First trip to Cozumel Diving any tips

[briankinley2004]

Here are my tips which you probably have already read on here:

1) At the airport just walk past the salesmen when they ask you what hotel you are going to and go straight to the taxi stand on the right.

2) Once you get to Scuba Club walk North a couple of blocks to the Chedraui and use the ATM to exchange your funds (providing it is the same for Canadian dollars as US)

3) While at Chedraui buy your drinks and put in the fridge in your room. Soft drinks and alcohol are not included in your package unless it has changed and are much cheaper at Chedraui. You may also wish to pick up some snacks there too or anything else you forgot.

4) Bring a padlock and you can lock your dive gear right by the wash tanks every night.

5) Bring a portable DVD player and some DVD's if you think you may want to watch TV as there are none in the room. Ours came in handy during our down time in the afternoons or at night when we were winding down and sat around and watched movies.

6) If there is Mexican Fiesta night while you are there try to attend. There is a wide variety of authentic food and great atmosphere.

7) Go to the dive shop as soon as you get settled in your room and sign up for your dives. If you can find a buddy then do a shore dive right off the resort for a weight check, etc. Go to the left(South) against the current and drift back. There is not near the life as on the reefs but there are a few things to see and it will help you get ready for the dive.

8) Have fun. Scuba Club is great and we would like to go back there. We are probably going to stay at another resort this year because our friends going have small kids and want to stay where they at least have TV's and cater more to kids.

 

[jorgie]

thanks 04. The power in the rooms is 120 right? If I bring my laptop to watch movies and download my pics everynight I won't need a voltage converter correct?

Great idea though about the movies, I'm a movie junkie!

I thought Scuba Club was all inclusive? I have no problems going to get water and drinks and such I just didn't think I had to. Good call if this is the case.

I have lived in the US for 12 years, all my accounts are US so I should be good at the ATM, but a good pc of info again.

I was thinking of trying to get on a night dive the 1st day as I'll be in before noon with my flight, but maybe your right, just hit the beach and do an equipment check there and just enjoy a quick little dive.

 

[briankinley2004]

No converter needed. It is all inclusive even the diving but they charge you for soft drinks and alcohol. Tea, water and juice are free. I think they charge you 50cents US to use the ATM plus what your bank charges (about $2 for me). The atm's we used showed everything in pesos so don't think your rich or you just withdrew more money than you wanted to when you read the slip. I was gonna add the night dive to my tips. Heck why not do the shore dive then a night dive if you get there in time. Also if you are going to send the pics via email or use internet you will have to take your laptop near the restraunt unless you have a room close to it. The concrete walls make it where you cannot get a wireless signal in most of the rooms. Also there should be a bottled water jug outside your room in the hallway. It is good to drink and you can fill a pitcher up or an empty bottle to take with you.

 

[jlyle]

Excellent tips, Brian.

If you are going to do a shore, night dive, make sure you take a tank before 6:00 PM when the dive shop closes. You can just grab a tank and put it in one of the lockers for later.

FWIW, there are no PADI Police at SCC. No one will stop you from solo diving should you want to do so.

The water in front of the hotel is only twenty feet deep - start your shore dives into the current, go slowly looking for small stuff, turn around and drift back to the entry point when you run low on air.

 

[jlyle]

Holy Cr#@ those are nice pictures. You must have one nice camera. Your knowledge of underwater creatures is impressive. I'm afriad my little old 3 mp sea and sea rig will not be up to par.

What is your set up if you don't mind? I'm thinking of getting a Nikon D60 (well more like have decided to get) and then get a case and strobes for it. Any thoughts? A friend of mine purchased a D60 for watersports pics and I was truely impressed.

Thanks. My older camera was an Olympus c5050. A couple of years ago, I moved up to a dslr, the Olympus E-330, housed in an Ike case with dual Ikelite DS-125 strobes. The D60 is a nice camera.

 

[jorgie]

So I have some more questions if any one wants to chime in. I understand that internet is sketchy in the rooms and I'll have to go to a central spot to get wireless, but how about phones. I will need to check in with my family as I'm traveling solo and it will be the least they expect of me. Will my cell work there, or should I get a calling card. Will I be able to call from my room or will I have to go to a pay phone or something like that.

Apperal. Just shorts and T's or should I bring something a little dressier for dinners? Or should I just go Jimmy Buffet style:cool2:

 

[briankinley2004]

We have Alltel and updated our software for their international calling prior to leaving home. We never used our in room phone and simply used our cell just like at home. Im sure the charges were more than at home but not enough to notice on our bill. We did not use the phone alot maybe just to call home every other day or something. We were able to receive calls and check voice mail also with no reception problems. Shorts/T shirts were no problem and alot of people came in from night dives to eat in the dining room with towels on. I would recommend taking at least one pair of nice jeans or dress pants and a button up shirt in case you want to go up town and eat out. We did spiff up a little for the Mexican Fiesta night.

 

[jorgie]

Thanks for the info good to know. My BC is a Dive Rite w stainless BB and is a bit heavy, so every where I can save weight (clothes) is good.

 

[ItsBruce]

I have not read the whole thread, but have one tip for you and it consists of one word: "Cenote."

 

[jorgie]

I'm a little slow, help a brother out would ya.