Trip Report Cozumel- December 20-31, 2020

[hilljo88]

Re bag drag:

I’m okay with bag drag. I can’t fly direct to CZM so would have to connect, putting me at risk to lost bags, cancelled flights and two separate airports to go through. And I can’t get to Coz early enough to get a same day dive in anyway. The ride from CUN airport to Playa is not the most scenic, but it’s still sort of interesting and helps me appreciate that I’m on vacation. Same with the ferry ride.

 

[Centrals]

Indian Food
View attachment 632708

When I travel I eat local food.

 

[Streydog]

When I travel I eat local food.

Would Pizza Hut be considered local in Cozumel? It is always packed with locals.

 

[AdivingBel]

I'm fortunate to have easy connections at IAH to Coz. Honestly if a bag got delayed (probably not lost) I wouldn't consider it a big deal. I don't pack an expensive cam rig and dive gear, clothes, accessories, etc. are easy to come by in Coz. It's not like some travel destinations where if you don't bring it, you ain't getting it there or a liveaboard where it doesn't make the boat. Just another perk of Coz.

 

[ggunn]

When I travel I eat local food.

Yo tambien. I have access to great Indian food here in Austin, likewise Japanese, Italian, Chinese, etc. When I am on Cozumel my breakfasts and lunches are pretty boring, but I go to restaurants every night and it's rare that I do not eat seafood prepared to local recipes.

 

[Trailboss123]

Maybe I've forgotten, but weren't the southern reefs supposed to be closed? Or what months was it?

Here is the reef closure calendar:

 

[Trailboss123]

(behind Casa Mexicana in the alley parallel to Melgar—is that correct ?)

That is correct on all counts.

 

[Trailboss123]

When I travel I eat local food.

Oh, I eat plenty of local food on the island and my wife is Mexican, so we also eat similarly to Cozumel local food at home 3 days a week year around. So, I don't mind looking for some different things and the Indians that own and run the restaurant do live here and are locals. Eating a plant based/vegan diet also requires some creativity and alternatives.

 

[Trailboss123]

Day 9, December 29th: We did two afternoon dives. Dive 1 was at Palancar Bricks, but a different route from yesterday with 3 P’s. There was a big upwelling of cold, dark water. Reduced visibility and thousands of jelly fish throughout the water column at all dive sites. I have never seen this type of Jelly Fish before. Transparent like most jellies, Squarish/Rectangular and they have 4 distinctive black circles in them, sort of like dots on a dice. Probably about 3 inches x 3 inches or so. A couple of large turtles, a free-swimming green moray that hung with us for a while and a few spotted eagle rays. Good dive.

Dive 2 was at Paso del Cedral. Highlight was 3 spotted eagle rays cruising together right past us at 30 feet toward the end of the dive.

Day 10, December 30th: Last day of diving. Headed back to the USA tomorrow. We went deeper south for dive 1 to the Cathedral. Once again, the water was a degree or two colder, visibility limited and thousands of jellies. We were met at the top of the pinnacle by a huge spotted eagle ray. We took our time cruising about before we dropped down to 100 feet and through the swim-through. We slowly worked our way around and up and the trek across sand to a pinnacle and sand to a pinnacle and sand to a pinnacle back north. More turtles and another eagle ray awaited us along the way. Also a big school of barracuda. Probably 60 or so.

Dive 2 was at La Francesa. I really enjoy that dive site. No more than 60 feet, good reef structure and long tunnel swim-throughs. Ran into a very large green moray laying outstretched in the sand in the midst of one of the swim-throughs. It was a good way to end the diving.
Back at the hotel, we got the gear cleaned up and out on the balcony to dry and then over to Bombay Delights for our last Indian meal of the trip. Flight tomorrow is at 3:30pm, so no need to get up early and planning one last run to Burrito Gorditos before the flight.

It has been a great trip. I really enjoy being down here this time of year. Thanks for tagging along to the post. Hopefully you found it helpful.
Next trip is planned for the end of May. Flying into Miami to connect with the liveaboard Juliet and a week over to the Bahamas and back.

 

[H2ODoc]

Thanks for the on-island report! We will be there Sat.

That cold/dark upwelling... I've never heard of that before. Is it common? I'd think it might bring with it some interesting creatures (hopefully, other than jellies).