We have finished our Scuba Certification and it was a really great time. The blue hole is overcrowded, murky because of the overcrowding and cold, but all of that seems to fade away when you are breathing underwater. We had the chance to go down to 65ft, which was a bit of an accident as somehow the group descent without a reference line ended up leading to mass chaos and missing fins. Our instructors ended up reversing the groups follies and lack of experience and we triumphantly emrged as "Certified Open Water Scuba Divers."
Bouey had Monday off and we broke up the trip home into a couple of segments. This included the Sand Dunes, a waterfall in a slot canyon and a tour of the thriving back roads and small towns of New Mexico (a whole other entry to come). To top things off we went to a Gator Farm in the middle of the San Luis Valley. For those of your that have never been to the San Luis, it is the dry side of a mountain range nicknamed the Wet Dry Range (The Sangre De Cristos) as one side of it has a ton of moisture and the other is a barren dusty desert where the sand dunes call home. So to say the least Alligators and Crocodiles are a little out of place here.
Zapata Falls is an amazing place. Here the falls are still frozen and blue inside the walls of this slot canyon at the base of Blance Peak. It is only a short hike from the trailhead and well worth the 45min it takes to get up there.
The Sand Dunes are quite unusual, with a mountain drop in the background of giant sand dunes. Deer and bear surround the campsites to only add to the diversity of this place. If you ever have a chance to camp and watch the sun set over the Sand Dunes you will never forget it. The dunes’ alien like appearance is mesmerizing as the contrast changes and the color of the sky sets the backdrop for the evening show. With a campfire roaring and some food cooking it is truly easy to relax with a cold beer in your hand. The Sand Dunes are a geographical wonder not to be missed.