Diving Vs Eperience Vs your Buddy

[USMC Diver]

I am a Master Scuba Diver and my wife just finished her OW IV dive today (yea!!:approve: ).

Going to Cozumel for the first time.

So here is the question... Where to dive while in Cozumel. I would like to go to some of the DEEP dives like Punta Sur (Dev Throat) and such as I am a very experienced Diver. My wife however (obviouly) is inexperienced. What kind of recommendations do the members of this board have.

Question 2. Where are the good places to eat in COZ and what are the good dishes to try while there.

USMC DIVER

 

[Gilligan]

The Mahi Mahi fajitas at La Choza restaurant are fantastic.
:lunch:

 

[Charlie99]

USMC Diver once bubbled...
I am a Master Scuba Diver and my wife just finished her OW IV dive today (yea!!:approve: ).

Going to Cozumel for the first time.

So here is the question... Where to dive while in Cozumel. I would like to go to some of the DEEP dives like Punta Sur (Dev Throat) and such as I am a very experienced Diver. My wife however (obviouly) is inexperienced. What kind of recommendations do the members of this board have.
USMC DIVER

While Devil's Throat is much longer than most swimthroughs, it isn't all that different from the ones that your wife will see at Santa Rosa.

Kick back, enjoy the dives with your wife.

Devil's Throat will still be there next year, or the year after next.

 

[USMC Diver]

Yeah, That is sort of what I was thinking, but I want to find that middle ground. She will be getting her AOW while there so we have to do a deep anyway. I guess I am trying to find the middle ground. Challanging for the new diver but not redundant and boring for the experienced diver. I have always been the diver that will diver whatever I was told was too advanced for me. My wife is not. So middle ground I guess. Interesting for the veteran diver, but exciting for the noob.

Also where the good food is.

We will be there from November 14 - 21st 2003. Staying at the Bahia Penthouse 3. Diving with Aldora.

Any SB'ers who want some dive buddies or buddy for a night dive or something advanced, or just party buddies look us up or PM.

USMC DIVER

 

[5615mike]

USMC Diver.............your diving with my favorite DO on Coz. You should enjoy the very long BT's with your wife. All the DM do a fantastic job. Mateo, Bill "Memo", Hortia, Omar, Memo Mendoza..........their all good. Service will be great.

As far as rest. there are many posts in the MX section for Rest. I think that they along with the DO posts have the most threads on this board. Do a search. If you like, send me a PM and I have a good list at home and I will email it to you along with our favorites. I also have a list from the internet that outlines almost all rest. on the island.

 

[Cudabait]

USMC Diver,

My wife is a newby diver (about 60 dives). We just got back from our first trip to COZ last month. It was great!!. I went through what it seems you contemplating. I suggest you do the dives with your wife, at her level. They will be plenty good and exciting. You're going with a good group. The first dives of the day will be plenty deep.

Anything you eat at La Choza is grest!!! (and reasonable)

 

[USMC Diver]

What is the average experience level of divers in Cozumel? I don't want to be the one (or my wife for that matter) keeping other, more experienced, divers at the basic level.

When we say basic level what exactly are we talking about when it comes to Cozumel...Dives at 20ft vice 130ft or 60 vs 130?

UD

 

[bwerb]

You seem to have a rather warped view of what "experienced" means in terms of diving. From your posts here, you equate depth with experience and express concerns that if you are not "deep enough" you will miss out on something. You also indicate that:

I have always been the diver that will diver<sic> whatever I was told was too advanced for me.

This is the sort of attitude which quite frankly is what get's people in real serious trouble.

One of the marks of an "experienced" diver is maturity. Diving within your training and ensuring that you are not following nor introducing "peer pressure" or ego gratification into your diving.

Go, have fun, dive tons, enjoy the abundant sea life.

If you really want to dive deep for the right reasons, then start looking down the technical path and find out how to do it safely.

 

[Wristshot]

with your dive operator and DM. They will know what will be the best places to dive for the conditions (time of year, currents etc). If they know in advance about your requirements they can prepare. 30 minutes out on the water is the wrong time to try to tell them that you want a shallow dive (or whatever).

There are plenty of great things to see in Cozumel without having to go deep.

Only you can know whether your wife's diving enjoyment would be greater if she is diving with you or without you. I would think that she would want to have you around for at least some of the dives, especially the stressful first ones. After that, it sould be up to the two of you. Personally I like the shared experiences the most. Common ground and all that.

I went with a group, but when they decided to take a day off, I dove with a small group arranged by the DO and we had a great time because they matched us by skill level and (diving) desire.

There are places at Palancar that are deep without being scary, and I would recommend that reef very highly. It is so large that there are at least 3 separately defined areas of the reef.

2.) As for food:

I agree with so many people that Guido's (on the main waterfront road Melgar) is one place that you must try once. The Lasagna was great. I forget what I had the other time I ate there, but everyone loved whatever they ordered there.

Ditto on the La Choza recommendations.

For authentic and inexpensive lunches, try Jessy's next to La Choza and definitely try Comida Casera Tonita a block or so further up the road than La Choza. Extremely reasonably priced authentic food, daily choices. The place is very popular with the locals, and they know value.

Prima and La Mission (3 of them) are notorious tourist restaurants. Usually good recommendations from people that have eaten there, but on the expensive side.

When we wanted a break from Mexican food, we went to TGI Fridays and ate like the American pigs that we are.

Those are the main ones that I can vouch for.

Have a great time, and let us know how it was when you return.

Wristshot

 

[ronrosa]

Would you wife mind if you did a few dives without her ? As a newbie she may get tired after the 2nd day and want to take a break. Especially with the long bottom times Aldora does. That would be the perfect time for you to experience the more advanced dives. How about sneaking in a night dive ?

I usually make a deal with my non-diving wife. She can do all the spa treatments, and shopping she wants. I limit it to 2 dives a day, try to back for lunch together.