Bwatsnyc
Registered
Hey guys. Quick question I,m heading to Cozumel in 5 days and I heard its all drift diving. I'm a new diver so how much experience does one need to drift dive?
Diving Cozumel
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robint
Contributor
Just be sure to tell your dive op that you are a NEW diver, never done drift diving before, and make sure they don't put you on a boat going to advanced sites.
Drift diving = fall off boat, follow the dm, come up to surface, get picked up by boat. It can be the easiest way to dive as long as you do that.
diver 85
Contributor
Real quick answer since there's not much time before departure, Not Much....Go with the flow....Just relax & listen to the briefing & enjoy the ride..you'll have a great time, hopefully the port won't shut down due to weather(Jan. & Feb can be bad for fronts, that's why I use Aldora)...good luck & again enjoy.....
Drift diving should be the easiest dive you can do. The current is supposed to move you. The slower you move, the more you get to see. If you swim with the current, you move too fast. Bring a light to help you look in the holes, ledges. I'm sure you will have a great time.
I stayed at SCC mid January. I did a night shore dive near the hotel. Saw many things I typically would not see. Banded shrimp, slipper lobster, one lobster that was orange. I moved slow along a rock wall. Something different every few feet.
Hope you have a great time
I stayed at SCC mid January. I did a night shore dive near the hotel. Saw many things I typically would not see. Banded shrimp, slipper lobster, one lobster that was orange. I moved slow along a rock wall. Something different every few feet.
Hope you have a great time
S&V
Registered
Bwatsnyc,
I'm new, too, and did Cozumel drift dives in Dec 07 for the first time. Just pay attention to the DMs and stay with them U/W. It was very zen to just drift along and watch the undersea world.
Among many, one skill the DMs have that you might want to observe closely is deploying an SMB at the safety stop to show the boat where they are. I didn't try it, and it's probably not as easy as it looked. If I haven't figured it out by the next time I go there, I'm going to have the DM show me that skill. Just a thought for you...
I'm new, too, and did Cozumel drift dives in Dec 07 for the first time. Just pay attention to the DMs and stay with them U/W. It was very zen to just drift along and watch the undersea world.
Among many, one skill the DMs have that you might want to observe closely is deploying an SMB at the safety stop to show the boat where they are. I didn't try it, and it's probably not as easy as it looked. If I haven't figured it out by the next time I go there, I'm going to have the DM show me that skill. Just a thought for you...
Esox69LB
Registered
I dove in Cozumel last February. We had a combination, nice varity of drift and swim thru reef dives. Both had lasting memories. As for drift dives, just go with the flow! Watch for crashing into anything and enjoy the ride. Awesome. If you have an underwater camera put it on video and don't pan too much so back home you can relive the experiance.
Esox69LB
Registered
Another question for your DM, have him review with you what to do if you happen to get into a down current. These are the same as "rip tides" on shore. Do not try to fight them, swim parallel and you will get out. I am told they are mostly along the walls and are not very frequent, but beware. Cozumel is known for them due to the currents.
As others have said, be sure to tell the dive operation you are a NEW diver with no drift experience. Remain close to the dive master, although likely he'll keep a close eye on you knowing you are new. Pay attention to the briefings, be mindful of buoyancy control, relax and enjoy. Drift diving is easy and fun. Cozumel's diving is terrific, San Miguel is fun, and the local people are friendly, proud of their island and glad you've come to visit. You'll have a great time!
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lmorin
Contributor
I have mixed feelings about Cozumel. I was there in Aug., 2006. Don't know if it was typical of that time of year, but several of our "drift" dives were rather brisk, to say the least. In fact, several of us referred to having done "thruway diving" on two of them. Not particularly fun--sort of like observing nature out of a car window as it flies past. Impossible to pause and look at something in detail.
On the other hand, the slower drift dives were really fine. Lots to see and not too difficult to buck the current for closer looks, if desired. I'm a fan of the underwater biology. Merely being underwater is not particularly a thrill for me, nor is careening around in a current. Been there; done that. Other divers who love rollercoasters and the like, may be utterly enraptured by thruway diving.
As others have said, inform your DM of your interests and skill level before you first dives.
On the other hand, the slower drift dives were really fine. Lots to see and not too difficult to buck the current for closer looks, if desired. I'm a fan of the underwater biology. Merely being underwater is not particularly a thrill for me, nor is careening around in a current. Been there; done that. Other divers who love rollercoasters and the like, may be utterly enraptured by thruway diving.
As others have said, inform your DM of your interests and skill level before you first dives.
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