Where do I begin in order to explain to you that if I say a snorkel cruise is a great idea for group travel, you’ll believe me?

I think I’ll start with Shark Week. Oh how I love Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. My brother and I used to live for the dramatic commercials signaling that wonderful event. The scarier the sharks, the better. I love the mystery of this animal, the shiver of fear they elicit, their power. I love to think of the vast ocean and all the frightening, gigantic, exotic things that dwell there. If I want to scare myself, I imagine being dropped from a plane into the deepest, darkest part of any ocean. It scares the bejeebies out of me. And I love it. Because it’s very, very far from reality as I live in the northeast hills of Missouri, not an ocean in sight.

The second background thing I have to tell you, though, is that I was once diagnosed with cancer. And when that happened I failed to experience the seize-the-day mentality of that Tim McGraw song to live like you’re dying in which you can’t wait to jump out of planes, ride bulls, and otherwise try things many normal people are afraid to try. I felt like stopping instead and just taking stock of how great life had been to that point. I wanted to just soak in my family and my friends and take every moment to say a proper goodbye.

When I made it through the scare, however, and realized I was going to live as indefinitely as all the people who haven’t been diagnosed with cancer, my attitude shifted. I feel like I got this great opportunity to say thank you and to pause and just be grateful for the goodness of life. So now, I feel that if I were to face an early death again, I would totally ride the bull.

Thus, when we planned a recent beach-side vacation, I agreed to the snorkel cruise, somewhat aware that I might feel a bit squeamish of sharks, but not so terrified that I didn’t believe them when they said it would be amazing.

But then I got on the boat and it proceeded to drive us out into the Atlantic Ocean, into the ocean, and suddenly every Jaws scene in ALL FOUR of the movies came crashing into my head. All I could think or feel was sharks, sharks, sharks. I began to consider how ridiculous it is that we dare to enter the ocean with nothing but a snorkel mask and some flippers. THIS IS THE SHARK’S TURF, I thought. How do we know where they will be when? Why do we believe we have them figured out enough that they probably won’t be near by and that they don’t usually come near the reefs. WHATEVER. That is what I thought.

As the boat continued its course and I struggled to breathe from the fear of this excursion, “Just think of it as a big lake,” they told me. To which I responded, “Do you see me diving into a Missouri lake with a snorkel mask? NO. Because I don’t want to see what’s in there with me.”

But you know what? I did it. I knew I would all along even though I was terrified. I jumped in the water, which took my breath away a little bit, and I stuck my face in it, kind of defiantly, determined to know once and for all if this was worth my fear. And it so was.

In the end, I felt perfectly safe, ridiculously so. I became so confident over the reefs, which were far more like swimming at the top of a giant aquarium than in the ocean, that I even wanted to see a shark. Not a frightening one, of course, but just one of the little nurse sharks they had mentioned that swim along the bottom like Missouri catfish.

The water was beautifully clear. I could see colors and all kinds of unique fish and coral. Plus, I could see the scuba divers below me and fellow snorkelers all around. And I didn’t feel any fear at all.

A snorkel cruise is always a great idea for groups. Ours was in the Florida Keys, a perfect day trip from all kinds of beautiful spring break destinations in Florida. It was an amazing experience for us all and something I’d do again in a heartbeat. If you’ve wondered if a snorkel cruise should make your itinerary, wonder no more. There’s something in this experience for everyone, and it’s absolutely a must.

Photo by Dtraveller on Flickr.

Walkway to Cocoa Beach

I entered Cocoa Beach by a walkway very much like this one (by hyku on Flickr). In fact, this could be the wooden steps I took toward my favorite day in Florida.

Now, you have to know a couple things about me. First, I’m a Disney girl. I see very little reason to be in the Orlando area without being on a Disney resort spending as much time as possible either in one of the major theme parks or on the monorail between them. I heart Disney. Also, I’m not a fan of hanging out in my swimming suit. Being raised in conservative, land-locked Missouri, it’s just not how I roll. These things combined to equal a sort of “meh” attitude towards discovering what all the fuss was about when it came to Cocoa Beach.

I had a new baby at the time. He was only a few weeks old (obviously, I wasn’t there for spring break), and I quickly thanked heaven he was able to experience the ocean at such a young age.

It’s not like I hadn’t experienced it before, but this time was different. I’d just been through a tumultuous year, having been pregnant and diagnosed with cancer. I’d just finished by final treatment, and the world really seemed brand new. The ocean felt like heaven.

Cocoa Beach is indeed a popular place for spring break trips. But don’t rule it out for families as well. There’s plenty of space for all kinds of vacationers on these miles of Florida coastline. Apparently the waters here are some of the best for surfers on Florida’s east coast. Yet the waves lapping at the shoreline are perfect for children as well. The beach offers several volleyball nets for a favorite sand sport as well as, again, plenty of room for sunbathing, lounging with friends and family, and sandcastles for the kids and kids at heart.

One of my favorite parts of our day at Cocoa Beach was the pier. We browsed souvenir shops and ate at Marlins Good Times Bar & Grill where we could see dolphins out the window as we ate. The Cocoa Beach Pier stretches over 800 feet over the ocean. At least two bars can be found beyond Marlins. They offer live entertainment and a great view of the Florida sunset. Several venues around the Cocoa Beach area fit into the exciting nightlife category, but what could be more exciting than drinks on the Pier?

Cocoa Beach is one of America’s classic seaside destinations. It’s great for families, romantic getaways, and college breaks. You can’t miss with this popular beach and its entertaining pier.