From sea to sky Two-in-one aqua adventure
TOURING THE great unknown is what
Krysta Di Xplora is all about, so last Tuesday, when the Flair team invaded Montego Bay to see just what hidden treasures the parish had to offer, I was ready to take on the adventure that was in store.
High on my to-do list were a few of the water activities available at the beautiful IBEROSTAR Rose Hall Suite Montego Bay. I even kept the excitement and optimism going when the inclement weather threatened to rain on my parade. We trekked the property, and once we arrived at our destination, we were introduced to Leandro.
“So Krysta, kayaking or snorkelling?” he asked. After a little deliberation, I chose snorkelling. Swimsuit ready, I headed to the gears section where I was armed with a life jacket, snorkelling fins, along with a mask and snorkel. I received a tutorial on breathing techniques then headed out to the boat to reunite with the team. Captain Tafarie set out for the ocean and it was only then that I developed a case of anxiety. When it was time to jump off into the water, I sat there looking at that deep blue sea, wondering if it was too late to turn back. Tafarie had to give me that extra push. The sea was warm and inviting. Peter was my water guide and we swam together all the way to the reef. And by all the way, I mean far!
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
Once I got the hang of breathing and didn’t feel like I was drowning myself, the aqua underworld was amazing! I was greeted by myriad colours, courtesy of the gorgeous marine life. I saw parrot fish, among many others. Peter said a stingray had shown itself a few feet away. I was happy I missed it. But the experience was incredible, as corny as this sounds, a whole new world! I was at one point able to stand because the water became shallow due to the reef. Just when I thought nothing could go wrong, my body began to fail me and I could feel a cramp creeping in. I quickly raised the alarm and
there was Peter to the rescue, pulling me in as he swam towards the boat. Of course, I put on a brave face for the team and was all smiles. After all, I had tons of fun! During the cruise control journey back to the dock, I was in celebratory mode. But wait, there was more. I remember hearing talks of parasailing, and thought, “Okay, I could do that, too!” But that was before the hectic swimming session I just had. I had no time to weigh any options. I was immediately strapped up and escorted to another boat. As we jetted off into the great seas, my question “What is parasailing?” was met by reassurance that I would be fine. Harnessed to a parachute thingamajig, I dug deep for my inner Dora. I was then told to let go, where I took off to new heights. My reaction came with screams, not of terror but of excitement. Happiness exuded from each shout. This was so cool! I kept going higher and higher, it was just unbelievable! The view of the hotel was spectacular. The aerial look at Mother Nature was breathtaking. “I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky.” R.Kelly’s oldie but goodie hit became my new theme song as I soothingly sailed in the open air. Without even knowing it, this was a dream come true. I won’t deny that I had my doubts. I’m no lightweight, so my whole worry came with possible plunge into the deep waters. But I quickly eliminated all negative thoughts and was relaxed by the beauty of this adventure. Every now and then, my feet touched water, and before I knew, I was being reeled in for landing. “Land on your feet,” I was told, and just like that, I went from sea to sky, back to sea. Hands down, the best adventurous experience I have ever had. And I don’t care what anyone wanted to say, Dressels at IBEROSTAR officially made me a superstar! So if you’re in for a thrill seeking adventure, snorkelling and parasailing at IBEROSTAR Rose Hall Suite Montego Bay is definitely the way to go.