Trip Report Cozumel, February/March 2025: diving and lots of restaurants

[Himself]

You seem to be conflating a few things:

• boats permitted to operate commercially within the park (Listado de embarcaciones autorizadas del Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel (periodo 2020-2022)) -- maybe there's a more current list
  
  
• fees charged to individual divers for use of the park

IANAL, but my understanding of the national park regulations are that only boats with park permits are allowed to use the park for commercial purposes...and yes, if you're paying someone to use their boat, that's a commercial charter -- the word "private" in "private charter vessel" simply means that the paying customer isn't sharing the boat with strangers.

Separately, the CONAP regulations seem to state that all visitors must pay the fee, regardless of the ownership of the vessel (subject to exceptions for senior citizens, the disabled, etc). https://descubreanp.conanp.gob.mx/swb/conanp/ANP?suri=4


Did you ask?

When I've been on Aldora boats, there's always been an analyzer...though few divers ever ask to check their tanks, so no one is waving it around, but it's there.

It's been a while since I dove with 3P, and my vague recollection is that they had an analyzer in the shop for customer use, though they may also have one on the boat.

Does "visitors must pay the fee.... (subject to exceptions for senior citizens)" mean that scuba divers who are senior citizens need not pay the fee nor wear a paper bracelet?

 

[rmssetc]

Does "visitors must pay the fee.... (subject to exceptions for senior citizens)" mean that scuba divers who are senior citizens need not pay the fee nor wear a paper bracelet?

My understanding is that, yes, divers who are senior citizens or pensioners are exempt from the fee. However, I also believe that the diver needs documentation of their status from the Mexican government (ie., a Mexican ID, or something showing that Mexico has seen & accepted proof of their status if they are not MX citizens, not just showing a foreign driver's license indicating age, for example). This question has come up in discussions about getting the "CONANP passport" (https://descubreanp.conanp.gob.mx/swb/conanp/pasaporte-brazalete-conservacion)... search here on SB for that discussion, but conanp.gob.mx would be the definitive source.

 

[wnissen]

Cochinita at the Municipal Market

On Saturdays and Sundays, cochinita is served at a stall at the municipal market. I read that cochinita pibil is cooked with a whole suckling pig. I don’t think what is served at the municipal market is suckling pig; I think it is pork shoulder. I asked for a serving of three tacos with the cochinita. Provided were some garnishments of pickled onions and a spicy sauce. The dish is a great snack while walking around town on the weekends.

Thanks for the post and restaurant reviews!

Cochinita pibil as a celebratory food, so for special occasions it is whole suckling pig. In practice I think it's pork shoulder or butt, whatever is available. However, the pickled onions are definitely part of the dish. I don't see any sign of the Sevilla oranges or achiote paste that are also obligatory on the peninsula, if not Cozumel. If you ever get a chance head up to Merida or Valladolid and try it there.

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

My trip partially overlapped yours. Here's a couple of the other steak options at Del Sur Parilla Argentina.

View attachment 887528

Short ribs above. I really wanted the arrachera, but the waiter said they were out. I thought they meant for the evening, so I went back a few days later at an earlier time where he explained they were out until the next cargo boat arrived. So I got the vacio. As you can see the steaks come with chimichurri, some potatoes and the typical Argentine salad of lettuce, onion and tomato.


View attachment 887527

Mighty fine looking dishes!! I'll try them on my next visit. Coincidentally, you were sitting at the same table and seat that I was sitting at!!

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

Cochinita pibil as a celebratory food, so for special occasions it is whole suckling pig. In practice I think it's pork shoulder or butt, whatever is available. However, the pickled onions are definitely part of the dish. I don't see any sign of the Sevilla oranges or achiote paste that are also obligatory on the peninsula, if not Cozumel. If you ever get a chance head up to Merida or Valladolid and try it there.

Thanks for the tidbit of food knowledge. Valladolid is a place I need to venture out to. Would I find the cochinita pibil there at restaurants and during non-celebratory occasions?

 

[cozcharlie]

Or, perhaps was calibrated a bit differently. Ideally, calibration should be corrected for temperature and humidity

What @scubadada said ! Usually the humidity adjustment means calibrating the analyzer lower than 20.9, which means if you calibrate at 20.9 or 21 the reading the analyzer gives you for the Nitrox tank will be higher than the true mix

 

[zhoffritz]

Thanks for the trip report!

Tres P did not have a working analyzer when I dove with them Jan into Feb. They were waiting for someone to bring them a part (sensor I think) from the US because the part is so expensive locally.