Drinking water precautions?

[Trailboss123]

I am thoroughly enjoying this thread. Thanks @stuartv for starting it. Brings back lots of memories for me:
Food poisoning in Calcutta, India circa 1984. Severe Amoebic Dysentery in both Borneo and Bangladesh, same decade.
Hepatitis B in Guatemala, 1990.
As for Cozumel, I have had Zero issues. I do choose to drink bottled water and brush my teeth with it (just a habit after living adjacent to the Ganges river in Varanasi, India for so long). Other than that, I bathe, eat and drink as I do at home. It would take wild horses to drag me away from street food. I know the risks, but I cannot resist.

 

[KathyV]

When I am visiting developing countries, even when the place I am staying is more upscale and developed, in the back of my mind I can't help thinking - but what about their staff? How many of their employees came from poor, developing areas? How likely is it that they are carrying endemic infectious diseases? And can I trust them to always wash their hands and take proper food handling precautions?

At that point I usually remind myself that it isn't all that difficult to follow common sense food and water precautions, so why take the risks? I drink bottled water and use it to brush my teeth. I don't drink iced beverages. I eat food that is well-cooked and produce that I can wash and peel myself. And I sure don't eat any street food. I have a great trip without playing Russian Roulette with severe illness.

I remember kicking my husband under the table once in Mexico when he ordered "eggs over easy" (so what's wrong with scrambled?!) but usually it isn't a problem to be safe.

I am a clinical microbiologist by background so I believe in germs - it's an occupational hazard. I have personally seen the misery they can cause and I cannot easily dismiss the risks - and it's not just bad diarrhea - ever hear of dysentery or typhoid?

 

[seeker242]

I've never been to Coz but I travel a lot for work to third world countries including some of the worst, like Haiti... Never get ice and always brush teeth with bottled or boiled water. Avoid eating out whenever possible. Keep mouth closed when taking showers. Might be overkill but over the past couple decades of traveling, I've never been sick.

 

[gopbroek]

Street food

Street vendors in developing countries may not be held to the same hygiene standards as restaurants (which may be low to begin with), so eat food from street vendors with caution. If you choose to eat street food, apply the same rules as to other food; for example, if you watch something come straight off the grill (cooked and steaming hot), it’s more likely to be safe.

So... my morning pre dive breakfast at the marina where 3p's DM's and captains and various others share a communal potluck of cochinita, huevos, ect and everyone dips into it with tortillas probably does not meet the acceptiple CDC standards, ain't gonna skip it, best part of the day.
I'll take another little green pill

 

[Lorenzoid]

I've never been to Coz but I travel a lot for work to third world countries including some of the worst, like Haiti... Never get ice and always brush teeth with bottled or boiled water. Avoid eating out whenever possible. Keep mouth closed when taking showers. Might be overkill but over the past couple decades of traveling, I've never been sick.

"Cozumel" shouldn't be in the same sentence as "Haiti." Cozumel has more in common with Houston than Haiti. I know you weren't making a comparison, but still--let's keep things in perspective.

 

[Tool Belt]

We stay at Casa Mexicana and do whatever we like with the water. At lunch/dinner if you order water it comes in a bottle. Had a couple margaritas "en las rocas" with no problem. Lucky or daft, Montezuma has kept his distance.

 

[KathyV]

So... my morning pre dive breakfast at the marina where 3p's DM's and captains and various others share a communal potluck of cochinita, huevos, ect and everyone dips into it with tortillas probably does not meet the acceptiple CDC standards, ain't gonna skip it, best part of the day.
I'll take another little green pill

I hope it works out well for you, but better you than me!

 

[stuartv]

They would take very good care of your regs but I absolutely understand your caution. When you drop off your gear at the shop they will provide a mesh bag with your name. Just put any gear inside you want them to take care of and it will be on the boat when they pick you up. We keep out our primary computers, lights to recharge the batteries and camera.

I would make sure to point this out if any of the crew is in shop. Otherwise they may get concerned when there is no reg to attach to your tanks!

My first contact with 3P will be when the boat picks me up off the beach. As long as they remember to pick me up and bring me tanks, I guess we'll all be fine.

Monday morning, feel free to make sure they have 2 100s of Nitrox on the boat for me before y'all leave the marina.

 

[Rred]

If you really want some flexible precautions, look online at the SteriPen. There are a number of models, some use AA batteries, a new one is microUSB rechargeable, but basically it is like a small flashlight with a UV-C light tube at the business end. You place the tube in a drink, a bottle of glass of fluid, and it goes through (roughly) a one-minute cycle. The UV-C light it produces literally tears apart all living tissue, including protozoa, bacteria, and viruses, leaving your drink 100% sterile.

Everyone has their own tolerances for drinking "critters" but with SteriPen...OK, you'll get some odd looks but you'll know what you are drinking is sterile.

As for communal "dunking" tanks? Communal mask dunks are a great way to share pinkeye. Communal regulator dunks are a great way to share sore throats. I don't like either.

 

[uncfnp]

My first contact with 3P will be when the boat picks me up off the beach. As long as they remember to pick me up and bring me tanks, I guess we'll all be fine.

Monday morning, feel free to make sure they have 2 100s of Nitrox on the boat for me before y'all leave the marina.

Do you want me to pick up a gear bag for you and bring it Monday for use (BCD, fins, etc) other days or do you plan to haul it all to the boat each day?