NCL's The Breakaway 1/2023

Costa Maya

Our port was Costa Maya, but the beach town that we went to is called Mahahual

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Last time here in Costa Maya, we visited another beach club called Jamies Blue Reef. Their website doesn't reflect the experience that we had. I'll see if I can find any pictures from last trip. Rob had read about them online and booked it. They do offer an all inclusive Day Pass. It was nice but crowded.

This time, we chose to try out the cruise excursion "Great Escape Beach". I was hesitant as I had read less than stellar reviews, but the price was right. I'm glad that we chose it as it was wonderful! Even the few sales people that made it through all the security were polite and not pushy. Some people may find the little kids offering you a free gift of an artfully crafted flower or animal made with fronds annoying but they were not pushy and the little guys were adorable hiding behind the lounge chairs when they were spotted by security. Security was kind to the little ones and you could tell that this wasn't a new behavior. I didn't mind it at all! I just said No Thank You. I was very pleased at how clean this beach was. While I prefer to get there earlier so that I can get a chair closer to the water, we had a pleasant spot to sit in the shade..

It was a good thing as I was already red in the face from a few hours in the so called shade on the ship <laugh>.

Oops I jumped too far ahead. Here goes, we got off the ship later than I liked but earlier than the tour people liked <laugh> I think our meeting time was eleven but I've already forgotten. Anyhoooo, we got on a bus and I have to say, even the skinny people were like "What the heck? Where is the aisle?" hahahaha. We grabbed the front row so we didn't have to butter up to slide down the itty bitty so called Aisle. Once I was comfortably seated, I felt confident this was going to be great! Heck, I don't know when our meeting time was but I do remember that we lined up near the mostly naked indigenous dancers. I think that I distracted myself the entire wait trying to figure out what one man was wearing under his front/back flap thingy. Not in a pervy way but more in a fascinated inquiry way. I mean, it wasn't underwear because there was some uhm, extra white material uhmm hanging off the front of the white garment. In the back it looked like tighty whities, but the front stumped me. Now that I am writing this, I realize it was a bit pervy of me. But it truly drove me nuts as I knew of no undergarment that was so fitted in that sort of way. Ok, hubby looked and said it was an old fashioned "athletic supporter" to which I said, but I thought those left the rear-end bare.... He explained the various options for men's supportive athletic garments. Hmm, nevermind, I wish I could go back and slap myself upside the head. Geez.

We rapidly got on our bus, #22 with Pedro! He drives us to the Great Escape Beach. I'm pretty sure that this is the same port that we went to Jamie's last time. It had the same sort of boardwalk with small shops etc.

Oh incidentally, during our ride to the resort, we heard from a woman behind us about a cruise that she took to the Alaskan Inside Passage on a Yacht! I made a mental note to ask her more about it (because I was eavesdropping on the way to the beach you see).

We listened to 80's music all the way to the beach. Upon arrival and after waiting on a big ole bus to move out of our way, we disembarked and were met by Phillipe. He apprised us that it was 12 noon and we had until around 5ish to enjoy the resort and the free beverages! (Food was available for purchase.) He showed us the pool, bar and where to choose a seat. Like I said before, this late arrival time doesn't give you great odds for getting primo seating. I was disappointed for a millisecond, but remembered that I needed to stay out of the direct sun if I could. We weren't directly in someone's lap, so the seats were fine.

We were kept refreshed our entire time there!! Funny thing, I asked for Lemon in my soda and got lime, but it tasted like a combination lemon/lime! I'm pretty sure that Limon translates to Lime, but it was so dang delicious, I just wanted to share.

Rob and I were excited to give our snorkel equipment an inaugural try! We got these for each other for Christmas. Well, not a snorkel mask and tube but a full face mask. I'm lucky most days if I can walk and chew bubble gum so breathing only when my tube was free of water and only breathing through my mouth were two steps that I was sure would flee my mind at the first site of a cool fish, or rock, or shell or.. well, you get the point. So, we had these full face mask things . Like this

I would have liked to see Video of me first trying to get myself underneath the water. It wasn't that it was freezing, it just wasn't warm! I probably spent about thirty minutes trying to get any deeper than my midsection. Meanwhile, Rob was out there floating around seeing cool stuff!

I spoke to a few random tippy toe-ers and the conversation went something like this, "I hear if you just jump in that it won't be so bad", Me.. "Yeah, I've heard that too but I just don't see that in my future." In hindsight, I think if there was a deep end of the ocean near that I could just jump in, that would be a whole different thing.. but this was like three feet and two feet for like a half mile! Heck, where there was sea grass, the depth was like six inches at some places! Secondly, the wind was blowing pretty strongly and the current was so dang pushy! Once I take the dip and I'm finally ready to get my fins and face mask on I realize that the pushy ocean is not going to be at all helpful! I am a ways out in a shallow part of the beach but keep getting pushed over while trying to get a fin on while juggling the mask and fin number 2. So I take the big ole face mask and wear it like a headband (not as easy as you may think), then kinda bob around while trying to put my flippers on and pull them snuggly. Adjusting the face mask was pretty straight forward. Its very important to make sure your hair isn't in the sealing part of the mask <laugh> or your going to get some salt water in your eye balls. Not a warm and fun feeling!

I finally am able to swim over to where Rob is hanging onto a post for dear life, because if you don't hold onto something, you will find yourself a mile down the beach! He tells me that there were some nice fish but they are gone now. Hahaha.

We discovered that if we hang out and hang onto the bedraggled net, that at one time must have stood more upright to mark the part of the ocean belonging to the resort, we could just bob there and fish would come around us. These weren't bright and beautiful like a Nemo or anything. That said, there was some big Dory looking fish that weren't very blue, they looked a bit washed out..

Rob said that we saw parrot fish and some white small fish. Oh and I saw a Barracuda! Next time I wanna take pictures!

In case you didn't know this yet, I'm obsessed with pretty rocks or shells. Primarily I look for heart shaped rocks. Its a thing that I do... don't judge.

It saves on the souvenir expense that others have. So, I floated around in about a foot of water not far off the beach looking at rocks and shells. There was a bazillion Clam Shells! They were all muddy white, but large. While doing this I realized that I had a potential friend following me around. I'm not kidding! I had a white fish that was about five inches long and about 3.5 inches tall(in the middle part of his body). The neat thing with the mask is that I can keep my face down indefinitely so that's what I did. I was constantly moving thanks to the cu

rrent, but that little guy followed me all over that beachfront. I talked to him and discussed the various items that I saw on the ocean floor. Once I didn't see him near my hands so I thought he finally moved on but no, he was under my chin. By the time I stood up and left the water, I had two of the big fish and four little ones keeping me company. GOOD TIMES! (sigh, I miss them. Wonder if they miss me!)

We packed it up and met up with Pedro and bus 22. The original plan was to put on dry clothes. However, The toilet area was hot as hades and not very large, so damp we go!!

Oh, I got the name of the Yacht company used by our fellow passenger. It was called Pacific Catalyst . She said it was so worth the price compared to the large cruise ships because you could see something cool on the shore and just pull over! She also said it was so peaceful and she highly recommended it. I've put that on my bucket list.

I figure since we can't yet afford to get a cabin upgraded beyond a balcony, a private yacht would be a bit delusional.