Casa del Mar, a few questions

[Karloss]

I just did a search and I'm still not satisfied. How doable are shore dives and night dives there?? My wife and I usually like to do at lest one of each on property. It appears that there is access I'm just wonder how, when and where you can get your tanks and weights because it appears the dive ops are off property. We usually stay at Blue Angel but will be unable this time due to being booked. We are looking for something as convenient as BA. I appreciate any info on this.

 

[K3]

The house Dive Op (Cozumel Marine World) has a site across the bridge (30 sec walk). I've never had problems, asking for a tank for shore dives, or organizing a night dive. I'd ask them if they have people interested in a night dive. Sometimes I've even jumped on a boat with them for a single tank afternoon dive.

 

[nodakdive]

Shore diving at CDM is pretty easy, and not too bad. A few years ago they added to it by placing some coral/fish structures. They look like swiss cheese half domes and are straight out from the dock and a little bit north. You will be able to rent tanks and weights there, either from Del Mar Aquatics which has moved but is still close, from the dive concierge on the Casa del Mar dock, or from Scuba Shack, just south of the Atlantis Submarine shop. Tanks and weights were $6 high season before last. You can get in the water down steps on the CDM "beach", off the CDM dock via giant stride, just north of Tikila which is connected to the old Del Mar Aquatics building, or at Scuba Shack if you get tanks from them.Casa del Mar is not right on the ocean, but across the street. It's easy to cross on street level by going through the restaurant, or you can use the walkway that goes over the street. Casa del Mar has lockers that you can use in the old Del Mar Aquatics building. Bring your own paddle lock. I suspect that the CDM dive concierge is now located in that space. I've stayed there many times, but wasn't there last year, so the Del Mar Aquatics change is something I'm not familiar with.If you stay at CDM and dive, be sure to upgrade to a balcony room. (Or patio room if you're on the ground floor. Djdiverdan on this board knows the official name of that type of room. It's not the lowest level room anyhow.) Actually, I'd do that even if I wasn't diving as the standard rooms are very small.I've done both day and night dives. You need a surface marker/buoy during the day. There is some boat traffic, but it's not horrible. Just pay attention to it. The current generally goes from south to north, so plan your dive accordingly, but I've gone the "wrong" direction on dives and fighting the current on the second half of the dive wasn't horrible. I think the shops around there open pretty early, like 7am, and I'm not sure when they close, so inquire when you rent your tanks and weights. Max depth will be about 25 to 30 feet off "the ledge", which you can follow on your dive.

 

[DjDiverDan]

The Casa Del Mar has three levels of rooms: the "standard" rooms are at the back end, overlooking the parking lot, and are smaller and, IMO, a bit aged and dingy; the "Superior" rooms, my choice, which include everything overlooking the pool and garden areas (and, on the upper levels, an ocean view, though you are looking across the street); and the Cabana rooms, more like mini suites, all on ground floor across from the pool. I've never stayed in the Cabana rooms - I think they are more appropriate for families or bigger groups. My personal preference is the ground floor Superior room, where I can walk out the sliding door and go direct to the pool for a quick dip. Others prefer the Superior rooms on the upper floors, where you get a private small balcony (a good place to hang your wetsuits or gear to dry). Different strokes for different folks. I've never had a problem hanging my wetsuit out on the patio of a ground floor room - I guess a stranger could walk away with it, but it's never happened to me.

Never done a shore dive from the CDM dock, but I know that it's possible. The only locations I've ever done shore diving are from the La Cieba (way back when the airplane still resembled an airplane) and in front of the Cozumel Palace, back in the days when it was the Plaza Las Glorias. Shore dives just don't hold the attraction for me that they used to.

 

[nodakdive]

If you want unobstructed ocean view, the 3rd floor, northwest facing rooms, have that. If you're on the southwest facing leg, then you see trees/garden and cruise ships. If you're northwest and on the 1st or 2nd floors, you're looking at the cabanas. I've stayed in a cabana. It was nice. There's a stove, which I didn't need, and a fridge, which was nice to have. There's a bedroom and bathroom on the lower level, and a living room and bathroom on the upper level. The sofa can be made into a king sized bed. That's where I slept and it was plenty comfortable. I prefer the Superior room on the ground floor too, but one of the things I like about CDM is that it's small enough that it's less than a minute to the bar/restaurant even if you're on the 3rd floor. Hung my gear and neoprene on the ground floor patio too, and never had a problem.