Has Cozumel become an Unreliable dive destination ?

[redacted]

This is not the kind of thing traveling divers should have to worry about. If you are confident your dive op and local authorities will work to make sure there are no problems, it may be great diving. Otherwise there are many other choices.

 

[Scubagolf]

Here is the link to the Cozumel Insider Events Calendar

Cozumel Insider - Cozumel Events - Calendar of Island Events, Festivals & Tournaments - Cozumelinsider

 

[ggunn]

For those wondering, this Cozumel Fact Sheet - Travel-Related Information states that norte's can happen from November through February. Glad I missed it when diving down there a few years ago.

It's rare, but I have experienced brief nortes twice in May.

 

[cvchief]

Yes. I've only seen Caleta harbor, and I don't have a good understanding of how these things work, how close the new harbor is to the old, etc...

.

If you have been in Caleta in the last oh, 8 years?, you have seen the new Fonatur. The entrance is on the right on the way out of Caleta just before the open sea. There was always a black boom across it. They still share the sea exit. In fact, I park in the far right of caleta and step through the hole in the fence to new caleta. They are side by side.

 

[mstevens]

I think he was talking about scheduled closings for events not weather.

They are adjacent. Anything that closes one is reasonably likely to close the other.

 

[Christi]

Here is a schedule for the upcoming world championship triathlon meet in September. It looks like the Marina / Caleta will be blocked for most of the week. I am not sure if any provisions have been made for the dive operation that have been forced to use the new Fonatur marina.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 EVENT VENUE
12:00pm to 8:00pm Open Race Expo and Packet Pick Up Fonatur Triathlon Park
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 EVENT VENUE
5:40am to 6:40am Transition Open / Bike Check In Fonatur Triathlon Park
6:40am to 8:00am Open Race Youth 14-15 Fonatur Triathlon Park
7:00am to 9:30am Open Race Standard Distance Fonatur Triathlon Park
8:45am to 11:00am Open Race Sprint Distance Fonatur Triathlon Park
3:30pm to 4:30pm Kids Transition Open / Bike Check in Fonatur Triathlon Park
4:30pm to 4:45pm Kids 6-7 event Fonatur Triathlon Park
4:45pm to 5:00pm Kids 7-9 event Fonatur Triathlon Park
5:00pm to 5:20pm Kids 10-11 event Fonatur Triathlon Park
5:20pm to 5:50pm Kids 12-13 event Fonatur Triathlon Park
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 EVENT VENUE
12:00pm to 8:00pm ITU World Championship Expo / Packet Pick Up Fonatur Triathlon Park
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 EVENT VENUE
8:00am to 11:15am Aquathlon World Championship Fonatur Triathlon Park
12:00pm to 8:00pm ITU World Championship Expo / Packet Pick Up Fonatur Triathlon Park
5:00pm to 8:00pm Opening Ceremony 5th Av. Playa del Carmen
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 EVENT VENUE
6:45am to 11:00am Age Group Sprint World Championship Fonatur Triathlon Park
12:00pm to 8:00pm ITU World Championship Expo / Packet Pick Up Fonatur Triathlon Park
4:00pm to 6:30pm U23 Men World Championship Fonatur Triathlon Park
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 EVENT VENUE
9:00am to 11:30am U23 Female World Championship Fonatur Triathlon Park
12:00pm to 8:00pm ITU World Championship Expo / Packet Pick Up Fonatur Triathlon Park
3:00pm to 4:30pm Junior Men World Championship Fonatur Triathlon Park
5:00pm to 6:30pm Junior Female World Championship Fonatur Triathlon Park
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 EVENT VENUE
9:00 to 10:30am U23/Junior Mixed Relay World Championship Fonatur Triathlon Park
12:00pm to 8:00pm ITU World Championship Expo / Packet Pick Up Fonatur Triathlon Park
3:30pm to 6:00pm Elite Female World Championship Fonatur Triathlon Park
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 EVENT VENUE
6:45am to 12:30pm Age Group Standard World Championship Fonatur Triathlon Park
3:00pm to 5:30pm Elite Male World Champinship Fonatur Triathlon Park
6:30pm to 9:00pm Closing Ceremony TBD

Here is a link to a map which shows the courses which are centered on the marina Maps

I was told that the swim would not be held in the marina anymore. If this schedule is actually accurate, this is CRAZY for the Cozumel Govt. to allow diving to be shut down for the week - so I cannot imagine we have the whole story here.

I can tell you that the swim portion of the race is the only part that affects the boat's of course - and the swim portion of this race lasts no more than an hour - depending on the distance (which is Sprint 750m & Olympic 1500m) the swim will be over very early as it's the first event. In the worst case, I imagine we will have to schedule later departures that week OR get the boats out of the marina before the race start (which is what we did last year - we were unaffected).

I am going to make it a priority this week to find out what the actual schedules and routes are and to see if and what provisions have been made for the islands biggest attraction, DIVING! I will post here as soon as I have some concrete answers - which won't be before Monday afternoon at the very earliest

 

[manta_man]

I was told that the swim would not be held in the marina anymore. If this schedule is actually accurate, this is CRAZY for the Cozumel Govt. to allow diving to be shut down for the week - so I cannot imagine we have the whole story here.

I can tell you that the swim portion of the race is the only part that affects the boat's of course - and the swim portion of this race lasts no more than an hour - depending on the distance (which is Sprint 750m & Olympic 1500m) the swim will be over very early as it's the first event. In the worst case, I imagine we will have to schedule later departures that week OR get the boats out of the marina before the race start (which is what we did last year - we were unaffected).

I am going to make it a priority this week to find out what the actual schedules and routes are and to see if and what provisions have been made for the islands biggest attraction, DIVING! I will post here as soon as I have some concrete answers - which won't be before Monday afternoon at the very earliest

 

[manta_man]

Thank Christi. If possible could you also find out abut the logistics of parking, traffic and access to the marina Fonatur for loading tanks and equipment. As we already know, parking is a problem. Vehicles are double parked and blocked in and space for parking is very limited.
I will wait for your findings and prepare a plan to load and exit from a different location if necessary.