The Mayans named the island east of their mainland “Cozumel,”
which means “land of the swallows.” It was a place where Mayan women came to
pay homage to Ix Chel, the goddess of fertility. When Cortez visited here in
1519, there were 40,000 inhabitants. They were all gone by 1600. Cozumel was a
handy hideaway for Caribbean pirates, including Henry Morgan and Jean Lafitte. Today
72,000 people call Cozumel home, and many more visit as tourists. Cozumel's
principle attraction is its coral reefs, which are protected from the open
ocean by the island itself. Since Jacques Cousteau brought attention to the
reefs in 1959 they have been a very popular spot for scuba diving. In 1970 a
major airport was built on Cozumel to welcome tourists, and in 1990 a deep
water pier was added, allowing large cruise ships to dock here. We’ve been warned
to bring sunscreen and bug spray, things we don’t usually worry about in
December.
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