Help! Daytrip to Cozumel

[DandyDon]

Definitely valid and certainly the safe advice to give. I'm happy to provide theother side of the argument though, which is a little more rare. I'm simply clueing Lynn in on some options she has.

I'm particularly comfortable recommending these dives because I watched my dad navigate Tajma Ha, Chacmool, & Kukulkan (these are cenotes Lynn) perfectly, they were dives 5, 6, & 7 for him! Then he went off on his own and did Blue hole (dive 10!). He still enjoys a good laugh at the abundant lectures he got about the Blue Hole. It's not blissful ignorance, it's a short, straightforward, regular non-deco dive well within the skill level of almost any certified diver. It was dive 13 for me.

Point is I think what should really be considered is not how new or experienced you are but how calm, confident, and skilled you are. You need a reasonable level skill for these dives, but nothing that you couldn't have gained in your OW class. You also need to not lose your cool, which is a personal characteristic.

So I recommend these dives because I see no immediate disqualifications and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Do you have disqualifying factors? I don't know, maybe, but your number of dives tells me nothing about them.

Cheers,

Scotty

I will do dives that I would never recommend...

I love Cenote dives, have been 140 ft below surface in one, but some are not yet experienced and comfortable with night diving, much less the possible claustrophobic effect, etc.

I had a great time on the Blue Hole dive to the caverns, but I enjoy narcosis; some don't. Also had my 19 cf pony with me.

And then there's the SB TOS: "ScubaBoard Moderators may, at their discretion, remove any post which advocates unsafe diving practices, as defined by the major certification agencies of the scuba diving world. While ScubaBoard does not take an official position on these matters, ScubaBoard does encourage users to maintain safe diving practices."​

So I try to keep my suggestions within prudent limits, even tho I might enjoy diving more adventurously. I've also seen divers leave in ambulances 6 times, two times medi-evaced to Florida from different countries.

 

[m lynn marshall]

WOW!! Lots of great ideas. I was thinking of doing the Blue Hole sometime during another trip. Wish I had more time and $ to do whatever I feel like...more time when I retire....maybe take off 6 month out of the year...I think it can be done rather cheaply?!? Anyone trying it?

Diving a cenote hasn't caught my interest..yet... anyway. So far I just love seeing different coral and aquatic life. The best reef I have seen so far was in the Dominican believe it or not. I don't know if I was just there at the right season or water conditions...I don't know if different times or currents can change things but I was just blown away at the beauty. What do you divers think and what is the attraction to cenotes.

Just a little background...I teach at a College and have been running their swimming pool for 23 years now so I am very comfortable in the water on the surface of course but I'm not naive enough to think that my comfort level on the water makes me a great diver.

Great replies!!
Thanks, Lynn

 

[alohagal]

Actually no, not an oops in any way. Yes I have traveled to Belize from PDC and so have my parents (who are inexperienced travelers who don't speak a lick of Spanish), if you can microwave a hot pocket you can make it to San Pedro And I'd have no problem suggesting it to a single lady.

There are multiple options, the best two are these:

1) 1 buy a bus ticket from PDC to Chetumel (this might be two tickets, PDC to Tulum, then Tulum to Chetumel) from the Ado Station in PDC (~$12 US) - very straightforward. (slower, more expesive, possibly more comfortable).

2) The faster and cheaper option is to hop a combi (van taxi) from PDC to Tulum (30 pesos), then a Combi from Tulum to Chetumel (30 pesos).

Then you catch a bus or taxi across the border to Corozal (safe, English speaking, pleasant). Then there is a water taxi to San Pedro. The ferry runs at 3pm and takes 1.5 - 2 hours.

So if you leave PDC at 8 or 9am in a combi you can get there at a relaxed pace the same day, or catch the earliest bus. If you miss the boat there's one at 7:00am in the morning.

As for Blue Hole and experience level. There are situations that genuinely require an experienced diver but the Blue Hole isn't one of them. If you're a lousy diver (many of these with lots of dives) then the Blue Hole potentially isn't for you, but if you are calm and confident - then go. It's very straightforward, you just clear your ears a couple more times. The Blue Hole is a sounding board for higher level divers to go on about safety and "third world" dive ops, but the truth is it just isn't a "hardcore" or excessively dangerous dive, it's probably one of the easiest you'll ever do. Listen to the words of caution but don't be deterred by them. The diving is Cozumel is 100 times more difficult.

As for accommodations. I've been down there twice at Christmas - New Years, which is busiest time of year. I never make reservations and it's never a problem, just show up, walk around for a minute and you'll find lots of rooms available.

Granted this might not be for you, some people aren't comfortable without everything booked in advance. To take in a couple of countries in a short amount of time is something a traveler does, not most vacationers. The reaction here proves that there is some sort of disconnect with Belize & Mayan Riviera diving, why? Probably resort mentality. Too bad because when put altogether Cozumel, Cenotes, and the Blue Hole is one of the most exciting and easily accessible diving itineraries in the Western Hemisphere.

Cheers,

Scotty

Awesome!! From a single lady traveler, who doesn't go around living in fear, and loves being spontaneous, this post is greatly appreciated. With enough money in the bank account, it all can work just fine.

I am between Cozumel and Playa right now. I have dove the Blue Hole and had less than 20 dives when I did it.

Never thought about going to Belize from Playa. Intriguing idea.

Mary

 

[mudhole]

WOW!! Lots of great ideas.
Diving a cenote hasn't caught my interest..yet... anyway. So far I just love seeing different coral and aquatic life. The best reef I have seen so far was in the Dominican believe it or not. I don't know if I was just there at the right season or water conditions...I don't know if different times or currents can change things but I was just blown away at the beauty. What do you divers think and what is the attraction to cenotes.
Great replies!!
Thanks, Lynn

Wow, Lynn. . . we've all been throwing our favorites out at you, and we haven't been answering your questions well enough. Your attraction to coral reefs and tropical fish you saw in the Dominican Republic, is part of the reef system stretching through the coastlines of Mexico, Belize and Dominica. All along this reef system are some fabulous unspoiled sections of reef, also some fished out areas, also there is a section of coral reef scraped by a cruise ship a few years ago.

Some dive shops will take you to the distant, wonderful sections of reef that they have discovered. Other shops will save gasoline and take you somewhere close that might not give you the same wonderful memories. This forum is giving the daily reports of the conditions of Cozumel's reefs, kept in pristine condition by the park rangers, and the cooperation of a lot of dedicated park guides that have saved the park reefs from damage. Cozumel reefs are spectacular, close to the hotels, served by wonderful dive guides, and the friendliest islanders you can hope to find.

What's the problem, you're in the wrong hotel. Along the Playan beaches there is also great reef systems, and many good dive guides that can give you good diving. Check the posts on the "Mexico" forum. "Cozumel" is a sub forum. Read the recommendations of dive guides and shops for Playa de Carmen, you can have great dives and lay out on a beautiful beach, the same day.

If you get an early start at the ferry to Cozumel. . . you will see the most spectacular reefs, towering walls all the time moving smoothly with the current. . . there are thousands of us Cozuholics that it can't get any better.

 

[m lynn marshall]

Hey Mudhole
That makes a lot of sense. When I was diving in Jamaica at the RIU in Ocho Rios with Scuba Caribe there was a boat load of divers that were very disappointed on our 2nd day as we were told we would be doing a 90 foot wall dive in a different area than the day before and this guy takes us very close to the same dive we had just done. If we had known how lazy he was going to be none of us would have booked and waste our $ and time which is also very important. In fact I was paying for my daughter's dives as well. Later at the airport I bumped into some of these disappointed divers to find out that the free dives that were in their package deal were never honored. What do you do in this case? Just suck it up? Now when going to Playacar in Dec. the same company just happens to be at the resort I'm staying at and I am a little reluctant to trust their word. I already checked out that they want to charge $179 for a 2 tank dive in Cozumel NOT including the ferry. I find this outrageous and therefore will probably contact the Blue Angel outfit and do my Cozumel dives with them.

I really am looking forward to diving in Cozumel. WOW!! You have dove more than a 1000 dives! That is impressive! Do you have any tips so your dive experiences aren't a waste of $$ and time?

Thanks, Lynn

 

[m lynn marshall]

Hi Alohagal
Wow! You are living in Playa del Carmen or just travelling? You have done a lot of dives and do you go by yourself a lot? Any tips for a new single diver? ex. Would you ever dive without an alternate air source? How do you know a company is safe? I went to Cuba by myself but had been there before so felt okay. How do you compare diving in Cozumel to Playa del carmen?


Keeping safety in mind, Lynn

 

[mudhole]

Lynn. . . getting a lot of dives is easy when you're addicted to the water? When you dive your local area, you know all the area divers and know who to go with and who to avoid. . . When you travel, you can fall into a dive shop that doesn't earn its money.

When traveling to a dive resort anywhere in the world, you can usually find good and bad references on ScubaBoard. This forum for Cozumel is a busy one with lots of references because there are lots of satisfied divers reporting here. Blue Angle, Blue XT Sea, Aldora, are among the many dive shops with years of happy customers. There are lots of dive guides that are favorites with some of the divers, which many of Cozumel's divers with many years of going with the same guide as they move from shop to shop.

At the top of the page, click on search of dive shops and the list will be a long one with happy customers (more than I know of anywhere else) Use this board and look at all the loyalty these local guides have established with divers that keep coming back, month after month. . . year after year. Like many divers I first went to Another island, and then went to Cozumel, I've been back because of the low prices, Fantastic diving in the park, and the wonderful people in the town. . . But why listen to me I'm a Cozaholic.

 

[m lynn marshall]

Hi Mudhole
Thanks for sharing...I was wondering if I would love the Cozumel area so much that it will be a place that I'll want to come back to time and again.

I've been to Cuba, Dominican, Bahamas, Ixtapa and Jamaica. I've always felt that I needed to try a new area each time but now I'm thinking of finding a place that has a great beach, great scuba, not too expensive and a place to walk around and do some shopping. I've got a feeling that Playacar is it.

Have you dove in Playa del carmen?
Where else have you dove?
Do you like cenotes?

I'm going to do a search on dive shops now!!!

Thanks so much, Lynn

 

[DandyDon]

I don't think Playa del Carmen dives compare well at all to Cozumel dives.

You dived all those places and have less than 24?