4 Tips For Making Sure Your Next Excursion Isn't Your Last

View of Cancun from the sea

On a recent trip to Mexico, I went on an excursion that made me think long and hard about tour operator safety and what to look for when choosing a tour operator. This particular excursion was a catamaran & snorkel tour to Isla Mujeres with a well-established business in Cancun. However, just because a tour operator has been around for a while, doesn't mean they are running a safe operation.

The day we went, there were some heavy winds and high seas, but the tours were leaving as scheduled.  The trip over to Isla Mujeres was scenic, if a bit choppy.  As soon as we were underway, the alcohol started flowing. It was 10:00 am, and there were quite a few spring-break college kids on board.  Everyone, with very few exceptions, started drinking.

When we arrived at Isla Mujeres, we were informed that because of the waves and wind, we'd be heading into 25 foot water for snorkeling.  As we jumped into the water, the undertow was fierce, the swells were big enough to loose sight of  the guides and the boat, and one of the young men started to panic.  He'd had too much to drink and the conditions were rough.  Due to the undertow, he was unable to get back onboard, but he continued to "freak out" and set everyone else on edge.

Needless to say, the snorkeling was terrible. The seas were too rough and too deep for an enjoyable swim.  We struggled to stick near the guide and keep swimming until we got back to the boat, which had moved off so that the undertow would bring us towards it.

As we approached the catamaran, it was being tossed around by the waves, and the crew member I was near told me to wait while he got on board to give us a hand up.  He managed to climb on-board and then reached down telling me to grab his hand.  As I reached up, the boat hit a swell and was suddenly 6 feet above me, coming down towards my head.  I kicked frantically backwards trying to get out of the way and it missed my face by inches. On the next try, I managed to get aboard, bruised and shaken.

Once all of the hapless snorkelers were back on board, we headed for lunch at the beach club. No head count was done on the boat to make sure that all the passengers were present and accounted for. Who has time to count passengers when it's open bar at the beach club?

After lunch, we sailed toward Playa Norte, disembarked at the pier in town and were given free time to shop or relax before heading back to Cancun. We were told that if we were not back onboard by 3:30, the boat would leave without us. I disembarked with my daughter and headed directly for the ferry. We took the high speed ferry back to Cancun, caught a cab back to the resort, and thanked our lucky stars that we were still alive.

After my "near miss", I've come up a few tips for making sure your next excursion isn't your last:
1) Don't Drink and Dive. Under no circumstances should alcohol be served or consumed prior to getting in the ocean or prior to participating in any activity that requires wits, strength, or quick reactions.
2) Don't assume safety measures are in place. Ask about safety measures and training. At the very least, make sure a crew member is taking a head count (or matching names would be even better).  We've all heard the horror stories about divers/snorkelers being left behind, alone in the deep, wide ocean.  Don't let it be you.
3) Don't be a follower. The ocean and Mother Nature can be rough and dangerous.  Be sure of the conditions before you start out. Just because the crew doesn't want to cancel the tour doesn't mean it's safe.   (I failed this one.)
4) Don't get fooled twice. If you find yourself in a situation where you don't feel that you are safe, exit at the earliest opportunity.

Do you have any other tips to add for making sure your next excursion is a safe one?