Cozumel makes "No" List for 2020

[Dave Dillehay]

i'll post a thread completely explaining the changes at Aldora, but as you know my Mexican partner (50%) still runs operations and incredibly he still listens to me…I think!

Dave Dillehay
former founder and owner of Aldora Divers

 

[Steelyeyes]

My wife Mary and I stayed at Villa Aldora and went diving with Aldora Divers on both sides of the island a couple of years ago. We really enjoyed everything about the experience. Once we get settled in our new digs and feel like traveling again we'd like to repeat it.

 

[tridacna]

@ggunn flyboy08 has tridacna on ignore, so cannot normally see the comment from tridacna that you and I and the rest of SB can see (unless we also have tridacna on ignore). He would have to click on “show ignored content” to see it.

Other way around...

 

[ggunn]

Is it ok if Dave uses “we” when referencing past Aldora events or activities that occurred under his ownership? Or should he preface those with a “when I was at band camp” disclaimer. Asking for a friend.

Speaking strictly for myself I could care less whether Dave refers to Aldora as "we" or "they". I wouldn't want anyone telling me how I should or should not preface my remarks and I won't do that to him.

 

[sefuchs]

i'll post a thread completely explaining the changes at Aldora, but as you know my Mexican partner (50%) still runs operations and incredibly he still listens to me…I think!

Dave Dillehay
former founder and owner of Aldora Divers

Aldora is a private business so why would you "explain" the changes - it is none of our business! My 2 cents, as founder and business partner for so many years you have earned the right refer to Aldora as "us", "we", "them", whichever term you like.

Wish you a Happy Retirement.

 

[Stoo]

Belize you say? Where in Belize? I am starting to get concerned about my beloved Cozumel.

For the past decade, we've been going to the outer Cayes... We use Huracan Diving, but it's not for everyone. I think most of the places around Turneffe all offer great diving, but compared to Coz, it's pretty remote.

 

[Stoo]

I do not believe that divers are responsible for the White Blight. I have been diving Cozumel for more than 25 years and there have always been lots of divers on the reefs, but this is a very recent development.

Yes I'm sorry... I wasn't speaking specifically to the disease you're referring to. It was more general wear and tear due to large numbers of divers, as well as the general increase in development in that entire area.

This is a pretty good overview of the "white blight" that remains largely unexplained. Interesting that the Cozumel/Akumal area seems to be a bit of a hot spot, but that might have more to do with the fact that there is a lot of coral there, relative to say Jamaica or areas that show less of the disease. Presumably less coral means less infection.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mysterious-coral-disease-ravaging-caribbean-reefs

 

[Kmart921]

For the past decade, we've been going to the outer Cayes... We use Huracan Diving, but it's not for everyone. I think most of the places around Turneffe all offer great diving, but compared to Coz, it's pretty remote.

I think it's a little disingenuous to compare the outer cayes / Turneffe to Cozumel. Those areas are pretty remote and prohibitively expensive for most people to dive. I can dive for a week in Coz with all meals included (as a single diver) for around a thousand dollars, whereas a week in Turneffe (from the places I have looked) would be at least three times that (even more with flights). They also do not have any cruise ship ports.

A more appropriate comparison would be something like Ambergris Caye, which by all accounts is not in very good shape at all.

Edit: That said, I do want to add that Huracan Diving does look like an incredible place and it is now on my shortlist (if I decide to splurge a little bit more on my next trip)...

 

[likestodive001]

I've been diving in Cozumel regularly for 32 years. The decline of the reefs over the last couple of years is shocking. I went for a week the first of this month (November) and it seemed at least 90% of the brain coral was either already dead or was seriously diseased. Some of the other hard coral (I'll call it 'plate coral') is also in big trouble. The soft coral seemed unaffected. It is very sad. Undeniable. I am wondering if the Palancar Caverns area that was closed is alive, dead, or dying. I suspect it is not good news. Will I stop going to Cozumel? No. Is the reef seriously damaged? Absolutely and undeniably so.

 

[Stoo]

I think it's a little disingenuous to compare the outer cayes ...

I wasn’t aware that we were factoring in all that stuff. If the argument is based on “you get what you pay for...” then Coz is still likely a great choice.

Cruise ship terminals bring their own kind of Hell, both for the water and the communities where they dock.