Dive Knives, US/Mexico Customs etc?

[nmdiveboy]

Easy now!
With all due respect, your question was broad, vague and poorly punctuated.....

Oh lord, here comes a second amendment argument. I can feel it. haha

Nevertheless, knives are not allowed in the marine park so when veterans here tell you not to bring it, they're simply implying that a rule exists.

Okay, my question may have been poorly punctuated, but I KNOW for a fact, I didn't ask about the marine park.

pickeled boodah: Why not just bring a pair of EMT shears?

May you and your family be long blessed. Thank you for that suggestion. (and to the other posters who suggested shears)

Robert

 

[sharky60]

I've been stubborn about this for years, I always pack my dive knife and strap it on when not diving in the marine park, (I'm considering bringing "fence cutters" this year ). A dive knife is part of my dive equipment, period. Diving without it is diving not totally prepared...which doesn't sit well with this old Boy Scout.

For the first several years of diving on Cozumel I always wore it on all dives, not realizing it was a real "rule", and fines could be applied. I thought it was just "something they didn't want you to do", and veteren divers would be overlooked because they knew we weren't going to be carving our intials in the coral.

I have never had a DM ask me not to wear it. The ONLY time anyone has ever said anything about it, was last year after a dozen visits to Coz, Jeannie saw me putting it on to do a shore dive at Caribe Blu and said not to wear it in the Marine Park because it was against the rules. Which I assured her I wouldn't.

There was a Navy diver down there last year when we were there and he was just beside himself that he couldn't have is knife with him. "It's intergrated into my vest! I use it for work! Isn't a dive knife part of your equipment?"...thank you very much!

I understand the reason for the rule, and I obide by it. It's like most rules, they are not intended for the majority, it's always the few that pee in the pool and ruin it for everyone else.

 

[driftin' by]

Okay, my question may have been poorly punctuated, but I KNOW for a fact, I didn't ask about the marine park.

You are absolutely correct. You did however ask about bringing a dive knife to one of the Caribbean's top dive destinations on the World's largest forum about diving. It's fairly easy to assume that your purpose for bringing the knife would be to use it while diving in the marine park as there is nowhere else diving is permitted in Cozumel.

Oh lord, here comes a second amendment argument. I can feel it. haha

WTF? Who's questioning your rights or debating them here?

 

[Hinalo]

On my first trip to Coz last month I never once thought about my knife, which is grommeted to my BC and just rode along in my checked baggage. I dove with it every day unaware that there was a rule against it. I never had an occasion to use it, and nobody ever said anything to me about it. Now that I know I'll abide by the rule, though I too think of it as a necessary part of my kit.

 

[ScubaTexan]

On my first trip to Cozumel, I had a guy in front of me in line at DFW have his two-inch Swiss Army Knife taken away from him. He was extremely pissed off, but rules are rules.

 

[diver 85]

Hey everybody.

I'm getting ready to head down to Playa del Carmen & Cozumel later this summer. Will by flying in/out of Cancun and enjoying the pleasure of dealing with American TSA and Mexican customs authority.

What can anyone tell me about transporting dive knives into/out of Mexico.

I always like to have a knife with me but really don't want to be an honored guest of the federales.

Thanks.
Robert

I have always(since 9/11) just packed my pocket knife & dive knife in my checked in luggage with no problem.........

 

[Christi]

My disposable razor was packed in my shaving kit, which I had packed in my dive bag. They went through ALL of my bags with a fine-tooth comb. They took it out of my shaving kit to confiscate it.

I'll admit, it's a crapshoot going through security in COZ, but I don't believe it's worth the gamble. And, besides that, they aren't allowed in Cozumel anyway, so leave it at home.

How long ago was that? Whenever it was, you simply got unlucky with a very poorly informed security screener who didn't understand the difference in a checked bag and a carry-on...and I have to assume that was on your way out of the country? There is no customs law that prohibits personal grooming items including a disposable razor. I come back with dozens of them at a time because the ones I like can't be bought here.

To answer the OP's question...this is Cozumel...a primarily diving related destination. The customs people (even in Cancun) are quite familiar with diving equipment, including dive knives...and there is no law that prohibits bringing these items with you, in your checked bags.

AS far as my comments about bringing in it carry-on luggage, it was a general statement, highlighting the fact that carry-on bags are the ones you have to worry about, not checked bags.

However, as has been stated at least half a dozen times by the veterans (who you solicited advice from) knives are not allowed within the marine park (which includes 99.9% of the divable sites in Cozumel - soon to include Playa del Carmen and that strip) so you had your answer two pages ago. And if that wasn't a good enough answer, you've had just as many people say they've brought their knife with no problem, but don't use it.

Okay, my question may have been poorly punctuated, but I KNOW for a fact, I didn't ask about the marine park.

If you asked about diving in Cozumel, then yes you did.

So choose the answer you like the best...and don't solicit advice from the veterans if you don't like what we have to say! For an inexperienced diver that was just certified last month, you can learn a lot from these very helpful and knowledgeable veterans...so be nice!

 

[Firefyter]

You are absolutely correct. You did however ask about bringing a dive knife to one of the Caribbean's top dive destinations on the World's largest forum about diving. It's fairly easy to assume that your purpose for bringing the knife would be to use it while diving in the marine park as there is nowhere else diving is permitted in Cozumel.

Emphasis mine. Not to be nitpicky, and I agree wholeheartedly with your posts, but there are actually a couple of places that are outside the marine park. Unless things have changed, Barracuda and San Juan are outside the park, as well as the shore dives around Villa Blanca. With this said, a relative newbie is not likely to be diving in any of these places except maybe Villa Blanca.

Christi, please correct me if I'm wrong, because I don't want to spread misinformation plus these are things I just like to know....

 

[Christi]

Emphasis mine. Not to be nitpicky, and I agree wholeheartedly with your posts, but there are actually a couple of places that are outside the marine park. Unless things have changed, Barracuda and San Juan are outside the park, as well as the shore dives around Villa Blanca. With this said, a relative newbie is not likely to be diving in any of these places except maybe Villa Blanca.

Christi, please correct me if I'm wrong, because I don't want to spread misinformation plus these are things I just like to know....

Nothing to correct...you're exactly right

 

[ggunn]

Emphasis mine. Not to be nitpicky, and I agree wholeheartedly with your posts, but there are actually a couple of places that are outside the marine park. Unless things have changed, Barracuda and San Juan are outside the park, as well as the shore dives around Villa Blanca. With this said, a relative newbie is not likely to be diving in any of these places except maybe Villa Blanca.

Christi, please correct me if I'm wrong, because I don't want to spread misinformation plus these are things I just like to know....

To elaborate further, to my knowledge the only place around Cozumel where diving is not permitted is around the cruise ship piers.