A Treasure Called Mona

The trip is not easy, but it's worth it when you see the perfect cliffs that protect one side of the island, and on the other side the ocean with its hidden mysteries.

We arrived with our tents and immediately knew the most interesting two days of our lives lay ahead. Some of us had been camping before; for others, it was a first-time experience in communing with nature. We were welcomed to the warmth and silence of the beach by a variety of unique species of birds and iguanas.

Attracted by the call of the sea, we began our first dive. As we dipped under the surface and began our descent, I was delighted by the colors of the reef and the quantity and quality of life. The variety of sea life was such that I felt deep down that I was in one of the greatest theaters of the natural world, and at that moment there was nothing more important than admiring and soaking in all that was around me.

Unfortunately, the dive had to end, but the day full of nature's wonders was not over. After a scrumptious dinner cooked by our hosts at Acampa Nature Adventure Tours, the island treated us to a sunset that rivaled the dive, full of color and the promise of what tomorrow would bring. The evening held more in store as one from our group, Colleen Udell, performed a fire dance, reminding usthat fire was worshipped by our primitive ancestors.

Night crept up on us, and in our tents we listened to the sounds of the island and the surf. I finally gave in to sleep, not wanting the day to end.

I woke up to the first rays of the sun, with the anticipation of a great day of diving. The spectacular reefs of Mona and the dazzling show of dancing fish dominated today's dives. We attempted to create photographs that would show the world the beauty we were not only seeing but feeling as we experienced this wonderland.

I have had the opportunity to dive some of the most-beautiful spots in the world, and, in my opinion, Mona Island is among them. If it can be protected by us, from us and for us, Mona will become a special reserve — for the peace it radiates and the beauty it holds, and for our children and their children to enjoy.

Leaving a place like this is always difficult, but Mona was so intensely beautiful that when I shut my eyes, I can still feel the sand between my toes, sense the proximity of the imposing jungle and feel the ocean so full of life and surprises.

Mona Island in Puerto Rico will remain in my memories every day and in my heart forever, because in and out of the sea, it represents a place where I found peace in my life for the present and hope for my future.

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