Diving East Side of Island

[firstdive2005]

Hi Everyone-I am hugely interested in diving the east side of the island and I would like to read your experiences over there. Has anyone got any vids or pics. I know of only one dive op that goes over there.
If you want to know who that is pm me because I dont want this thread sent to the retail forum like that last one I started. I started the other thread to get the reviews of diving there. I also posted the deal the I know of going there. Someone got their fins in a knot over that and had it reported and removed. So lets try and not feed the trolls with company info. I dont know how this will affect other threads now wanting to talk about their dive ops and the way they dive. I hope it doesnt affect anything. kev

 

[Christi]

Someone got their fins in a knot over that and had it reported and removed.

No Kevin, it wasn't REmoved, it was MOVED to the Coozumel marketplace area as Dave had originally requested when he wanted to open up this opportunity.http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/trips-local-marketplace-cozumel/318571-cant-go-wrong.html

It's a great service that Aldora provides and I'm glad they provide it! I give the option to set this up with Aldora for my qualified divers. For example, this means a diver with less than 10 logged dives on their registration form and no previous dives in Cozumel are not candidates for these dives.

 

[firstdive2005]

No Kevin, it wasn't REmoved, it was MOVED to the Coozumel marketplace area as Dave had originally requested when he wanted to open up this opportunity.http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/trips-local-marketplace-cozumel/318571-cant-go-wrong.html

It's a great service that Aldora provides and I'm glad they provide it! I give the option to set this up with Aldora for my qualified divers.

Hi Christi-TC moved MY thread not Aldoras'. You have chimed in on countless threads to add details of your op so people can be better informed of what goes on with you and your people/operation. I think that is valid.
I started the thread not Dave. He came in very late to add details, that is ok by me. I will not receive any form of compenstation for Aldora for the notification of this opportunity. I really, really wanted people to know about this so diving vacations arent shattered. Most dive ops would tell their clients about this dive if asked but I'm sure they dont promote it before hand for fear of loosing clients. IMHO.

For what this is worth, I just got an email back from Aldora. They arent going to charge me the $5000.00us deposit for the east side dive that I mistakenly inputed. Just $50.00. That's good now I can put gas in my trucks today. hahahaha.

 

[billindenver]

Most dive ops would tell their clients about this dive if asked but I'm sure they dont promote it before hand for fear of loosing

Kevin, I think getting this info out there may well save someone's vacation. I can tell you from
first hand experience that other dive ops do NOT all tell a client about Aldora's east side diving, even when asked directly by the client if anyone dives that side during a norte.

Why your putting that info out is any different than people discussing other dive ops is beyond me, though I do understand the commercial impact that such discussion has on this board.

 

[scubawife]

I've done a few dives on the east side and really enjoyed them. I didn't do them with Aldora, but with a dive op who, when conditions are right and with the right group of divers, has taken us around to the east side. It's quite different then diving in the marine park. The reefs on the east side remind me of dives off the mainland south of Playa, as well as the reefs elsewhere in the Western Caribbean.

If you happen to get a norte that lasts several days, setting up dives for the east side is a great option. Some dive ops used to take divers for shore dives there too. Not sure if they still do that or if Aldora is the only option now. Either way, it's worth checking it out.

My personal experience over the years has been that most dive ops in Cozumel "play nice with others" and when needed, work together to make sure their divers have a good experience, even if that means setting them up with another shop. I have never missed a day of diving on a trip to Cozumel because of a dive op. If they can't go out for any reason (aside from the port being closed for everyone), they've always offered me the option of making arrangements with another shop.

 

[Prop Joe]

OK... This just took me over an hour to upload all of these to the right size (I'm no computer whiz). Please play nice so this doesn't get deleted or moved... Whatever.
Operator was/is Aldora. I have dove with them for years and trust them with my safety. There were two DM's on the boat (one supplied by Aldora). The rest are all certified rescue divers. I'm not sure of the protocol but we were diving with each other all week. We pretty much went where ever we wanted to go on the same boat anywhere on the island. Gas consumption between us was never an issue. Weather conditions allowed us to dive the East side because conditions were rough on the west side. As you can see by the pictures, sea condition were ideal for this day's diving activities. If the operator wants to see you dive before you are taken to this side of the island get over it. It is for your safety. If you got any questions let me know and I'll try to answer. I do not work for this operator nor expect anything for posting this.
Enjoy!

On the road to Chen Rio heading south from traverso. Those were the biggest waves we saw:

My Buddy and Scubaboard member, TVMark:

Push back of the dive boat:

Left to right. SBer's TVMark, kcdiver56 (Cindy), DM Edgar, Captain and Dennis. All aboard! Notice water conditions:

Coconuts from the water heading North:

TVMark and Stag-horn coral:

Sea fans everywhere gently swaying in the surge:

Tim getting some video:

I tried every which way to get a better view of this guy... I didn't want to break any reef structure. This is the best I could get:

Hard to get a pic of these as they normally suck into their home upon approach:

Cannons from shipwreck of Spanish Gallion:


Looking down the barrel of a cannon:


The anchor:


Did I mention there are virgin untouched sea fans every where:



What a great day!!! Left to right. Dennis, me (Prop Joe) and TVMark:

 

[Diver Kat]

Nice pix Joe!! Makes one wish you didn't have to have bad weather on the west to dive the east!

 

[BTravlin]

Very nice. Will have to give that a try sometime. Let's make sure it stays in good shape.

 

[DiverG]

So is East side diving just for the very experienced diver? It seems by the pictures and recent discussions that if the sea conditions are right it would be a divable dive for different experience levels.

 

[shawrg]

Thanks Prop Joe. Your description and pictures will have me hoping for a Norte during my next trip! Not really, but diving East side is a desirable option over missing dives and sea fans are one of my favorite UW structures.