We hope to dive Palancar Reef (caves/gardens), and Santa Rosa wall for sure and then we're pretty open to whatever. This being our first trip to Cozumel, we figure we can't go wrong by being flexible. It will all be a new and interesting experience to us.
Natasha, I think we are just going to dive with the Dive House for this first trip seein' as how they are right at the hotel where we are staying. I know most of the dive ops will pick you at your hotel pier/dock or whatever. I just got to thinking about how If we were to dive with a dive op that is located a few miles up the beach, we would either have to lug our gear back to the room after every outing or be dropped off at our hotel and have to trust that our gear would be cleaned and stored properly. I guess I'm just paranoid, but what with our gear being new and being high quality(meaning $$$), I would rather be there to clean and store my gear myself or at least see it done in front of me. Am I being too paranoid? In Belize, they took care of our gearing up and what not, but I was the one who actually rinsed my gear, and I took my regs back to our room and gave them a good rinsing, and I was within eyesight (usually at the bar
) when they stored my gear in their shop and locked it up at the end of the day after it dried, so I knew it was safe.
This first trip we are really just feeling the place out. Trying to get familiar with San Miguel and the lay of the land, and get a sense of how things are done down there. Then I figure after we are more familiar with the place we can branch out. Judging from all I've heard from you all and from other folks who have dived there, I plan on making it back there a few times. Each time we go back we can try out different dive ops and dive sites. I spoke with Tom Vyles last weekend, and on his last trip to Coz, they used the Dive House and were pleased with them. He also said they have lockers for you to lock your gear up in.
Have any of you all ever used the Dive house, and if so what did you think of them?
Also, have you ever found yourself in the situation I explained where you would have to either lug your gear back to your room or trust the dive op to clean and store it properly without you being there to see it done? If so, how did you handle it?
I do plan to roam around the city a little, though, and try as many restaurants as possible. I also want to venture out away from the downtown a little bit to kind of see how the locals live. I always like to check out the local grocery stores, shops, and neighborhoods and such when I go someplace new...I know.. I'm a freak...
I read somewhere that if you hit the grocery stores that are frequented by the locals and not the tourists, which are usually a few blocks off the main street there in San Miguel, you can find really good Chilean wine that is pretty cheap. :boozer: I wouldn't mind checking that out just to say we did it...maybe even bring a bottle back home with me. I'll have to check with customs on that one.
