June 18-30 Cozumel Dive Trip

[DiverDownAZ]

Day 4
I actually managed to go back to sleep about 6ish, fortunately the wife woke up on time as the alarm didn't go off. Had a breakfast of a protein shake again. Then headed over to aquatic sports met a nice couple that we would be diving with. While waiting for Sergio found that the epoxy for the button on my video housing let go. It's not that big of a deal just had to turn it on and let it keep recoding didn't have control anymore. That means no uploading as the video is 1.7 GB in size. The main boat was full so we went on the fast boat “michelle”.

The mainboat “sword fish” (I think) had a group from flagstaff Az. 16 divers on board I was glad we weren't with them. We had 6 divers. 2 with 1 dive, 2 that had a little experience then me and the wife. It was a DM nightmare. We went to Santa Rosa and Tormentos. The currents were really wiping along and visibility at best was 50feet. At Santa Rosa the current started north to south which they said is backward, then after it was just em and the DM it switched and started going south to north. Except for the current it was a good dive, saw turtle, nurse shark, lobster, a huge crab, and I was able to get inches away from a grouper to video it.

The DM had loaned me his red filter for the video housing it made a huge difference in the colors. Of course now I need to find one before our next dive. The second dive well lets say the only good thing about it was I wasn't at work. The current was probably 10-15 mph and about 1000 pounds into the dive visibility dropped to 10-15 feet so the dm aborted the dive.

After we got home we sat around downloaded pictures and videos. Then headed off to find some cola loca SP? To fix the housing button. Nether of us speak Spanish so this was quite the challenge we went to chederaui first after asking several people working there and wandering around the store we went to MEGA , should have done that first. We walk in and a nice lady asks “can I help you?” in English!!! she then leads us to the automotive section and shows us the glues and helps us find one that will work with metals.

From there it was off to find dinner, being Sunday there weren't a lot of choices. I had wanted to go to Especias closed, so we tried Otates closed , then we wandered for a while looking for anything that was open. Around the main square there were several places open. We stopped at dorados de villa.

Their sign says $1 beer but that is only for a small selection of beers the rest are $3 and of course they don't tell you if you don't ask which are which. The wife had garlic fish which was excellent and I had a gringas qusadillia it was good but not up to Otates standards. The best part about dinner was the 2 old drunk guys next to us at one point a young guy comes over to them they talk awhile then the young guy goes away then comes back and very sneakily slips the old guys some cash. I didn't see it but am certain the old guys slipped a little package back. Then the old guys start preaching and philosophizing to each other as only real drunk people can. A couple from indiana took the drunk guys places, we started talking to them about their trip around the island and how shocked and appalled they were by the stuff that goes on at Coconuts on the other side of the island.

After dinner it was back to the hotel with a stop at da linos for an ice cream cone the dulce de leche was great.

 

[macado]

BTW, what netbook are you using? I specifically picked up an Acer Aspire One for this trip at a token price.

Slightly off topic but I picked up the Acer Aspire One for this reason. I used it on my last trip to Mexico. I have the same model and used Skype to call back home and to transfer pictures. Works great and is a nice little laptop for traveling. Most hotels in Cozumel seemed to have free wifi and even if your hotel doesn't, lots of stores/coffee shops do.

 

[alohagal]

we started talking to them about their trip around the island and how shocked and appalled they were by the stuff that goes on at Coconuts on the other side of the island.

I was invitied to go to Coconuts tonight, by a cute couple from Sacramento, on my boat this afternoon. Now I am more curious than ever. Hmmmmmmm. Can you share?

 

[alohagal]

How trusting of you, but then that's how I learned. Hope you do get it back okay, but it's value is diminished by the number of days you don't have it. I'd let anyone look at it, take notes, but not borrow it. :depressed: Half the time you don't get it back promptly, but maybe you only lost one days use of it.

Good grief...should I call you DAD? I loaned my map to someone here at SCC. It was my idea. They had never even asked or heard of the map. They are diving with me on the same boat...a wonderful group from Arkansas. Some of the loveliest people I have ever met. In fact...I loaned one of the ladies a book I haven't even read yet...because she is a non-diver and already finished the book she brought. She didn't ask for it either...my suggestion once again. Gosh, I am so busy diving that I had fresh guacamole and chips from the MEGA store last night. All the dinner I needed.

Guess I will live and learn one of these days.:shocked2:

 

[DandyDon]

Good grief...should I call you DAD? I loaned my map to someone here at SCC. It was my idea.

Your map, your call.

 

[alohagal]

Your map, your call.

Whatever, I have my map in my hand.
Adios....

 

[DiverDownAZ]

Day 5

This was another day off diving our plan is every other day to go diving. We started off lazy I woke up at 3am but managed to get back to sleep around 6:30 after writing up the trip report for another 2 hours when the wife got up. Had breakfast of mangoes we had picked up at MEGA plus a protein shake. Then we went out to the pool a laid around reading our books till about 11. Then I got a hair up me to find a red color correction lens for the video housing. Should be easy I figured. I think we went to every SCUBA shop, both camera stores all three grocery stores all with no luck. So then we started to improvise. Looking for things that are made fro something else but might work. So we found a lid for a Tupperware bowl that is a transparent red and a pair of sunglasses with red lenses. I know, pretty ghetto but what can you do.

We stopped at El Chino for lunch had 3 pescado taco an 3 camaron taco plus 2 manzanita for ???? The Pescado (fish) were quite good. They were both fried with a very light breading, with picked red onion and a white sauce.

After lunch we continued our search for the elusive red lens. On our search we met Lucy a cute little monkey one of the shops keeps out front to attract customers.

About 3 we had finished our search for the lens, on our way back to the hotel we stopped off at a massage place, it is on the water front. Between the rug store and Diamonds International. It was $20 for 1/2 hour, or they gave a discount of $40 for an hour AND since we both got a massage it was only $80. Since we had been walking in the afternoon heat for so long I wanted a shower first. The massage therapist took us up to the room it was a double so we would be receiving the massage together. Her little girl about 3-4 was helping her mom show us the way to the room. She was the cutest little girl in her white dress and stockings. I wish I had gotten a picture of her. So the therapist leaves the room through a different door then comes back and leads us back down stairs where she try's to get a door open but it is locked so it is back up stairs. To the original room were we wait a couple of minutes then she leads me through door number 2 down a hallway to a room that has a washing machine and a shower. The problem was they wee doing their laundry and didn't want to take me back there she was obviously embarrassed about it. It looked like it wasn't a permanent set up but a washer that can be wheeled out when not in use. I take a shower to rinse off the sweat, oh and by the way who needs shower heads any way the water was just a solid stream coming out. I wrap a towel around myself thinking I would be going to lay down on one of the beds. Instead I come out and sit in a chair with my feet in a little bubblier thing then she gives us both foot scrub now picture this I am sitting there with just a towel wrapped around me and the little girl is still in the room and do I need to say staring at me. Can you say uncomfortable??? After a while the mom finally gets the girl out of the room then gives me a second towel to put over my knees. The wife was laughing at my discomfort the whole time. On to the massage, It was great we paid for an hour which back in the states usually means more like 45 minutes the actual massage lasted closer to an hour 20 min. Both massage therapists both females seemed to know how to give a good massage. The wife made comments about how erotic it was and has already planned to go back.

We walked back to the room took a shower and I worked on the trip report while the wife organized her souvenirs, who needs cruise ships when you have my wife out buying stuff. Then it was time for dinner. We walked downtown stopped for the sunset

then it was off to Especias. We had a beef and a fish empanada as appetizers.

I had the grouper cooked in foil. The wife had fish fillet with cilantro sauce. They were both excellent. And we both thought ours was best.

After dinner they gave us complimentary glasses of a Mayan liqueur that had a slight licorice taste to it.

While drinking these the owner Adrian showed up. I recognized him from trip adviser forums. We sat and talked for at least a half hour with him. About the time we were leaving a political rally went down the street honking and cheering. We asked Adrian who he supported he said I don't know ones my cousin and the other is a friend. I guess it is a small town.

Then it was back to the room with our normal stop at Da Linas for an Ice Cream cone.


I've been trying to keep a running restaurant rating but especias made this difficult because the food was excellent but totally different than the other places we have been.

1.otates / especias
2.El picque
3.Mission
4.rockn java
5.dorados de villa

Misc note Every time we have been in MEGA yellow submarine was playing over there sound system it is now firmly implanted in my head playing over and over.

 

[jeancmo]

we started talking to them about their trip around the island and how shocked and appalled they were by the stuff that goes on at Coconuts on the other side of the island.

I was invitied to go to Coconuts tonight, by a cute couple from Sacramento, on my boat this afternoon. Now I am more curious than ever. Hmmmmmmm. Can you share?

just ask to see the family albums- but don't volunteer to ad a picture of yourself!!

I LOVE Coconuts! My favorite place in the whole wide world!!!

Jean in MO
Blue Angel Nov 27-Dec 2

 

[ggunn]

we started talking to them about their trip around the island and how shocked and appalled they were by the stuff that goes on at Coconuts on the other side of the island.

I was invitied to go to Coconuts tonight, by a cute couple from Sacramento, on my boat this afternoon. Now I am more curious than ever. Hmmmmmmm. Can you share?

I have heard that they sometimes have full moon parties over there at night, but it's the dark of the moon now (the day you posted that). There is no electricity at Coconuts and it usually closes well before sundown.

They have picture albums there with a lot of shots of women posing topless, but all of them that I have seen were taken in daylight.

Aside: On another forum a couple of years ago, a young woman was pleading for anyone who was going to Cozumel to PLEASE go to Coconuts and remove some pictures she had allowed to be taken of her from the photo albums. It seems her dad was planning a trip to Cozumel... :shocked2:

Tequila is a dangerous drug.

 

[driftin' by]

I have the hp mini 10, we bought a acer last year but after about 2 months the battey life went to almost nothing so we took it back to Costco.

Nice machine! The Mini's were too rich for my blood and I couldn't find a used one. They joy of the AAO is that it was so cheap it's little consequence if shomething happens to it. I got the 6-cell battery and currently it's holding up for 5+ hours. I hope it lasts because it's nearly $100 to replace which is just under half the price of the whole machine!

BTW, You're killing me with all those awesome food pictures but keep 'em coming and get some sleep for the love of god!

Slightly off topic but I picked up the Acer Aspire One for this reason. I used it on my last trip to Mexico. I have the same model and used Skype to call back home and to transfer pictures. Works great and is a nice little laptop for traveling. Most hotels in Cozumel seemed to have free wifi and even if your hotel doesn't, lots of stores/coffee shops do.

I love the size of it especially compared to my work laptop. I'm looking forward to being more connected this trip although, I'd rather not.

a wonderful group from Arkansas. Some of the loveliest people I have ever met.

As a Razorback Alumni, it's good to hear nice things about my former statesmen and women. They're good people contrary to many stereotypes. BTW, are they from Searcy? GO HOGS!