help--Cancun Diving and Whale Sharks 9/12-9/18

[diving-community-site]

We had a Whale Shark tour today Sept. 10 and got to see 20 of them on same spot. Hope this helps

 

[Zeke XA3]

Chitales Reef just off the north shore is deader than a hammer. Last time I dove it was probably 2004, and some sections were held together by zip-ties. It was really damaged by Hurricane Charles, I think and never recovered. A lot of dive ops take touristas there and dump them. So, everyone who has dove there think Cancun sucks for diving.

Chitales does have some dead sections, mainly on top where the waves are very rough, but round the sides you still have some good coral and round the back some very tall, in excess of 3m, colonies. All of my tourists come away from that reef loving there first Caribbean dive having swam in clear water, shallow, white sand, purple and green corals and passing through clouds of snappers! So be careful which bit you go to to find the dead bit (im diving there nearly every day at the moment) There is also some sites in Manchones, a section called wakera (not sure on the spelling) has a long side that faced the hurricane and is very dead and full of urchins. Im sure there are others that we no longer fo to because they are dead, but because they are dead and we dont go to them i dont know where they are!

There are many dive operation out there to chose from, you could also rent a boat from aquaworld with instructors. Aquaworld have some of the biggest boats out there which could be useful if your planning on some long times on station and a lot of equipment.

 

[Spratman]

Thanks for the update, Zeke. However, I still won't recommend Chitales for a dive site, especially for new divers. It's good if you get to see some fishies. I still believe this is why Cancun has a less than sterling reputation for diving.

I don't dive on any boat with more than eight people. I must say that I've never seen a goth instructor though....

 

[Zeke XA3]

It all depends on the type of dives really.

For the type i end up taking, families. older and those with no preconceptions about diving its great and they are awlays happy with it but yes i agree for anyone expecting a bit better will be disapointed BUT i always warn people you start in the grand caymans or Cozumel and well its down hill from there!

At the moment youll be lucky to find a boat with 8 people on. Mine has the capcity for 16 but never had more than 5 for 3 weeks now!

I did my BASC instructor foundation course in full dreadlocks, suffice to say i made an impression!

 

[Spratman]

Agreed. I can remember on my second dive at Chitales, they had this old Italian guy. This guy could not stand up on his own. The DM that was with him dove in rather than stepping off. The guy followed and half drowned. It is really the only place that meets the requirements for the resort course, so, okay, something is better than nothing.

I've been diving Cancun for five years now. The last three we've never had more than six or seven. The trip two weeks ago had my family on it and we had eight with the instructor and dm. Not like AW, where you see the boat drop off twenty divers. They look like lemmings swarming to the cliffs....

BASC? You a local? Don't hear much about them except for EU.

Hey...we got Bob Marley with us today...hehe

 

[Zeke XA3]

Agreed. I can remember on my second dive at Chitales, they had this old Italian guy. This guy could not stand up on his own. The DM that was with him dove in rather than stepping off. The guy followed and half drowned. It is really the only place that meets the requirements for the resort course, so, okay, something is better than nothing.

I've been diving Cancun for five years now. The last three we've never had more than six or seven. The trip two weeks ago had my family on it and we had eight with the instructor and dm. Not like AW, where you see the boat drop off twenty divers. They look like lemmings swarming to the cliffs....

BASC? You a local? Don't hear much about them except for EU.

Hey...we got Bob Marley with us today...hehe

Yeah those crazy DSDs copying everything, its always funny when i clear my mask and 4 people repeat it underwater! But yeah iys good in its ways.

Well when you see those lemmings swarm off you may see me repeating to each one
"One hand on your reg, one hand on your weightbelt and big step forward"
Been on those big boats for about a year, though i move between a lot of AW resorts helping where needed. But yeah when we have a full boat i wonder just how many are stepping into the water, they never end!!!

Im local to somewhere But im a Brit, currently living and working here in Cancun. Been getting a diver or so a month from BSAC here. They always call me to check things since its quite rare and they are never quite sure on BSAC limits and such. But yeah we are a special group Its like a secret club!

 

[Spratman]

I'm always amazed that you have schools of divers. Glad you are getting your teaching skills honed!

So, then, mate....do you know Ben Mooney and Al Mason? I usually hang with these guys when I come down. Of course, you know Denise, I guess, and instructor from AW? Gotta admit when you get staff together, they can eat and drink ALOT! I'll be sure to look you up when I get down again.

Off-line, I'd like to chat you up on the marine sciences topic.

So, does BSAC require that you have dreads? Sorta like DIR?!

 

[Zeke XA3]

Our schools of divers are getting a lot smaller with the whole down turn in the economy though :-(

Dont think i know Ben or Al, which part of AW do they work at? Denise, Argintinian ? If so yes was out drinking with her and some others last night. Just give me warning if you want to drink, went out last night for my birthday and took nearly 12 hours to recover from the tequlia!

I wish they did require it although they were a pain to dive with! And here the mexicans are not big on long haired men working in tourisim so had to cut it all off and trying to grow some of it back while keeping it small enough to hide under a hat! The sacrifices for our jobs!

PS sent you a PM re MScience

 

[Spratman]

Yeah, the resorts certainly are not helping things with the prices! We planned our vacation based on a moderate price increase. Turns out the resort was 40% higher than in 2007 when we stayed there. I let my concierges know about it, too!

I'll get them to give you a shout. Good people. Yeah, Denise the Argentinian, that's her. She's the only one I know from AW. Man, dude...a twelve hour recovery cycle?! Must have been bad....