Cocoview shore dive entry ques.
- Thread starter ronrosa
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C Chris
Contributor
There are two areas to negotiate before your shore dive at Cocoview: 1) Between the Equipment Storage Bays and the shoreline, and 2) between the shoreline and the dive platform. When my son and I go, he uses full foot fins but wears short booties with a medium sole to negotiate both areas - this is due to small rocks on the path to the shoreline, and for rocks and surprises out to the platform. The path to the platform is coarse sand, but there are some rocks that you could injure a foot on. After getting to the platform, he puts the booties on the platform and one lead weight in each one to keep them from blowing off while we're out. There are lots of weights already on the platform for you to use. Simply retrieve the booties on your way back. Enjoy your trip. - Chris
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Good advice from C Chris, but being a famous full footie flipper fan, I have the same issues as the OP.
I use those stretchy sock things and shuffle out. The big risk is any horny critters... not that kind- the urchin type! Shuffling works pretty well, but the easiest and cheapest way is to use those MallWart "wet shoes", they look like mesh slip-ons with rubbery bottoms. $6 or the like.
This works well "going out". Unfortunately, on the return, as divers follow the anchor chain from the shallow wreck to the resort, where the chain ends- they automaticaly stand up, recover their shoes, and trudge the last 60 feet to shore. They are quite likely missing the best part of the dive !
We get to that 4 foot deep platform and reach up, grab our "wet shoes", tuck them in the BC and continue SCUBA for an additional 10 minutes, literaly crawling up and out. There is so much to see in that last bit of the shore dive. Easily seen are Mantis Shrimp, Sailfin Blennies, babies of Seargent Majors, Cudas, Flounders, Sharptail Eels, and so much more.
The short path of flat hard sand from the shore to the dive op is sixty steps across hard packed sand.
Even in Bonaire, where the shore diving involves negotiating a rock strewn entry, we have used a similar trick. Wade out in those Wallmart Wet Walkers, then at 5', take them off, tuck them in a BC pocket, switch to flips. At CCV, you don't need the BC pockets.
The other consideration- at CCV there is indeed more than one shore dive. An interesting entry is off of the tip of Hawksbill Key, and for the truly adventurous- the boat docks at night!
I use those stretchy sock things and shuffle out. The big risk is any horny critters... not that kind- the urchin type! Shuffling works pretty well, but the easiest and cheapest way is to use those MallWart "wet shoes", they look like mesh slip-ons with rubbery bottoms. $6 or the like.
This works well "going out". Unfortunately, on the return, as divers follow the anchor chain from the shallow wreck to the resort, where the chain ends- they automaticaly stand up, recover their shoes, and trudge the last 60 feet to shore. They are quite likely missing the best part of the dive !
We get to that 4 foot deep platform and reach up, grab our "wet shoes", tuck them in the BC and continue SCUBA for an additional 10 minutes, literaly crawling up and out. There is so much to see in that last bit of the shore dive. Easily seen are Mantis Shrimp, Sailfin Blennies, babies of Seargent Majors, Cudas, Flounders, Sharptail Eels, and so much more.
The short path of flat hard sand from the shore to the dive op is sixty steps across hard packed sand.
Even in Bonaire, where the shore diving involves negotiating a rock strewn entry, we have used a similar trick. Wade out in those Wallmart Wet Walkers, then at 5', take them off, tuck them in a BC pocket, switch to flips. At CCV, you don't need the BC pockets.
The other consideration- at CCV there is indeed more than one shore dive. An interesting entry is off of the tip of Hawksbill Key, and for the truly adventurous- the boat docks at night!
DeputyDan
Contributor
I just gotta try the boat dock thing at night.
Maybe Herman will bud with me and we can enter at the boats and exit at the chain !!!
kewl !
Maybe Herman will bud with me and we can enter at the boats and exit at the chain !!!
kewl !
Sounds like a plan, I'm in. It can't be any worst than the last time we were there and you know K is not doing any night diving.
DD and myself did the crawl all the way to the beach several times on our last trip ....why on earth we did not want to surface at the platform and wad in I don't know...we were already wet but for some reason we did not want to surface in hurricane driven rains (Wilma).
Actually, I am looking forward to spending some time in the shallows this trip. I know there has to be a lot of great things to see and photograph but the vis was less than 1ft so we did not spend any time exploring the shallows thanks to Wilma.
DD and myself did the crawl all the way to the beach several times on our last trip ....why on earth we did not want to surface at the platform and wad in I don't know...we were already wet but for some reason we did not want to surface in hurricane driven rains (Wilma).
Actually, I am looking forward to spending some time in the shallows this trip. I know there has to be a lot of great things to see and photograph but the vis was less than 1ft so we did not spend any time exploring the shallows thanks to Wilma.
