Mexico: Take Care While Adventuring

There is plenty of adventure to be had in Mexico.

About an hour northwest of Monterrey, a craggy limestone outcrop named El Potrero Chico has been quietly attracting rock climbers from around the world. What makes the area unusual is the sheer variety of the 600-plus bolted routes — in which permanent artificial anchors are embedded in the rock — all within easy access of a campground and lodge at the base of the rock. Read more about El Potrero Chico.

If you are trained in climbing (and I don't recommend this climb if you are not) then you know how important it is to be safe while climbing. A single wrong move or slip can be the difference between a great day and a REALLY bad day! As you know, when you participate in any activity outdoors, you should be prepared with a few things at all times: sunscreen, insect repellent, first aid kit, drinking water, just to name a few. Have a safe climb.

If its not so much heights as it is depths that excites the adventurer within you then Mexico will not disappoint. Forty miles northwest of the party port of Cancún is little-known Isla Holbox (pronounced OLE-bosh), a narrow spit of white sand some 25 miles long and no more than two miles wide at its widest point, situated in the Gulf of Mexico. From June through September, the island’s offshore waters are the site of a large congregation of whale sharks, who come here to feed on seasonal plankton blooms. More on Isla Holbox.

If you come into contact with coral reefs while snorkeling there are a few safety tips to keep in mind.

• Coral is an animal that makes calcified outer skeletons which make sharp, jagged edges, so to prevent injury, avoid standing on reefs.
• Wearing reef shoes, gloves and a wet suit will better protect you.
• If injured, promptly scrub the coral cuts with soap and water and flush with copious amounts of water to remove any coral fragments.
• Rinsing with vinegar or rubbing alcohol may help relieve stinging.
• Seek medical attention immediately if the cut is large enough to require stitches.

You should make sure that your tetanus vaccination is up to date and it would be helpful to carry a wound care kit with you to help prevent infection.