A Desire stay for a non-lifestyle couple?

[maybemor]

You will love it!. Funcpl is off the mark. No comment there. you can see what you want to see and your wife will love the freedom to do what she Desires.
As for the snorkel thing. We swam out one day. The waves were kinda big and the Harbor was closed to resort boats) so we were able to sneak out to the bouys and the best reef area. We took the go for it and ask for forgivness approach. It is about 500 meters or so out and Just North of Desires. The best reef cluster is about 100x200' and is roped /bouyed off. It has several coral heads that come up near the surface from about 15' down. Lots of marine life and schools of 1 pound fish.
We saw several cuda's and one near 5 ' on the way out. we Timed our arrival to the buoys for right when the 2-3 tour cattle boats were leaving. They seem to bring guests out about every hour or so. We had heard that they would try to chase you away even using the boat to block you?? The dangers are the long swim, currents, and most of all boat traffic that travels near the shore and many fishing boats dart in for a drive by of Desires. This was my biggest concern. Overall it was good exercise but probably not the best idea.
Another option is to take 2 couples out on the sail boat and then drop them off and one person keeps sailing around. You can see the reef in little time. The flats out to the reef is about 5-7' deep and grassy. A few corral heads when you get close to the mooring buoys. There is also a shelf near shore where it looks like they have mined the sand for the beach in the past? at this drop off from 5-12' there were some larger fish hanging and it might surprise you but we saw a nice scorpion fish at the shelf near the two wooden piles just North of Desires.
But overall the snorkeling off the beach at Desires is not a reason to go. We were going to take the ferry to Cozumel and dive one day but you need to take the 7am early ferry and even then miss the fast boats. then you end up on the afternoon dives and it looked like it would be early evening when we got back. Overall we are glad we skipped the diving. This was our first relaxing vacation we have ever taken in 25 years. It was determined that not all vacations have to be some hectic adventure marathon to be fun. But maybe a nude live aboard dive week would be fun?

[maybemor]

You will love it!. Funcpl is off the mark. No comment there. you can see what you want to see and your wife will love the freedom to do what she Desires.
As for the snorkel thing. We swam out one day. The waves were kinda big and the Harbor was closed to resort boats) so we were able to sneak out to the bouys and the best reef area. We took the go for it and ask for forgivness approach. It is about 500 meters or so out and Just North of Desires. The best reef cluster is about 100x200' and is roped /bouyed off. It has several coral heads that come up near the surface from about 15' down. Lots of marine life and schools of 1 pound fish.
We saw several cuda's and one near 5 ' on the way out. we Timed our arrival to the buoys for right when the 2-3 tour cattle boats were leaving. They seem to bring guests out about every hour or so. We had heard that they would try to chase you away even using the boat to block you?? The dangers are the long swim, currents, and most of all boat traffic that travels near the shore and many fishing boats dart in for a drive by of Desires. This was my biggest concern. Overall it was good exercise but probably not the best idea.
Another option is to take 2 couples out on the sail boat and then drop them off and one person keeps sailing around. You can see the reef in little time. The flats out to the reef is about 5-7' deep and grassy. A few corral heads when you get close to the mooring buoys. There is also a shelf near shore where it looks like they have mined the sand for the beach in the past? at this drop off from 5-12' there were some larger fish hanging and it might surprise you but we saw a nice scorpion fish at the shelf near the two wooden piles just North of Desires.
But overall the snorkeling off the beach at Desires is not a reason to go. We were going to take the ferry to Cozumel and dive one day but you need to take the 7am early ferry and even then miss the fast boats. then you end up on the afternoon dives and it looked like it would be early evening when we got back. Overall we are glad we skipped the diving. This was our first relaxing vacation we have ever taken in 25 years. It was determined that not all vacations have to be some hectic adventure marathon to be fun. But maybe a nude live aboard dive week would be fun?

[tempanon]

Thanks again for all the info. Very, very helpful!

[tempanon]

Thanks again for all the info. Very, very helpful!