I just got back a couple of days ago and I felt like I had to say something on this thread. I have been doing business in Cozumel for many years. I own a dive store and it is always in the interest of my customers to run trips where they will be happy. One of my customers was on the island when the hurricane hit. He took pictures, he gave us first hand accounts, he was even featured in our local paper. We kept in conatct with our friends in Cozumel and made a decision to run our yearly trips to the island.
I arrived on the island on March 9th and I caught the tail end of the first group that we brought down and stayed for a couple of days on the second group. 60% of our divers have been on the island before. On the last dinner we usually take a poll to see who wants to go back. 90% would come back 10% wanted to check new places. That was the same as our polls last year.
I raise my cap in salute to the people at Caribe Blu /Blue Angel for recovering fast and accomodating our group like they always did in the past. Their improvements at the hotel rocked.
We all know that some dive sites were damaged, but there are other dive sites to go to. Some businesses are gone, but there are still enough to take care of your needs. Not as many cruise ships stop ( I don't like crowds) but that allows me to walk on the sidewalk at noon during the week. The internet cafes aren't as crowded too.
One of the positive things about disasters like this is the ability to reinvent and adapt to the present needs of your customers. The people on the island are already doing this and it looks great.
I just want to get back to the title of my post here. It will take time for Cozumel to get back in the groove. Things will change and things will not be the same. I came back the Spring after Gilbert. I remember so vividly standing on the dive boat before the second dive on Paradise and counting 4 dive boats, this was the middle of March. For you old timers, do you remember that boat that was beached in front of Pizza Rolandi /Guidos for a long time? That boat was beached there during Gilberta. I still remember it there in 2000.
Kudos to the people of the island who got their island ready to accept the divers and tourists who decided to come. We felt welcomed and honored to be a part of your recovery.
Jim Campos
MDC Sports
Rochester, Minnesota
I arrived on the island on March 9th and I caught the tail end of the first group that we brought down and stayed for a couple of days on the second group. 60% of our divers have been on the island before. On the last dinner we usually take a poll to see who wants to go back. 90% would come back 10% wanted to check new places. That was the same as our polls last year.
I raise my cap in salute to the people at Caribe Blu /Blue Angel for recovering fast and accomodating our group like they always did in the past. Their improvements at the hotel rocked.
We all know that some dive sites were damaged, but there are other dive sites to go to. Some businesses are gone, but there are still enough to take care of your needs. Not as many cruise ships stop ( I don't like crowds) but that allows me to walk on the sidewalk at noon during the week. The internet cafes aren't as crowded too.
One of the positive things about disasters like this is the ability to reinvent and adapt to the present needs of your customers. The people on the island are already doing this and it looks great.
I just want to get back to the title of my post here. It will take time for Cozumel to get back in the groove. Things will change and things will not be the same. I came back the Spring after Gilbert. I remember so vividly standing on the dive boat before the second dive on Paradise and counting 4 dive boats, this was the middle of March. For you old timers, do you remember that boat that was beached in front of Pizza Rolandi /Guidos for a long time? That boat was beached there during Gilberta. I still remember it there in 2000.
Kudos to the people of the island who got their island ready to accept the divers and tourists who decided to come. We felt welcomed and honored to be a part of your recovery.
Jim Campos
MDC Sports
Rochester, Minnesota