Cozumel in July 2009

[firstdive2005]

I'm planning my first dive trip (recently AOW certified) - any recommendations? Scubamau seems to be pretty good choice...I'm only looking to bring my own mask/snorkel/fins so hoping for good rental equipment provided by the dive shop....

Now if I can find a way to avoid the single supplement....

HI Beachdiva! The Scubamau crew is a riot to dive with. Opal and Maus' gear are top line stuff. The beach diving is free when you do some boat trips. I am going to be there from July 19-27. When are you going? Maybe we can do a few beach dives if your there then. You will really like the gang there. They become family after one dive. So cool. I hope you have fun regardless of your choice. kev

 

[firstdive2005]

I'll think about it. If things work out I plan on going and catching fish while in Cozumel. If I catch enough fish I think a fiesta may be in order. You may have to supply the drinks if I supply the fish.

Hey DiverG! My birthday is july 18 and we should do a party. Gabi and Monkey are party maniacs. Ask Opal to write you and tell you about the pary they put together last Feb. Amazing. We will all go out get some bugs and eat like fools. The food that Monkey cooked up would have cost 1000 dollars in a heartbeat at a restaurant. Novalyne is there at the same time as well as another friend coming down from Guelph, Canada. We tend to go into deco quite abit, hope your air lasts too. My goal is to last as long as the girls, just need to transplant another lung I think. It's gonna be a riot. kev july 19-26

 

[DiverG]

I'm planning my first dive trip (recently AOW certified) - any recommendations? Scubamau seems to be pretty good choice...I'm only looking to bring my own mask/snorkel/fins so hoping for good rental equipment provided by the dive shop....

Now if I can find a way to avoid the single supplement....

If you have not already booked your trip then you might want to try using a vacation package through Orbitz. I am staying at the VillaBlanca in a superior room with airfare for $649 total. Use this promo code Entertain200 to get a $200 discount. I see you are from Houston so you should be able to get similiar fares. Air from Houston seems to be running about $298 - $388 including taxes. Just depends on your travel dates.

I second using Scubamau. If diving with them is as good as the communications with Opal has been then it is going to be a great trip.

 

[DiverG]

Hey DiverG! My birthday is july 18 and we should do a party. Gabi and Monkey are party maniacs. Ask Opal to write you and tell you about the pary they put together last Feb. Amazing. We will all go out get some bugs and eat like fools. The food that Monkey cooked up would have cost 1000 dollars in a heartbeat at a restaurant. Novalyne is there at the same time as well as another friend coming down from Guelph, Canada. We tend to go into deco quite abit, hope your air lasts too. My goal is to last as long as the girls, just need to transplant another lung I think. It's gonna be a riot. kev july 19-26

Sounds like a plan to me. I have had Monkey as a divemaster when he worked for dive with martin. I spent about one week corresponding with Opal to see if her Ramon was the same guy I was looking for. During that time I decided I would dive with them even if it wasn't him. It turns out it was so that just sealed the deal. Opal has been a blast to deal with. Where are youstaying at?

BTW my bday is July 13 so it will be a belated bday for me.

 

[psychocabbage]

I'm planning my first dive trip (recently AOW certified) - any recommendations? Scubamau seems to be pretty good choice...I'm only looking to bring my own mask/snorkel/fins so hoping for good rental equipment provided by the dive shop....

Now if I can find a way to avoid the single supplement....

I think it all depends on where you are staying and what you really want to do.

There are divers that live for diving and others who seem to like to dive then go out and drink and party. To each their own.
We are part of the first group. Our sole purpose there is to dive as much as possible. That means we only break to eat. If we cant find a boat to go out for night dives we grab tanks and do our own. Its no fun if you arent underwater!

When we travel without the kids we stay at Casa Del Mar and dive with Del Mar Aquatics. After we started bringing the kids, we kept using Del Mar and would just have them pick us up in the morning.
Their service and attitudes are what have kept us diving with them.
For those more advanced divers out there, like others, they will let you use all your air if you like. Even if it takes you a long long time! One trip all of us were on the boat except for 2 women (one was my wife the other was a old grandmother type!!) and 5 dive masters, some going for their instructor certs. They didnt seem to use much air at all.

So.. I say look at packages since they often save you the most $. We have found that Casa Del Mar has decent packages and is relatively close to the town square without being in town and is not way out in the boonies like the resorts.. (where we usually stay now. But we always rent a car.. something if you are going alone, you should not have to do.)

When are you planning on going?

 

[CapnSwab]

I'll be there for July 4th weekend, first time going. Anything I cannot miss? Either diving related or otherwise?

 

[Centexbear]

July Cozumel List

Pelagicsal – ....................................June 21 – August 1
judydivescoz – ................................June 27 – July 5th
marcus8, family & friends – ................June 28 – July 6
bryanmc57, wife – ............................June 29 – July 9
Centexbear – ...................................July 1-8
Psychocabbage – .............................July 1-8
Pinotscubajack – ..............................July 2-13
kcdiver56 – ......................................July 4-11
CapnSwab -......................................July 4 weekend
jwilson05 , wife – ..............................July 7-14
Johndavies, wife & kids - ....................July 7-13 & 16-23
agilufo – ..........................................July 9-14
jipassov –.........................................July 11-18
firstdive2005 – ..................................July 11-19
jmani, friend and son – ........................July 12-18
Browntrout – .....................................July 12-16
DiverG – ...........................................July 18-27
SCBA Sean, 3 cousins – .......................July 18-25
1KWIK 69, girlfriend & son - ..................July 20-27
Oki Dirt Diver, wife & daughter – ............July 21-30
ScubaQTX – .......................................July 23-27
SeaMonkey’s – ....................................July 25 – August 1
stevenq99 – .......................................July 29 – August 7
dtmarical – .........................................July 31 – August 7

Will try to update with hotels at a later date.

 

[Beachdiva]

Thanks for all the helpful replies! I would like to go near end of July because I want to go to Monterrey, CA in August (I am not looking forward to cold water diving though) and the flights are cheap right now!

I thought about doing the Scubamau package for 4 nts/3 days at one of the Villas. I think a night out would be fine but I want to do a night dive as well.

Firstdive2005 - thanks for vouching for the equipment! It's good to know they are fun but also reliable.

DiverG - is your cost for double occupancy????

 

[1KWIK_69]

Thanks Centexbear!

 

[DiverG]

Thanks for all the helpful replies! I would like to go near end of July because I want to go to Monterrey, CA in August (I am not looking forward to cold water diving though) and the flights are cheap right now!

I thought about doing the Scubamau package for 4 nts/3 days at one of the Villas. I think a night out would be fine but I want to do a night dive as well.

Firstdive2005 - thanks for vouching for the equipment! It's good to know they are fun but also reliable.

DiverG - is your cost for double occupancy????

No. That's the cost of hotel and air from Houston for me. Like you I am traveling alone.You can get it even cheaper if you get the small room. Plus that cost is for 9 nights.