- Messages
- 268
- Reaction score
- 6
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
Resort: Iberostar Paraiso Maya Will post another report on the hotel, as it will be mostly non-dive related.
I stayed at the Iberostar Paraiso Maya in Mexico from December 8th 2006 through December 16th 2006.
Dive locations
I did a total of 7 dives with Dressel Divers.
Los Arcos 100 Dive Was a nice dive with 82 degree water temp. Four divers on the boat, one instructor, boat mate and captain. Decent coral formations, one dead green moray eel, spinney lobsters and a live 5 ft green moray eel. One swim through coral formation and a few coral ledges to peer under.
Twice on Punta Maroma 60. 82 degree water temp. The boat had a mate and a captain in addition to the instructors listed below.
The two dives allowed me to see three 5ft green moray eels in their coral hiding spots. Plenty of fish, coral formations, a few lobsters were to be found.
The first dive had 4 divers with and instructor in one group and 3 new divers getting their open water cert with the other instructor.
The second day had a total of 8 divers with two instructors one in the front and one who hung behind the group.
Double Tank to Tortugas 50 and Cabezas 50 81 degree water temp.
This trip consisted of 3 experienced divers, one instructor, a mate to look for bubbles/help divers and the captain. The bottom was visible from the surface on both dives. Overcast in the sky kept a cap on the sunlight.
Tortugas was EXCELLENT! I love to see turtles and there were plenty of them 18 to 24 long. I located approximately 12 that were close enough to fin over to get a closer look. Others were seen in a distance but too far to kick away from the group. The turtles stayed close to the bottom eating away while I was able to swim up to them as close as one foot away. It was soooo tempting to hold one and take it for a ride but knowing how inappropriate this is I settled for swimming above the few that were not munching on what looked like coral. Plenty of sponges, flatter coral and one large barracuda. This was a drift dive not as swift as Cozumel but quick enough to make it difficult to fight the current and hover.
The second dive to Cabezas had nice tall coral formations that looked like mini-sky scrapers underwater. A few swim through coral formations where lobsters, moray eels and plenty of fish were all around. My favorite was the octopus that was walking up the reef looking for his hiding spot in the coral.
Two Tanks on the Cenotes I dove the Chac-Mol Cenotes and it is an amazing dive. The first order of business was a weight and bubble check. Needles to say most everyone was overweighed due to the unfamiliarity of fresh water diving and buoyancy. Once everything was in check it was a nice easy follow the leader dive into the clear clear waters of the cenotes. Minor formations were seen along with the haloclines. Two swim though the halocline blurriness is incredible a simple one foot ascent or decent take you from two feet vis to 200 ft vis.
The second dive was in an area with more stalagmites, stalactites and a thicker halocline. We surfaced in an area that had an overhead void where tree roots in the shape of an elephants foot protruded from overhead, bridging the air space and reaching for the water. Plenty of stalagmites and stalactites were seen above and below the surface.
All in all it is a must dive for anyone who is in close proximity to the Cenotes.
Diving in Cozumel is better than that of Rivera Maya but my comparison of Coz is pre-hurricane damage. Better because of visibility and swim though formations.
I stayed at the Iberostar Paraiso Maya in Mexico from December 8th 2006 through December 16th 2006.
Dive locations
I did a total of 7 dives with Dressel Divers.
Los Arcos 100 Dive Was a nice dive with 82 degree water temp. Four divers on the boat, one instructor, boat mate and captain. Decent coral formations, one dead green moray eel, spinney lobsters and a live 5 ft green moray eel. One swim through coral formation and a few coral ledges to peer under.
Twice on Punta Maroma 60. 82 degree water temp. The boat had a mate and a captain in addition to the instructors listed below.
The two dives allowed me to see three 5ft green moray eels in their coral hiding spots. Plenty of fish, coral formations, a few lobsters were to be found.
The first dive had 4 divers with and instructor in one group and 3 new divers getting their open water cert with the other instructor.
The second day had a total of 8 divers with two instructors one in the front and one who hung behind the group.
Double Tank to Tortugas 50 and Cabezas 50 81 degree water temp.
This trip consisted of 3 experienced divers, one instructor, a mate to look for bubbles/help divers and the captain. The bottom was visible from the surface on both dives. Overcast in the sky kept a cap on the sunlight.
Tortugas was EXCELLENT! I love to see turtles and there were plenty of them 18 to 24 long. I located approximately 12 that were close enough to fin over to get a closer look. Others were seen in a distance but too far to kick away from the group. The turtles stayed close to the bottom eating away while I was able to swim up to them as close as one foot away. It was soooo tempting to hold one and take it for a ride but knowing how inappropriate this is I settled for swimming above the few that were not munching on what looked like coral. Plenty of sponges, flatter coral and one large barracuda. This was a drift dive not as swift as Cozumel but quick enough to make it difficult to fight the current and hover.
The second dive to Cabezas had nice tall coral formations that looked like mini-sky scrapers underwater. A few swim through coral formations where lobsters, moray eels and plenty of fish were all around. My favorite was the octopus that was walking up the reef looking for his hiding spot in the coral.
Two Tanks on the Cenotes I dove the Chac-Mol Cenotes and it is an amazing dive. The first order of business was a weight and bubble check. Needles to say most everyone was overweighed due to the unfamiliarity of fresh water diving and buoyancy. Once everything was in check it was a nice easy follow the leader dive into the clear clear waters of the cenotes. Minor formations were seen along with the haloclines. Two swim though the halocline blurriness is incredible a simple one foot ascent or decent take you from two feet vis to 200 ft vis.
The second dive was in an area with more stalagmites, stalactites and a thicker halocline. We surfaced in an area that had an overhead void where tree roots in the shape of an elephants foot protruded from overhead, bridging the air space and reaching for the water. Plenty of stalagmites and stalactites were seen above and below the surface.
All in all it is a must dive for anyone who is in close proximity to the Cenotes.
Diving in Cozumel is better than that of Rivera Maya but my comparison of Coz is pre-hurricane damage. Better because of visibility and swim though formations.
