one of the largest annual aggregations of these beautiful fish during the summer months.Continue Reading
Women’s Dive Day
This July, Dive Life will be hosting it’s first annual PADI Women’s Dive Day Event. As a woman, and as a diver, I feel it is my duty to get other women involved in this amazing sport! It is something exciting and adventurous that almost anyone can experience, and in the beginning it was solely considered a “man’s sport.” This has slowly been transformed over the past several years, and at the moment over 36% of new divers are women! The main goal of this event is to introduce more women to the sport of diving and show them that it is no longer just for the big, tough, “James Bond” style men. Continue Reading
Earth Day Isla Mujeres 2016
This past Earth Day, April 22, 2016, divers, snorkelers, and volunteers from Isla Mujeres joined forces to assist in the 1st Annual Earth Day Isla Mujeres Cleanup Event. This event consisted of over 60 volunteers and trash was collected under docks on the northern end of the island as well as the Malecon Boardwalk.
Dive Life Isla Mujeres
It’s been an exciting couple of months here on Isla Mujeres. I have been working on a project that has been a goal of mine for years now, and I am so happy to announce it has finally happened! I have opened a PADI 5 Star Dive Center and IDC in Isla Mujeres with the help our dear friends Francisco Davids and his wife Natalia, and their company Dive Life.Continue Reading
PADI Open Water Course
I have received many Facebook messages and emails lately regarding the steps to getting PADI certified, so I decided to take a moment to discuss the process! The process of certification is not too time consuming or difficult, and one of the main reasons I chose PADI is because their standards are backed by years of research and safety! They also give people several options for completing the courses, and are actively involved in marine and ocean conservation through their non profit Project Aware.Continue Reading
Wreck Diving in Isla Mujeres
There are several shipwrecks here in Isla Mujeres, but there are two that really stand out! The C-55 and C-58. They are located just off the coast of Cancun, about a 25 minute boat ride away from Isla Mujeres. I have found myself day dreaming about these wrecks lately so I decided to expand on why they are my top wreck sites!
Diving MUSA – The Underwater Museum
During my very first trip to Isla Mujeres one of the things I was most excited about was the Underwater Museum or MUSA. This is a series of pH neutral concrete statues that were placed on the ocean floor to create an artificial reef, and they have become a major diving and snorkeling attraction to this area!Continue Reading
Swimming in Isla Mujeres
A good friend of mine and I started a new work out regimen which includes swimming around Isla Mujeres’ north shore three times a week! During my last swim I started thinking about all of the places there are to swim around Isla, and about the lack of information provided on these swim locations.Continue Reading
First Things First…
First things first! Hello and welcome to my new blog!
Before I begin this blog and all of the posts, I felt like I should share my story and why I am here on this beautiful island!
My name is Shyla, and I am a PADI IDC Staff Instructor (aka diving instructor). I decided to start this blog mainly because when I travel I always have so many questions regarding the new places I visit! So I thought that because I live in Isla Mujeres full time, I could provide accurate information! So, here is a little more about why I am here and who I am!
My new blog
A couple of years ago one of my good friends from home mentioned that he felt I should share some of my daily experiences on a blog. For me, this was such a strange thought. Why would anyone care to know about what I am doing and what is happening on this tiny little piece of land just off the coast of Cancun? And, blogging really? Is it for me?