Eterno Dia PhotographyTo All Inclusive Or To Not All Inclusive: Part 1
Posted on July 12, 2017
Our first ever all inclusive trip to the Grand Bahia Principe in Jamaica -2007
Welcome readers! This will be a multi-part blog on how I feel about all inclusive resorts and why I think you may want to give them a chance if you never have. There are some definite positives and negatives to staying at an all inclusive but overall, I feel like they take a lot of the stress off of a vacation. Here’s part 1:
Since my husband and I started traveling on our own, we’ve mostly chosen to stay at all inclusive resorts. Barring our 4 day trip to California, a 5 day trip to Florida and some local trips to the mountains, our vacations of a week or longer have mostly been all inclusive resorts. It started with Jamaica and we’ve stayed at a number of them since. We’ve been to seven all inclusive resorts in four different countries and each one has been unique in its own way, easy and a great choice for us.
Our first view of the resort in the morning
When we were younger we both had the opportunity to travel. We each went to Europe with our families so we know what it’s like to stay in a different hotel or B&B every night. Our parents rented cars so we could travel the countryside and see as much as possible. Traveling like we did with our families is for those who really want to put on the miles and see as much of a place as possible in the allotted time, but it can be challenging and risky. A lot of planning and budgeting is needed when one is traveling the countryside. Once on a family vacation to Seattle, we were unaware that there was a huge conference in town and nearly every hotel or motel in the area was completely booked. It was 112 degrees Fahrenheit and the only place available was the walk up 4th floor of a run-down, seedy motel. No air conditioning and it was so filthy my mom wouldn’t let us take off our shoes. We didn’t know it at the time but I had heat stroke which I’d later be hospitalized for. The only blessing was the fridge in the room that my parents laid me in front of to cool me down. Unless you have a planned itinerary and pre-booked rooms traveling like this (while spontaneous) can be a gamble. Then there’s your budget. You’ve got to plan to spend on at least three meals a day plus snacks and drink. That can add up very fast and use up a chunk of your vacation money. Factor in gas money if you’ve rented a car or are driving your own. Suddenly you’ve spent way more than you planned.
I know, I know; all inclusive resorts are the “glamping” of international travel. I get that. In some cases you may not feel like you’re really seeing the place you’re there to see. They can seem very reclusive. You might feel tied to the exact area you’re staying in and think you won’t see enough of the destination you traveled thousands of miles to see. If you’re looking for a place to just lay on the beach for your seven day vacation and literally do nothing, then all inclusive resorts are the place for you. You don’t have to go far in search of a drink, a meal, a pool or a beach. If you’ve never traveled and are nervous about the details your first trip, you should try an all inclusive resort. However, if you’re more the adventure seeker and like to get out and immerse yourself, you shouldn’t necessarily discount an all inclusive resort. Here’s why:
Convenience:
I fell in love with bougainvilleas on this trip
All Inclusive packages are easy. Most airline packages handle all the details and literally everything is included; flight, transportation to the hotel, food, drinks and whatever amenities the resort offers. No worries about getting scammed by a sketchy taxi driver your first step off the plane. I usually like to have a small amount of currency of that country already (or a few Canadian dollars) to tip the drivers and bellboys (tipping is usually not mandatory, but always appreciated). Sometimes the agency you booked through will have a representative on the bus to the hotel to give you some tips, pointers and information about the area on the drive to the resort. Once you get to the hotel it’s just a matter of checking in and checking out your home for the next seven (or more) days. You’ll get a wristband you’ll wear for the duration of your stay to indicate that you belong there (sometimes the colour will dictate your level of inclusions). You’ll get a room key and towel cards to exchange for actual towels. From there, eating and drinking is a breeze. You may have to check the opening hours of the various restaurants, but generally you can always find meals, snacks, beverages or some kind of entertainment. If you want to bum around, the only thing you need to do is decide when you want to eat. If you want to do some exploring, the hotel will have lots of people, either the concierge or tour representatives, to give you some ideas of what you can do. You’re biggest worry now is finding your way around the resort, which is usually its own little adventure.
Safety:
Allamanda Flower
All inclusive resorts are very safe. Most have security stationed at the main gate. You have to check in and out as you come and go. Almost all rooms have safes (I’ve only had one that had a cost for the week, the rest were included in the price). Most people at the resort are just there to have fun and events you may have heard of in the media involving resort crime are really exceptionally rare. I only recall one time we noticed a belligerently drunk guest and management and security handled it well. Resort staff is usually thoroughly screened and we’ve never had anything go missing. When we stayed in Antigua, the security weren’t obvious but they did manage problem beach vendors or people who weren’t supposed to be at the resort. Usually resorts are fenced in around the perimeter. All this is not to say that you shouldn’t take care to lock up your belongings or be lax in the way you conduct yourself, but we’ve never had an item go missing or had trouble with any locals or other tourists at any all inclusive. Most packages booked through a tour group or airline will give you information about an orientation on your first full morning. I strongly urge you to go to these (try not to let the hangover get the best of you). A representative will give you tons of great information about the resort (included amenities, way finding, whether you can drink the water or flush toilet paper) and also information about traveling outside the resort. Most of the time the reps are local and know if it’s safe for you to head out on your own, how to do it, where to eat in town and what you should see. They’ll also let you know how to contact them and your agency should you have any medical or other type of emergency. There is usually a doctor on call if you come down sick or injure yourself (I actually used the services of the doctor on our most recent trip). If you have travel insurance (which you really should get if you don’t already have it), most companies will reimburse you for the cost.
Stay tuned for part 2 of my thoughts on all inclusive resorts, where I’ll discuss the bonuses of all inclusive food and drink (yum!) and some of the inclusions and extras you can enjoy on these vacations. Thanks for stopping by!
Huatulco – Mexico’s Best Kept Secret
Posted on June 22, 2017
I think I first heard of Huatulco quite a few years back on an episode of International House Hunters. It peaked my interest as a location that was supposed to be quiet and less touristy than other areas of Mexico. That was pretty much all I remembered about it. I never thought about it again until it came up in my husband’s most recent vacation search. We’ve been to Mexico three times before. While I typically don’t like to go to the same places more than once, Mexico is kind of the exception to my rule. It’s such a gigantic country; there is so much diversity in its culture, landscape, flora and fauna and the things it has to offer.
Our first trip to Mexico was for my cousin’s wedding in Manzanillo on the west coast. Manzanillo isn’t known for being a big tourist destination and it had what I expected in terms of being a small, sleepy, friendly town with great prices and it was steeped in culture. The downside of Manzanillo for me was the ocean. I love to swim and snorkel and the west coast is rough and dangerous. Our group had a hard time in waist deep water there.
My second trip was with my mom, sister and husband to the Mayan Riviera, near Playa Del Carmen. Playa and surrounding areas like Tulum delivered on the ocean. The snorkeling was unbelievable. The beaches were stunning white sand. The history was remarkable. The prices though, were unreal, in a bad way. Souvenirs were very expensive and it cost us more to eat out in Playa than in my hometown of Edmonton.
Our third trip was with my husband to Puerto Vallarta. Once again, not lacking in any history or culture; there was plenty to do. Prices for tours, souvenirs and to eat out weren’t as cheap as Manzanillo, but not quite as expensive as in the Mayan Riviera. The ocean was alright; because it’s geographically in a big bay, even though it’s on the west coast, the ocean was “swim-able” but nothing to write home about. The sales pressure though was off the charts. Wherever we went, including to the desk at the hotel, we were mobbed about signing up for time shares. Every time we went out, more harassment about time shares. Usually I’ve found a simple “no thank you” in foreign countries is sufficient, but not in PV.
So on to Huatulco. I recognized the name when husband mentioned it as a vacation option during his most recent spreadsheet list of vacation destinations. It’s known for being a very new tourist area (only developed in the last 10 years or so) and it really hasn’t taken off like the Mayan Riviera has. We were looking for something quiet and affordable and I kept reading that the ocean and beaches were supposed to be quite good. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I didn’t expect to fall so head over heels in love with Huatulco.
Pronounced: wah-TOOL-coh, it’s located on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca (wa-HAH-ka) in the southern part of the country. Unlike Mazanillo, whose native peoples are ancestors of the Aztec and they Mayan Riviera, the Mayans, the indigenous peoples of this area are mostly Zapotecs and Mixtecs. They have quite a history and a newly discovered archaeological site with an ancient ball court, pyramid and polished stone that used to act as a lighthouse of sorts. The site is currently being excavated and appears to have many discoveries to be made.
While it isn’t as touristy as PV or the Mayan Riviera, there are decent amount of big name hotels (Secrets, Barcelo, and Dreams), there are also plenty of mid-range accommodations, B&B’s, boutique and economy hotels. I say plenty, but I assure you, Huatulco doesn’t feel overcrowded. It has a really laid-back, quiet and (even with its more modern town) authentic Mexican vibe. The tourists we encountered at the resort, on tours and in town were primarily Canadian, a few European and almost no Americans. I’m not sure why; maybe they have a special deal with Canadian tour groups? The tours offered by local companies are all quite small (compared to places like the Mayan Riviera and PV). There were usually only between 4-9 of us total, per tour. Getting around the area by ourselves was really quite easy. They don’t have a ton of public transportation (buses) but a taxi ride to the closest town of La Crucecita was 45 pesos (about $3.50 CAD). The town is small and safe. We were only approached one time in three separate trips to town and a simple “no” was enough to suffice. There were so many spots to eat, lots of really affordable souvenirs and local handicrafts. La Crucecita doesn’t have a crazy nightlife like PV, but you can find a few good spots to kick back and have a drink. In the evenings the locals hang out in the town square and we felt totally comfortable mingling among them.
The area is one of the most biologically diverse states in Mexico (of which I was not aware but was pleasantly surprised by) and ranks in the top three for diversity of plants, animals and marine life. The area was much drier than I expected. Almost desert-like. Lots of cacti and not a lot of leaves on the trees. Their rainy season is barely that, according to locals who told us that in the summer it rains mostly at night. There were so many species of birds I’d never seen anywhere else in my travels, even in other parts of Mexico. And so many different kinds of fish and sea creatures, which leads me to…. THE OCEAN.
Ever since I snorkeled with sea turtles in Tulum (on the Playa trip), I’ve been chasing the dragon. It set a really high bar and I’ve really never been satisfied with the ocean on any other trip since. Huatulco bragged pretty hard about their beaches and snorkeling and the hotel we booked even touted a reef right at the resort! I cannot even explain how excited I was when I put on my snorkel mask, headed in and discovered a coral reef right at the beach. Fish everywhere! Stingrays, puffer fish, eels, urchins, you name it! It was like swimming in an aquarium. It wasn’t perfect; on a few occasions the sea was pretty rough and we obeyed the red flags for rough seas and rouge currents and twice in our week there were jellyfish. But the times we could get in the water were absolutely stunning. Warm, clear water, and quiet sandy beaches.
Bahia Santa Cruz
I almost don’t want to publish this as I’d love to keep this little gem to myself and leave it as unspoiled as possible, but that wouldn’t be fair. This area of Mexico has so much to offer. It is literally all the best parts of Mexico in one. It’s steeped in culture and history. It’s friendly, safe, affordable and has no lack of activities or places to explore. The flora and fauna are stunning. You should go there. In my next few posts I’ll get into the details of the resort we stayed at and the three different tours we took. As always, if you have questions or comments, feel free to get in touch. Thanks for reading!
TTFN
Seeing The World Through Photos
Posted on June 21, 2017
I’ve been thinking about my website and “photography business” a lot lately. It’s been in a serious state of neglect. When I started Eterno Dia Photography as a business, I was desperate for a change in my life and was trying to figure out what I wanted to do (career wise) to be happy. Photography made sense as it is a passion of mine. I always have a camera of some sort at the ready. I really have never been in a financial position where I felt I could take the plunge, quit my day job and do my photography full time (you know, those pesky student loan and mortgage bills – student loan officers are pretty scary when you miss a payment) but it has always suffered due to my holding down day jobs. It’s been challenging to put the time in to find and maintain clients and schedule photo shoots. In short, I haven’t put in the effort to make it a self-sustaining business.
Lately I’ve been thinking about passion and how it affects the choices we make. While I love photography, doing it as a business is challenging and I’m not having a passionate love affair. I get very anxious about deadlines and the potential of not making clients happy. So, what does make me passionate where photography is involved? It’s pretty clear to anyone who knows me that I’m pretty passionate about travel. I’m an absolute sucker for a beach. It can’t be denied. I had a very blessed childhood in that my parents were able to take our family traveling a lot when we were young.
My second trip to Germany 1984
My dad, being from Germany made sure we went a few times to meet his family and learn about the country. My earliest memories at 10 years old are still remarkably vivid. I remember being impressed by how old and architecturally stunning it was compared to anything I’d seen at that point in my home province of Alberta or in Canada. Travel didn’t have to be luxurious, transcontinental voyages either. We went camping almost every summer. That’s its own adventure. Sometimes it would be to a lake or campground near where we lived, sometimes to the mountains and into B.C., sometimes in a tent, sometimes a trailer. We went on road trips to Dinosaur provincial Park in Drumheller, or to the Rocky Mountains. Once we spent two weeks driving down through Idaho, Oregon and Washington (where I got such bad heat stroke I had to be hospitalized… but that’s a story for another day). We got to go to California and go to Disneyland, which is literally The Happiest Place On Earth (Antigua is a close second).
- Lac Ste. Anne with the family and Mickey the dog
The Berlin Wall – Germany, 1990
My tenth birthday in Germany
Anaheim California with the family – 1993
Travel helps to develop coping skills. It teaches you how to manage stress; how to adapt to new foods, different time zones and deal with culture shock. When things don’t go according to the planned itinerary, it teaches you patience, and fosters creativity and spontaneity. It teaches you history, both good and bad, gives you an appreciation for other cultures, other customs, and for your own way of life.
The winter road to For Chipewyan, Alberta – 1993
The Rocky Mountains, British Columbia – 2002
In my adult life once my husband and I finally got my university days wrapped up and had the tiniest bit of money saved, we started traveling. First it was trips to the mountains or a weekend road trip to help a friend move from Edmonton to Toronto.
Crazy Creek Suspension Bridge, BC
Honeymoon in Anaheim California
Las Vegas, Nevada
Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta
So far, we’ve mostly stuck to touristy local destinations and the Caribbean. We weren’t all that savvy with going off the beaten track. However, each vacation we go on, we get a bit braver and even when we stay at all-inclusive resorts, we always go on tours, eat out and explore. We never sit at the resort for the whole vacation. To me, it doesn’t make sense to see another country and not really “see” it.
Second Honeymoon in Jamaica
I’m starting to get itchy to see more exotic, farther away places now too. Don’t get me wrong; I LOVE the Caribbean, but I’m starting to want to spread my tiny wings a bit more… My bucket list is so much longer than the time or money I currently have (fingers crossed on the lottery). My father, who used to travel the world as a cruise ship chef, once told me that the two most beautiful places he’d ever been to were Machu Picchu and Tahiti. So they make the list. I’ve been to Germany, but Europe is so tantalizing: Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece are on the list. Norway, Sweden and Finland look so unique and quirky.
Neuvo Vallarta, Mexico
Great Britain is high on my list. And I don’t have to give up my beach life, with places like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia to think about. My husband speaks rudimentary Japanese, so why not practice that? There are tantalizing exotic places on my list like the Seychelles, the Maldives, Christmas Island, and the Galapagos. I have friends in New Zealand, Australia, Scotland and Argentina, who I’m sure would put me up if I were to drop in, right guys?
Vancouver, B.C.
So many choices, not enough vacation time or money saved. It’s not all about money, I know that; It is about balance. I once had someone criticize me and tell me that I should be putting any savings into my mortgage, student loans and credit cards. Save now, and travel later when it’s all paid off and I have the safety net. I get it, but I don’t have the magic ball that tells me when my time is up. I would be lucky to make it to old age, but I can’t live my life only saving and never doing, because what if tomorrow never comes?
San Sebastian, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
I kind of regret not doing more crazy traveling after high school; Backpacking and doing hostels, before I had a house and unavoidable adult commitments. At least that’s one of my only regrets. Since then though, I have seen amazing places. My plan is to continue to see amazing places as often as possible before my time is up.
Travel makes you humble, it makes you wiser, and it makes you appreciative. The reason I share my travel photos is not to make people jealous or annoyed with my abundance of money (eye roll). It’s to share the beauty of the world with people who haven’t had the chance to see where I’ve been, and to inspire others to go to these places or other places and experience the joy of different cultures, delicious food, gorgeous customs and breathtaking landscapes.
And now back to the photography. My current plan is to focus my site more on my travel adventures. I have years of photos to go back on. I’m not even sure how to organize them at this point, but I think I’ll work from most recent on back, for sake of my sanity. I’ll still take clients and do lifestyle photo shoots on occasion, but I’m going to attempt to give you some stories, advice, recommendations and reviews based on my “experience”.
Full moon canoe trip, Elk Island Park, Alberta
I hope you’ll enjoy this journey as much as I’ve enjoyed my journeys so far. I hope this inspires me to get to work on my backlog of photos and inspires me to do more traveling. If you have questions or comments, feel free to get in touch.
Snorkeling at Las Brisas, Huatulco, Mexico
View from the Copalita Archaeological site, Huatulco, Mexico
13 Feet Deep
Posted on July 20, 2016
I went swimming today. In the deep end.
I feel like I’ve always been a bit late to the party. I didn’t learn to drive until I was 30. I had a car accident when I was a teenager. I wasn’t allowed to drive after that, and when I moved out and was on my own, I was too afraid to try. I took my exam and got my licence, but I never drove. I felt so dependent. On my husband, my friends, the city buses… When I finally decided that enough was enough and that I wanted to set my own schedule and not be dependent on others, I jumped in. Head first. My husband bought me a used van and I started driving it the next day.
I wonder if swimming will be like that. Once I started driving, I was so scared. For the first three or four years. I was terrified. I would get so anxious hours before I knew I had to drive that I couldn’t eat. I dreaded days I had to drive. In the winter, bad forecasts kept me up at night. There were days when I had to stop myself from pulling over and abandoning the car on the side of the road. I was so paranoid about quick yellow lights, lane changes, keeping enough distance between me and other cars.
Six years later, I can’t imagine not driving. It finally feels natural. I’ve become comfortable with my car. I’ve anthropomorphised her. Her name is Kamayo. It means “long life” in Japanese. Once in a while, while I’m driving I still get a rush of adrenaline and think “Oh my God! I’m driving!”, but it’s rare now. I can even appreciate a nice highway drive. And I know this isn’t a big deal. I know it isn’t. I see so many people driving on the roads with me. Some of you started when you were 14. Nearly everyone can do it. But for me it was a big deal. Because of fear.
I can’t figure out if we humans are naturals in the water or not. We spend our first nine months floating around in it. They say young babies have a natural ability to hold their breath for a few moments when submerged. All I know is, my relationship with water is complicated. And I am not a natural.
My cousin Jeff drowned when I was six. He was 16. I remember he was tall. He was handsome. He was a lifeguard. Fishing at a river. The current got him. There were probably factors I didn’t understand as a six year old. He probably hit his head on a rock and never had a chance. I didn’t have the ability to understand that and all I knew at six years old was that my cousin, who was a strong swimmer, drowned.
Then there was that time camping at Tall Timbers campground in Sundre. I was seven or eight years old. They had a great campground complete with an indoor pool. I was bobbing along and I guess I bobbed too far on the downward slope to the deep end and all the sudden there was no bottom. I flailed, sputtered, choked. I went under. I was panicking and I couldn’t get to the surface. A nice man scooped me out and placed me on the ledge of the pool where my parents came to console me as I coughed and cried. All I remember of swimming lessons was that I kept failing. I couldn’t keep my face in the water. Now that I’m an adult, I know that was anxiety. I didn’t know it then. I didn’t ever even really connect my cousin with the pool or with the pool being certain death; I just couldn’t put my face in the water.
Even in the face of that fear though, I’ve always been drawn to water. Maybe it’s because I’m a Cancer, if you believe in that kind of thing. Maybe it’s because I’m landlocked in Alberta. I love the beach. I love the salty taste of the ocean. I love floating in a pool. I love sailing on a catamaran. I love soaking in a hot tub. You can take my nautical-themed everything from my cold, dead hands. I love sand and anchors. I love water. So it’s hard to be terrified of something you love. I’d been snorkelling on a few vacations. Only after triple-checking how tightly my life vest was done up and atoned for my sins. In Tulum, Mexico, I was sick to my stomach on the bus ride to the snorkel trip that my sister, my husband and I had booked. Wading into the water, I almost stopped. I came so close to bowing out. But I felt like I had to push through. It was terrifying to start. It took so long for me to really believe that I could breathe through that snorkel. I was most definitely hyperventilating. But when I actually managed to see what was below me; to see a whole new world opening up before my eyes, my fear began to slowly recede. On that trip we saw tropical fish, wild sea turtles, and stingrays… Those things were worth pushing through the fear…
I loved that trip so much I got a tattoo to remember it.
Fast forward to last year. 35 years old. I don’t know what specifically spurred the notion. I was just tired of being afraid. The fear made me feel weak. I signed up for adult swimming lessons though the city. I was nervous about that too, thinking I’d be the only adult in a class full of awkward teens. Or worse; preteens. I was wrong. Everyone there had as much fear as I did, or more, and some had even less experience in the water than me. Most were recent immigrants, and a few were moms who wanted to swim with their kids, and be comfortable enough in the water that they could help them if something happened.
We started out in the shallow end. Like calf-deep shallow. Putting our faces in and blowing bubbles. “Every time your face is in the water, you should be blowing bubbles”. It was uncomfortable. I didn’t like it. It made me anxious and I hated the feeling. But something was pushing me.
Before long we could actually kick our feet while blowing bubbles. And float and blow bubbles. And even turn over! It’s been just over a year now and I passed Adult Basics 1 with flying colours. I received a conditional pass in Adult Basics 2, but I decided to retake it to be really comfortable before I moved on. I felt a strange peace at deciding to retake it. A peace I never had as a kid, while the swim instructor was explaining to my mom on report card day, why I had failed again.
Last summer we went to Antigua on vacation. Antigua is a magical place. The trip happened just after I passed my first set of swimming lessons and I didn’t want to lose the momentum I’d gained in conquering my fear. I literally jumped in head first when I booked us a diving trip. Scuba diving was terrifying and exhilarating and it was absolutely amazing to be a part of the secret world of the ocean for 60 minutes. There were moments practicing in the pool that morning and on the actual decent when I fought every urge to bolt to the surface and get back on dry land with sweet, sweet air, but I resisted. And it was incredible.
My newest tattoo is symbolic of many things. It firstly signifies the trip to Antigua. The hummingbird and bananaquit bird are two charming natives of the island. The stingray is to remember the day trip we went snorkelling with wild stingrays. The “Sink or Swim” banner on the tattoo signifies my struggle with swimming and overcoming fear but also to incorporates the exhilaration of diving (sink) and snorkelling (or swim). And the letters JJBB; my Cousin Jeff’s initials.
Swimming is 90% breathing for me. I’ve started jogging in the past few years and I can totally respect cardio and running now. But I find swimming takes even more discipline than running or biking because you can’t just breathe when you want to, or need to. It’s such a focused, methodical sport. Not to mention it’s physically strenuous. So you have to regulate your breathing but you’re also breathing hard because of the activity. I have so much respect for swimmers.
I’m still not comfortable in the water. I’m fine in the shallow end, where my brain knows I can just stand up. The deep end is where my demons lie. It’s not even that I’m thinking, “I’m going to sink to the bottom and die”. It’s just an overwhelming anxiety when I look down and see how far down the bottom is. Even though I KNOW that I can swim; I can tread water for 4 minutes, I can float on my back, I can front crawl (with extra breaths here and there, and I can turn on my back if I need to), I can back crawl like no one’s business, but I am still afraid of the deep end. But what’s scarier than the deep end for me, is the feeling of being afraid.
So even though it makes me feel anxious, I push through. Some days I swim in the shallow end to work on my technique and confidence. Sometimes I just need to focus on the fear. Today I grabbed a flutter board. I chose a lane in the deep end, against all my instincts and comfort level. 13 feet deep. I did laps back and forth, with the board outstretched in front of me, fluttering my feet, breathing to the side when I needed to. I could feel the panic building as I looked down through my goggles. I could feel my heartbeat quicken. Thoughts entered my head, “What if I just sink? What if I can’t make it to the other side? What if I freak out?”. Mentally trying to push those thoughts away, I try to consciously think about letting out the bubbles at a regular pace, and not gasping when I do breathe so as not to hyperventilate (CO2 buildup in the body can cause feelings of anxiety). I push through the anxiety. I sit with it. I let it come to me. I accept it. I ruminate on it. And then suddenly, I realize I’m not as scared as I was when I started the swim.
So I’m hoping this swimming thing is a bit like driving. I wonder if one day in months or years I’ll look back and realize that I’m not scared anymore. Or, if I’ll always keep my cousin in the back of my mind somewhere. For now, I’ll keep pushing myself. I’ll swim with the fear until I can swim away from it.
Saltwater Dreams
Posted on May 25, 2015
I was born with sand between my toes, as the saying goes. I crave the ocean, sand, salt, palm trees and warm tropical beaches. Alas, I was born and remain landlocked in the prairies. In addition to the fact that I’m a landlubber, I also unfortunately reside in northern Alberta, where winters are long, dark and bitterly cold. Don’t get me wrong, Alberta is stunning; vast prairies, gorgeous Rocky Mountains, and the deserts in the south where you can find dinosaur bones. But the winter gets to me. It’s usually February or March that I crash and I start to do silly things like make extravagant purchases to make myself feel happy and alive. My saltwater fish tank was one of those purchases. It was February one year ago and I happened to be in a fish store that sold tropical saltwater fish. I stood in front of a tank that was filled with corals and anemones, a couple of clown fish. I was taken back to a snorkelling trip in Mexico. It was amazing to get a glimpse into the secret world of the sea. So warm and peaceful, floating there, watching the colourful fish live and play. That fish tank gave me the same feeling. I asked my husband, “Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a saltwater tank?” He agreed that it did feel like a mini vacation.
Since I’ve had my tank, I’ve been through some serious lows, and also some amazing highs. I post a lot of photos on my personal social media, and I get a lot of inquiries as to the commitment involved, and other questions. This article is to give you guys some information and some things to think about if you are interested in salt water as a potential hobby.
Time and Energy
A salt water tank simulates an ocean. Simulating the ocean in your home is not an easy task. There are many different water parameters that must be within a certain range to keep your fish/creatures healthy. Some of these parameters are Nitrate, Nitrite, PH, Ammonia and (of course) salinity. These parameters can be measured with at-home tests and must be checked at least weekly. Water changes are also a part of the deal; weekly as well as maintenance. Sometimes large (25-30% of the tank), emergency changes are in order if your tank has a crisis. This could mean mixing up a large batch of salt water in a hurry, or even having a reserve tank with salinated water at the correct temperature (this makes my water changes way easier). Marine fish need A LOT of time and energy. If you work 40 hours a week, have three small children and have a lot of extracurricular activities on the go, you may find the upkeep challenging. Patience is definitely a virtue in this hobby. A set up (the cycling process) takes 6 weeks. A “mature” tank takes close to a year. Introducing and acclimatizing new fish and critters takes days. Parameter changes need to be done slowly to make sure not to shock the fish.
Resources
Another thing to consider is what kind of resources you have available near you. The internet is a great place to start your research. There are plenty of forums and websites that have great information. You can learn a lot about what you might be in for. What about physical resources though? Do you live in a small town that may not have an LFS (that’s salty talk for “local fish store”) nearby? You probably need a place not only to buy your fishy friends, but also food, medication, testing kits, water additives, pumps, filters, salt, etc. The online world makes it pretty easy to get almost anything you need (including fish), but sometimes something critical breaks, and you may need a new filter pump in less than 24 hours. An LFS is also great since most employees work there because they have a passion for the hobby and many have personal experience with it. They are a great place to bounce ideas off of when you are having trouble with your parameters, and they can give you advice of types of fish and products that work for them.
Equipment and Financial Considerations
Most people in the hobby would probably tell you that 20 gallons is the minimum tank size you’d want to have to get into this hobby. 20 gallons won’t really get you many fish. You have to consider not only the size of the fish, how big they grow and how much swimming space they need, but also the amount of bio load they put into your tank. That basically means how much waste (poop) they create. The more fish you have, the more waste they make, the bigger tank you will need, otherwise your parameters will go out of whack. I have a 25 gallon tank and I have 4 small fish (that are considered “nano” fish because they won’t get too big), a couple of hermit crabs, a snail and a shrimp. I am at my absolute maximum bio load. If you want lots of fish, or big fish, you may need a tank in excess of 100 gallons.
That brings me to finances. The bigger the tank you want, the more equipment you will need. To get started, you will likely need a tank, tank stand, proper lighting geared towards reef fish and creatures, a filter pump (to filter organic waste), two powerheads for water flow (marine fish need much more water movement than fresh water – think ocean currents), a skimmer (helps to remove biological waste), a thermometer, a heater, sand or crushed coral substrate and likely, live rock (pieces of rock or dead coral from the ocean that will provide landscaping and hiding spots for your fish friends, but also helps to establish the basics of life in your tank. They come loaded with microscopic critters that help life to begin in your tank). And of course, let’s not forget salt. Salt is an ongoing expense as you’ll need to add it to any new water going into your tank. If you are starting from scratch, you can expect to pay $2,000 and up depending on the size of tank you want to start with. A word of warning; a marine hobby is not a place you want to cut corners to save money. I converted my 25 gallon fresh water tank to a salt water tank, so I already had quite a bit of equipment I listed above. I estimated that with the amount of equipment that I already had, that I would only need to spend about $500 to start my marine tank, but I ended up spending closer to $1000. I can tell you from experience that if you cheap out and decide not to buy the recommended supplies, or the cheapest equipment, you will likely pay in loss of fish. And they are expensive fish. Be prepared to do things the correct way, which is often the expensive way.
Crashes and Losses are Inevitable
No matter how careful you are, mistakes happen. Creating an ocean in a fish tank is difficult. Loss will happen. Sometimes it’s mechanical failure. A filter stopped working, or the heater malfunctioned. Maybe your parameters went south in a hurry. Your nitrate spiked and you weren’t home to do an emergency water change. Sometimes your critters don’t get along with your other critters. Maybe your crab gets a hold of your favorite fish. Sometimes it’s a mass extinction due to a fish disease or parasite that you didn’t catch in time to treat. Maybe that beautiful fish saw an opening and jumped to freedom, and you find him on the floor in the morning. Sometimes it’s a small loss, and sometimes it’s a mass extinction. There will be loss. It’s heartbreaking and you learn from it.
My Experience
I’ve had my tank for a little more than a year now. I have had a number of fish losses. However, I still have my original clownfish and yellow watchmen goby. They have put up with a lot from me and have proven to be very hardy. I have had moments of absolute devastation and hopelessness in this hobby. I have laid awake and had nightmares about this tank. I have had my fair share of problems, and spent way more money than I care to think about. My biggest issues have been getting my water parameters to settle. At the beginning it was my nitrate levels (caused by waste). In hindsight, I was guilty of overfeeding. For a really long time, my ammonia was dangerously high. Ammonia is toxic to fish and invertebrates. I lost a few lovely fish to my ammonia problems, and I learned some valuable lessons. It took me visiting quite a few stores and explaining my set up and parameters before one employee had a lightbulb moment and asked me about my cleaning routine. Evidently I had been keeping my tank “too clean” by scrubbing out all the algae and grime. With no algae, I had very little bacteria, and with no bacteria, the ammonia spiked. Bacteria is an essential part of marine life. There were times, before I figured out the problem, that I thought about tearing the whole thing down. I felt so bad for the fish; I felt like a failure.
Don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom. While I want those interested to get a real picture of the challenges, there is plenty of joy in this hobby. Marine fish are not only visually stunning, they are smart, playful and intelligent. They have vibrant and amazing personalities. I was bored of my freshwater fish, but I have never once been bored with my marine tank. I will often come home and sit for an hour, without realizing it, watching my clownfish play in a current. I watch my crabs turn over shells, and investigate new ones. I love coming in in the morning to discover that one has swapped homes and moved into a new shell. I love watching my grumpy faced yellow watchmen goby sift through the sand and puff up as someone swims too near to his cave. I love watching my cleaner shrimp try desperately to convince a fish to come near enough to get a cleaning. I love watching my six line wrasse hunt sneakily through the cracks in the rock for a hidden creature or morsel of food. I love how they interact with me when I come near the tank. The fish come right to the glass to greet me (or rather, beg me for food). I won’t tell you this is an easy hobby. I’ve found it to be a bit of a roller coaster. But now that I think I have things settled down a bit, I have what I saw that day in the store; my own little ocean escape. And a few fishy friends as well. I will promise you that if you do more research and decide you can devote the time and energy to it, you will fall deeply in love.
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Eterno Dia Photography 