Caribe Blu shore dive?

[ggunn]

It's great that they escaped!

It just disgusts me that they would do something like this to them. Diving is
supposed to be an adventure where you never really know what to expect
each dive, or snorkeling for that matter. Penning up a bunch of wild sea life so
the cruise ship crowd on limited time can gawk at them takes away the
adventure.

Just for the sake of argument, what's the difference between something like this and, say, the Monterrey Aquarium?

 

[jd950]

.....

 

[cxg31s]

notes on shore diving CB: most days show lots of current, to preserve air and energy you might find it worth while to take your gear and tanks via auto down to papa hogs and ride the current back. right before leaving, i did the shore dive with their DM Tony, I was rather impressed with how hard he worked for me. He knows that house reef like the back of his hand. Octos, rays, puffer, cowfish, eels, watch out for the Sgt Majors, they are begging fools! Several sea cucumbers, some nice soft corals. Trumpet and pipe fish. One Baracuda. And that was a short dive, as I was fairly tired from the morning dives, and am still a baby air hog.

As for the rays, three cheers for them, all 16 have escaped and are making home a bit south of Cruise ship terminal. They are easy to identify as their tails have been mutilated in order to render them "harmless". This is such an amazing travesty and a larger outcry is certainly called for.
Anyhow, dont give up on the Shore dive from CB,

Quick question: Tony was a DM for Papa Hogs or Blue Angel? The shore dive sounds great--I know it's not like the boat dives but it will be great to just putter around. We love watching the blennies--they're so much fun!

Thank you so much for posting this info! YAY that the rays escaped! Unfortunately, it just means that they'll keep building the cage stronger and keep re-capturing them. I can't believe they mutilated their tails--I'll bet they just chopped them off too! Does Mexico have animal cruelty laws or am I being too idealistic? I think this deserves a public outcry too! It's bad enough to pen them up like that but mutilating them is beyond inhumane. If anyone knows where we can write in protest, please post!

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Just for the sake of argument, what's the difference between something like this and, say, the Monterrey Aquarium?

or dare I say SeaWorld:11:

 

[firstdive2005]

Quick question: Tony was a DM for Papa Hogs or Blue Angel? The shore dive sounds great--I know it's not like the boat dives but it will be great to just putter around. We love watching the blennies--they're so much fun!

Hi Angie-You can ask for any one of the DM's at Blu Angel to give you a guided tour. But if you have been diving a bit you may not need a guide, for sure it is not law as the site is not in the protected areas, hence the ray pen. But you can take the tank down to papa hogs and drift down, I never have. The current could change, seems like too much trouble to me. The current is not that strong that you blow all your air fighting it. I dove the area at least 8 times while we where there for the 3 weeks. If you want to go at night maybe get one of the guys to take you out then. enjoy kev

 

[alcina]

Rand!!! Nice to see you here!

Hope you two have a great time!

And knowing your shooting style and interests I can't imagine that you wouldn't find enough to keep you entertained off the shore - there's so much tiny stuff lurking and carrying on with life that you will be well entertained. Have fun!!

 

[randapex]

Ok, we're off in about 3 weeks so, if anyone has recently done any shorediving around Caribe blue, I'd certainly like to hear about what you saw and you impressions of the "pen" for the rays.
Rand

 

[sharky60]

I made dives out there last April. It's true that the landscape is still recovering, but, if you are into a fish find, you can spot a lot of stuff out there.

Mostly juvies, of course, but I did manage to spot the first sharp tail eel I've ever seen, feeding down a crab or jawfish hole and got some good shots in the shallow water.

I spotted several types of eels, including the sharp tail, yellow spotted rays, all the angels in juvies and young adults, arrow and other crabs, a slipper lobster, cuddle fish, baracuda, blennies, lots of blennies for macro in you .

There's still a lot to see out there, you just have to find it.

I've been diving with Blue Angel a couple of years now, they have never had a problem with me being the "last in line" because I'm shooting pictures.

I'm always the last in line wheather I'm shooting or not, I prefer to take it VERY slow with my nose stuck in the coral looking for critters. That's one reason I enjoy the shore dives so much, sure they aren't as impressive as the big reef dives, but I get to dive the way I want and not have to worry about getting left behind by the group.


There should have been no mutilation of the rays tails to make them "harmless". the stingray barb is much like our fingernails, there are no nerves in the barb it's self. It can be safely removed or clipped off, not sure of the exact process, without any harm to the animal. The barb will grow back, but I'm not sure of the time frame on that.

Who is running this operation?

The Dallas Zoo just opened up a LARGE stingray touch exhibit called "Stingray Bay" with 6 southern stingrays and 23 cow rays. The cow rays swim in a school around the tank, it's very cool looking. All rays have had their barbs removed without doing anything to harm the tail.

 

[selo]

I got back from Cozumel and Caribe Blu yesterday. I did not do any shore dive there but snorkeled off of the entry at Caribe Blu. Sadly, the stingray pen is completed, the area cordoned off with something like chicken wire. Jeannie at Caribe Blu told us not to touch the wires. I did see one stingray inside. I think they are charging adults $48 (and kids a bit less) to snorkel there. I did see a lot of paying customers, likely off of cruise ships.

I dove with Blue XT Sea but there were tons of divers going with the inhouse op Blue Angel and shore diving as well. Just talk to Jeannie and she'll set you up.

This was my first time in Cozumel and what a fantastic place in every aspect.

 

[randapex]

Thanks Sharky and selo. That helps me quite a bit. Glad to hear the Dive op isn't totally over the top on slow divers. Just knowing what you saw down there is helpful setting up ahead of time. I'm real curious about this Ray pen and may try for some W/A shots of Rays behind the wire. Sometimes the right photo can help bring attention to their plight. Although it seems unlikely anyone cares enough to do anything.
Thanks again for the info. Really appreciate it.
Rand