Cozumel Night Dives

[DougieG]

Hello all,

I know that most dives in Coz are drift dives. What about night dives? Are these usually done at sites with little or no current, or can they be drift dives as well?

 

[northernone]

Hello all,

I know that most dives in Coz are drift dives. What about night dives? Are these usually done at sites with little or no current, or can they be drift dives as well?

Depends on the group. Both are popular judging by where I see the glow of dive boats offshore at dusk.

I'd guess some night dive boats are for AOW students on their first ever night dive and an easy site is chosen. Others are for experienced divers who want to enjoy the wall in the darkness and don't mind slightly more challenging conditions.

All in all, the reef life at night is lovely. I personally do love a good drift at night.

Cameron

 

[gopbroek]

A night dive in Cozumel is most commonly at Paradise reef (which is very good) and there is typically minimal current. That being said I have done night dives from Columbia shallows up to Paradise and there are many options. Conditions and the economics of the number divers involved will often influence the site selections.
One of the best night dives I have done was a drift dive off Palancar Horseshoe wall across the Gardens with a moderate to strong current with absolutely fantastic visability. On that dive the conditions were right. On many subsequent dives I have looked at the current conditions and realized that a repeat of that dive would not have worked due to the current and conditions. Basically your dive master will really try to give you the best night dive available, based on multiple factors.

 

[Streydog]

I don't think many dive masters or ops want to deal with guiding night dives in a strong current. I have dived about a dozen night dives in the last three years in Cozumel and only had one dive with a significant amount of current. That dive was at Delilah and the current was pretty fast, on top of the reef I had to struggle to hold my position swimming against the current. There were only 2 other divers and the DM. If there was a bigger group it might have been more difficult. All the night dives I have done have been over a hard bottom, 40-60'. Many shops go to Paradise reef for their night dives. Other than sometimes being crowded, it makes a great night dive. Last time we were there the current changed directions a couple times during the dive but it was so mild that I hardly noticed. One of these days I will get a chance to do a night dive on a wall but I am not in a hurry, will take it as it comes.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I suppose it would be easy for the captain to keep track of the divers on a drift dive at night....

I have seen many people doing night dives from shore at Scuba Club. I also stayed at The Coral Princess and that seems like it would be easy for shore night dives. Paradise reef also sounds like a good choice, probably more interesting than the other two I mentioned.

 

[ChuckP]

Depends on the group. Both are popular judging by where I see the glow of dive boats offshore at dusk.

I'd guess some night dive boats are for AOW students on their first ever night dive and an easy site is chosen. Others are for experienced divers who want to enjoy the wall in the darkness and don't mind slightly more challenging conditions.

All in all, the reef life at night is lovely. I personally do love a good drift at night.

Cameron

A wall night dive? Is it as cool an eerie as I'd think it'd be? Critters?

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Paradise is the most common night dive spot, and it is frequently crowded. If you pull up and there are multiple boats there, ask to go to another less crowded reef. If two groups of divers cross at night, it is very difficult to tell who is who. If two groups are close and some one sees something interesting, everyone converges on the creature and the melee begins. A non flashing tank light is a good idea. My wife and I dive different colored fins, one yellow, one white, and that works great too. (strobes and flashing lights are annoying...but maybe that's just me) Crowded night dives suck.

A slow drift on Cedral at night, especially when you have it all to a small group, is one of my favorite dives ever.

Safe travels!
Jay

 

[northernone]

A wall night dive? Is it as cool and eerie as I'd think it'd be? Critters?

Reef comes alive at night! Yes, I think it's probably quite eerie and very cool compared to the same dive during the day, particularly if done without lights on a dark night. Biofluorescent critters tumbling against the reef lighting it up in a faint flicker of color and the sound of everything being eaten/calling/chewing. Add the black abyss beside you and it feels like how I imagine space.

As a disclaimer I am very comfortable in 0 viz with remarkable current and enjoy a dark dive environment in general so my perspective may not be typical.

As a side note: Tracking a group of shore diving divers with lights in the dark is a fun way to observe buddy separation / group dymamics painted in flashlight signals. Funny how the spots converge and flash and spread out.

Cameron

 

[Christi]

AS a clarification, ALL boat dives in Cozumel are drift dives.

The definition of a drift dive is: Drift diving is broadly defined as diving in a current, wherein the diver is transported from point A to point B by the water movement rather than by their own power. I will add to this definition for boat diving purposes is that the boat does not anchor and follows the divers picking them up where they surface.

So regardless of whether the current is mild or strong, it is a drift dive.

There are in fact certain sites not suitable for night dives due to the strong currents. More distant sites are also not prudent for night dives, not because of "fuel savings" as some of you non dive shop owners like to claim - but rather for safety. If you're the only boat out at Palancar at night and there is an emergency - there is no surface support or anywhere "close" to pull in and there are no other boats to assist.

THIS is the primary reason for night dives being conducted closer to town where there is assistance close by if needed.

 

[Dogbowl]

I did my very first night dive at Paradise. We were the first or second boat there. Then the rest of them came. I needed to abort that dive to escape the crowds. If there was something to see just right beneath you, beware! They all swim at you from every angle. Scariest dive experience of my life (thus far).