Are reef hooks allowed in Cozumel?

[Doc Harry]

No need for a reef hook in Coz, it's all drift diving.

Recently I returned from the Maldives. There, the dives are on small sea mounts in ripping current. You jump off the boat upstream from the sea mount and drift into it.

If you didn't use a reef hook to hold your position, you'd get blasted off the sea mount into open ocean, and the dive would be over in 10 minutes.

 

[GameChanger]

Looking back at all my dives with a few dive ops in Coz, I recall several DM's carrying a muck-stick that can be used to maintain position in current. I have seen a few DM's use them for this on the sandy bottom areas. Some use the stick as a pointer to point out interesting stuff on the reefs, and others use them as a tank-banger to get attention. I saw one "photographer" use one to hold her position on a reef in the current for a photo. Our DM gave her the "non-no" sign and she just ignored him. She got an azz-chewing on the SI.

 

[DiveOregon]

Looking back at all my dives with a few dive ops in Coz, I recall several DM's carrying a muck-stick that can be used to maintain position in current. I have seen a few DM's use them for this on the sandy bottom areas. Some use the stick as a pointer to point out interesting stuff on the reefs, and others use them as a tank-banger to get attention. I saw one "photographer" use one to hold her position on a reef in the current for a photo. Our DM gave her the "non-no" sign and she just ignored him. She got an azz-chewing on the SI.

I just Returned from a month in Indonesia. Pointer sticks (muck sticks) were used by all guides I was around in several different areas of Indonesia. I couldn’t find one in LA at the last moment after being advised to have one so made one from a scrap of steel from a hardware store.
I was advised to have reef hook as well which I found at my lds. The cord on the reef hook was 5feet which was too short and I used paracord to make it around 12feet. The hook was used several times in raja ampat. The dive guides were experienced in their use and did initial hook placement until they were comfortable in our placement.

 

[ggunn]

I just Returned from a month in Indonesia. Pointer sticks (muck sticks) were used by all guides I was around in several different areas of Indonesia. I couldn’t find one in LA at the last moment after being advised to have one so made one from a scrap of steel from a hardware store.
I was advised to have reef hook as well which I found at my lds. The cord on the reef hook was 5feet which was too short and I used paracord to make it around 12feet. The hook was used several times in raja ampat. The dive guides were experienced in their use and did initial hook placement until they were comfortable in our placement.

Still, you cannot use a reef hook on the reef in the marine park at Cozumel, and even outside the park your DM will likely not let you take one into the water.

 

[brsnow]

If it hasn’t been mentioned already in the spring they do use them up north for the eagle ray migration.

 

[Rob9876]

If it hasn’t been mentioned already in the spring they do use them up north for the eagle ray migration.

Are there specific dates when there's mass migration? Eagle rays are one of my favorites!

 

[brsnow]

Are there specific dates when there's mass migration? Eagle rays are one of my favorites!

I am not an expert but we were there mid February and you literally hold the rope and large groups swim/circle around you.

 

[ggunn]

Are there specific dates when there's mass migration? Eagle rays are one of my favorites!

The most eagle ray squadron sightings I have heard of have been in January and February

 

[waterone]

The most eagle ray squadron sightings I have heard of have been in January and February

How big of groups are your hearing about?

 

[ccannon707]

Several fellow divers, obviously experienced & vets of Cozumel diving, had the muck or poker stick on my last trip - Always used for pointing at things or stuck in the SAND to stabilize for a photo or wait your turn to see a tiny creature. Nothing was said about them being prohibited. Looked very helpful to me.

Gloves, knives and hooks and those poker sticks are not allowed.

Looking back at all my dives with a few dive ops in Coz, I recall several DM's carrying a muck-stick that can be used to maintain position in current. I have seen a few DM's use them for this on the sandy bottom areas. Some use the stick as a pointer to point out interesting stuff on the reefs, and others use them as a tank-banger to get attention. I saw one "photographer" use one to hold her position on a reef in the current for a photo. Our DM gave her the "non-no" sign and she just ignored him. She got an azz-chewing on the SI.