Cozumel’s diving is so “rushed”

[MrBigfins]

Only dove villablanca on one trip after diving barracuda and wasnt thoroughly impressed. Boat trips may have been a little longer but between gear prep and enjoying the view and the sea air blowing in my face the time flew.

 

[ReefHound]

Speaking strictly for myself, I have no problem with the pace of Cozumel diving. I have no problem with Cozumel taxis. I have no problem with Cozumel restaurants. I have no problem with Cozumel... anything. It's why I go back year after year after year, and I'll be there again the day after tomorrow!

No problem with this, no problem with that - you sound like a man on vacation!

 

[RayfromTX]

Our diving is pretty laid back in Cozumel. Typical dive day looks like this. Leave the apartment at 8ish. Hop on the scooter and take a slow careful ride to Fonatur or Blue Angel pier. Take our time setting up and chatting before the boat takes off at 8:45 or 9. Usually 4 divers, a DM and a captain on the boat. Sometimes just my wife and I with our DM. The dives are zen. No chasing the fastest finner that is on a mission to see the entire reef on one dive. We will skip diving with those folks. SI on the beach or pier and another laid back second dive. After we return to the pier we will usually meet up with our DM for a long lunch and chat and then back to the apartment for lounging or a nap before catching dinner with friends. It doesn't have to be any more rushed than that.

 

[dirtfarmer]

Maybe it's your operator. Our op leaves the downtown pier at 7:30 am so if we don't have our own boat to ourselves, breakfast is a little hurried, but if we are diving with friends and have the boat to the four of us, we can usually leave at 7:45 which is about right.

Boat rides suck, I'm fine with hurrying through those going and coming back, especially if it's a little rough. As far as gearing up is concerned, there are usually only 4-6 divers on the boat so it just doesn't take that long...even when someone goes in without their fins, lol.

As far as the dives are concerned, we usually get 80-90 minute dives, with some over 100. I've never felt hurried to descend unless we dropped into current and had to do a negative entry.

With just a few divers to get back in the boat, it's never that big of a deal and I'm usually hanging at the end of the tag line finishing my "business" and have never been told to hurry up or felt like I was delaying the group.

I don't want to turn this into a "my op is better than your op" thread, but if your interested in who I dive with, message me and I'll let you know. I suspect there will be multiple responses along the same lines that dive with the more popular ops found on this site. Small groups and small fast boats make a huge difference. I've been on a cattle boat once that was as you described...never again as long as their are other options.

Good luck, safe travels,
Jay

@Jayfarmlaw what dive op gives you 80-90 minute dives?

 

[flyboy08]

I think the true issue here is the lacking of tequila intake


Unless one doesn't know better, the what's at hand is all you know....

 

[flyboy08]

Usually, most large resorts have a dive shop affiliated with them. For example, we knew we wanted to dive with Pro Dive and they had a location at Occidental in Cozumel, a resort. We did all inclusive so it was easy. You could still cab downtown and do some local restaurants if you want but we were heavy on the diving for many days in a row and couldn't be bothered. Our main thing was diving. I hope this helps!

Our favorite place to stay and dive...yes, miss lunch at times for not rushing back, but most sites are just off shore or a bit further south.

 

[Steelyeyes]

We've used three different operations and done a little shore diving. I've never felt rushed. My wife did a little bit in the beginning but she had just gotten certified and wasn't as familiar with the gear and set up then as she is now after 200+ dives. Our favorite was staying at Villa Aldora and diving with Aldora. We'd have coffee and light breakfast in the room, meet the boat at the dock, our gear was onboard and set up. Of course we double checked the setup and analyzed the tanks. We had plenty of time to get ready on the way to the dive sites. Dives were all long and relaxed. We'll do that again when we get back to Cozumel. We've been mostly hanging out in Bonaire lately but I still need a good shot of a Splendid Toadfish.

 

[George Monnat Jr]

I've felt that at dive ops around the world, so I don't think it's a Cozumel thing. I have felt that way on some Coz dives; I'm on vacation and want to take my time while the shop/op is on a schedule and tends to want to push (save money on labor, fuel, etc.). It's a natural and unavoidable conflict.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

@Jayfarmlaw what dive op gives you 80-90 minute dives?

We have dove Aldora for the last 5 years. Our last night dive was an epic 107 minutes. Normally after that long I'm ready to be done, but this one had everything you could ask for over and over again. They give men steel hp120 tanks so you have air for days. Most women will get a steel hp100. There are lots of great dive ops, Aldora works for us. Primarily because of the big tanks and our favorite DM Jorge...not necessarily in that order!

See you on the reefs,
Jay

 

[Chidiver1]

I find the morning taxis stressful. They remind me of commuting to work. Rushing through breakfast. Rushing to the boat. No wonder half the people blow their air on the first dive. I partially blame the traffic brought on by the cruises.

I personally have found the balance I like having a small OP pick me up at a southern AI. The resort is gorgeous and calm. I'm sleeping and having a super leisurely breakfast while everyone else is rushing to the boats. Dinners are not as good as downtown but we can taxi in for a great dinner whenever we want.

On my last dive of the week 2 weeks ago I was 9 min into my SI when I stepped on the dock. I dropped my gear on a chair and we in the pool 11 min into my SI. I had a margarita by 15 min in. That's a vacation!

I find this forum is very guilty of pushing a certain way of doing Cozumel. I think people would be better served to realize there are many ways to do Cozumel and the quality of that way is related the perceptions of what an individuals definition of the vacation looks like.

Great post. I myself like to take my time a bit with it as well. 2 trips down, ? To go.

Last time I was with a small op that is now a lot busier so I might have to branch out again myself to find that 'happy place'