I have only done a few dives before, on two trips to Roatan. I think diving in Roatan is very different, in that the reefs are very close to the shore, and the dive shops are very close to the docks? My modus operandi there was to pack a small bag with a towel and a couple of dollars, walk two minutes from my hotel to the dive shop, put on a wetsuit, leave all my stuff (sandals, bag, sunscreen, towels, money, etc.) on a bench in front of the shop, walk across the street barefoot, get on the boat, and be under the water fifteen minutes later. I'm assuming things will be different in Cozumel. Right now I'm scheduled to do a bunch of two-tank dives in the morning, and I'm wondering what to bring with me... and how to carry it? Also, I expect to have my period while I'm there. I've stocked up on "ultra" tampons but are there bathrooms at the dock that I could use right before getting on the boat? What about surface intervals- do most operators stop somewhere with a bathroom?
1st Dives in Cozumel - What to Bring?
- Thread starter LGandaB
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It depends on which hotel you're staying at and which dive operator you're diving with. Some are a 30 second walk to the dock and some you'll have to take a taxi, some have lockers and others don't, some operators always do surface intervals on the island where you can eat and find a bathroom, others you do the surface interval on the boat and will have to use the loo on board. Etc, etc.
PeterNBiddle
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Yeah unfortunately the answers are all "it depends".
What dive op are you using?
What dive op are you using?
dlofting
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We've only been diving with Blue XTsea so have no direct experience of the other operators on the island. However, we do see a lot of other boats during our surface intervals. Most are small, accomodating 6-8 divers, with no toilet facilities on board. Surface intervals are usually at a pier near the dive sites. Some are owned by resorts and have toilet facilities and some are at parks and don't. The latter have plenty of "bush" though so privacy is not a problem....maybe bring something to put a used tampon in.
The good news is that most Cozumel operators provide water and snacks for surface intervals and towels, so you really have to bring very little outside of your dive equipment. Most operators will also rinse and store your BC, regs, fins, etc between dive days. Anything you want/need to bring on a daily basis can be carried in a bag or pack sack.
The good news is that most Cozumel operators provide water and snacks for surface intervals and towels, so you really have to bring very little outside of your dive equipment. Most operators will also rinse and store your BC, regs, fins, etc between dive days. Anything you want/need to bring on a daily basis can be carried in a bag or pack sack.
Again, it depends on your dive op.
Aldora does a surface interval at a beach club with full facilities. They also have a larger boat with a bathroom. Water is on the boat, don't remember any snacks, but have towels and parkas if it's chilly.
Dive with Martin, we did our SI on the boat, no facilities. We had chartered our own boat and were under a time crunch though.
Blue Magic did their SI on the beach with no facilities. Water and snacks on the boat. towels are available but you have to grab on when you leave the shop. Lots of private bushes. (My favorite)
I really can't help with the tampon issue, but I would not be offended if you just had to wrap up in a towel and do you biz at the back of the boat wrapped in a towel. I've seen men that dive naked in their wetsuits just wrap in a towel and pull on their shorts. We have had some great female dive masters in the past and I am sure they can help you. Email your dive op and ask what they do for SI stops.
As far as what to bring, it pretty much like any other dive boat. I bring a backpack to store our clothes in, wallets, sunglasses, etc while we are diving. If you prefer fruit juice or something heartier than fruit and cookies, bring that. Money for a tip for the crew or surface interval if you op stops at the beach club. ($10 for a Coke and fruit plate) I take my own no fog and a small towel. Most ops will address any equipment problems that might occur. Cozumel is "baby sitting" diving (which I love) the ops are there to make sure you have a safe an incredible dive. The competition is fierce and most will go out of their way to accommodate any reasonable request. I'm also positive they have dealt with this issue before.
If you have any questions, just email your dive operator. The three I have dove with, and several others I have shopped, have always emailed me back within 24 hrs.
Good luck, have fun, and get ready for some incredible diving.
Safe travels,
Jay
Aldora does a surface interval at a beach club with full facilities. They also have a larger boat with a bathroom. Water is on the boat, don't remember any snacks, but have towels and parkas if it's chilly.
Dive with Martin, we did our SI on the boat, no facilities. We had chartered our own boat and were under a time crunch though.
Blue Magic did their SI on the beach with no facilities. Water and snacks on the boat. towels are available but you have to grab on when you leave the shop. Lots of private bushes. (My favorite)
I really can't help with the tampon issue, but I would not be offended if you just had to wrap up in a towel and do you biz at the back of the boat wrapped in a towel. I've seen men that dive naked in their wetsuits just wrap in a towel and pull on their shorts. We have had some great female dive masters in the past and I am sure they can help you. Email your dive op and ask what they do for SI stops.
As far as what to bring, it pretty much like any other dive boat. I bring a backpack to store our clothes in, wallets, sunglasses, etc while we are diving. If you prefer fruit juice or something heartier than fruit and cookies, bring that. Money for a tip for the crew or surface interval if you op stops at the beach club. ($10 for a Coke and fruit plate) I take my own no fog and a small towel. Most ops will address any equipment problems that might occur. Cozumel is "baby sitting" diving (which I love) the ops are there to make sure you have a safe an incredible dive. The competition is fierce and most will go out of their way to accommodate any reasonable request. I'm also positive they have dealt with this issue before.
If you have any questions, just email your dive operator. The three I have dove with, and several others I have shopped, have always emailed me back within 24 hrs.
Good luck, have fun, and get ready for some incredible diving.
Safe travels,
Jay
betsyinczm
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Just for the record, and to the folks who are suggesting "going" in the jungle by the pier where many bathroom-less boats pull in for their surface interval..........Playa Palancar's restaurant is probably a 30 second walk to the north. Their bathroom is in the back and I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you used it.........heck, they'd probably not even notice! Just sayin'.
sharky60
Contributor
yes, a lot of this does depend on who you are diving with. are you using your own equipment or renting? if renting, you will need your own mask, fins & snorkel. if you have your own equipment, some dive ops valet your equipment overnight (rinse, store and set up on the boat the next day), others want you to handle your own equipment, which means you have to carry it to the boat daily ... we have mesh duffel bags we bought at a sports/camping store (Acadamy or a place like that), we put our equipment in to take it to the boat, the mesh bags fold up into almost nothing when empty and store easily on the boat.
it's good to have a few bucks with you, the dive ops I use usually don't stop at places with facilities, people either pee in the woods or in the water, but we do go to the "Caletta" (boat harbor) sometimes and they want a dollar to use the bathroom there .. I know, right?!
some dive ops will stop at one of our 'day beaches' for their SI's, so having a few bucks would help there also, some even eat lunch between dives at these places.
depending on where you are staying and what dive site you are going to, your boat ride to the dive site could be anywhere from 15 min to nearly an hour. The Marine Park and most of are reefs are stretched out along the length of the island on the channel side, with the "wall" being about 1/4 mile off shore at the most. The island is never out of site.
most dive ops pick you up at your hotel pier, so leaving your stuff at the dive shop may not be an option. I wouldn't do that anyway unless they have lockers you can lock.
I'd check with who you are going to dive with and see what their SI policies are, if they pick up at your hotel, and any other concerns you might have. Most dive ops and hotels are very willing to help you out as much as possible.
a couple hints in case you haven't booked yet. MOST dive ops DO NOT pick up in the northern hotel zone, so staying in town, (you will have to walk to a downtown pier if you do this), or south of town is your best bet of not having to take a cab to your dive pick up in the morning. Again, most dive ops pick up at most hotel/resort piers from town, south.
Aldora Divers is the main exception to the 'northern hotel zone rule', their lodging, Villa Aldora is located north of town and is a very nice property and the Aldora dive operation is an exceptional, well respected dive op.
feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
it's good to have a few bucks with you, the dive ops I use usually don't stop at places with facilities, people either pee in the woods or in the water, but we do go to the "Caletta" (boat harbor) sometimes and they want a dollar to use the bathroom there .. I know, right?!
some dive ops will stop at one of our 'day beaches' for their SI's, so having a few bucks would help there also, some even eat lunch between dives at these places.
depending on where you are staying and what dive site you are going to, your boat ride to the dive site could be anywhere from 15 min to nearly an hour. The Marine Park and most of are reefs are stretched out along the length of the island on the channel side, with the "wall" being about 1/4 mile off shore at the most. The island is never out of site.
most dive ops pick you up at your hotel pier, so leaving your stuff at the dive shop may not be an option. I wouldn't do that anyway unless they have lockers you can lock.
I'd check with who you are going to dive with and see what their SI policies are, if they pick up at your hotel, and any other concerns you might have. Most dive ops and hotels are very willing to help you out as much as possible.
a couple hints in case you haven't booked yet. MOST dive ops DO NOT pick up in the northern hotel zone, so staying in town, (you will have to walk to a downtown pier if you do this), or south of town is your best bet of not having to take a cab to your dive pick up in the morning. Again, most dive ops pick up at most hotel/resort piers from town, south.
Aldora Divers is the main exception to the 'northern hotel zone rule', their lodging, Villa Aldora is located north of town and is a very nice property and the Aldora dive operation is an exceptional, well respected dive op.
feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
In addition to the other replies, you may want to get a dry bag to carry anything on the boat with you that you want to stay dry. While stuff will usually stay dry on sunny calm days, on a faster boat in a little chop, everything on the boat is subject to being soaked. Likewise on rainy days, even if the boat has a covered deck.
dlofting
Contributor
I just noticed you're in Canada, so would suggest you get your dry bag at MEC, if you want one.
ccannon707
Contributor
I take a mesh bag w/my wetsuit & equipment. I wear my bathing suit under skirt + t-shirt. I have a smallish dry bag for my clothes, towel (& a windbreaker if it's winter). I also bring a small plastic make-up bag with room key, de-fog, TIP $$, sunglasses, hair band, comb, small tube of facial sunscreen etc... My dive op has water and fruit/cookies, but no towels. If I bring my camera/phone I have it in a ziplock bag. Ziplock bag and a couple paper towels should suffice for the tampon issue IMHO. Plan on being out for several hours = on the boat and diving. Maybe you will get an SI on shore, maybe you won't. Most do, but a lot of the SI's happen at a dock with no facilities.... i.e the bushes.
