Need advice on cozumel drift dive op and a cheap pkg !

[miserkris]

Hello all.... wish i could thank each of you but thx....

Looks like my nephew will certify locally here in U.S..... but won't come to cozumel this year.

Soo. . It's just me !

I mentioned 500 to 600 budget for me alone since cozumel is cheapest for diving here...

But i can stretch my budget, what i really want is best bang for buck....

I read several pages where scuba club is one such value for$ places...

I did the aqua cat Bahamas last year and enjoyed the drift dives twice. ..
That's another reason why i am checking cozumel.

Sorry about the change, please recommend 5 or 6 nights best bang for the buck place for drift dive in cozumel.

Btw i might use AA award miles to fly PHILLY to cozumel!

Big THANKS again..
Kris

 

[miserkris]

Just FYI, I just checked Dive with Martin’s website and it is quoting a 4-day package of 2 tank dive trips for $265.00.... Home Page

How much do ops like DWM , scuba club cozumel.... etc.... give priority to safety?

Can i trust these op that the DM'S take care if the divers a lot...

Also do they fill the tanks between Dives and connect equipment or do we have to fill the tanks by ourselves. how much do these guys do the work for us ? If they do most of the work for us I don't mind tipping them .

Also i love diving in tshirt/ shorts, is that ok in cozumel, are there jelly issues?

What will I see in Cozumel that I could not have seen in Bahamas

Thx

 

[DjDiverDan]

For what it’s worth, I’ve never done Scubaclub, and I avoid all AI places on Cozumel because I love good food and Cozumel has a real wealth of very good restaurants, in all budget categories, too many favorites of mine to even hit in a one week stay. When I travel cheap, I spend my money on diving (first priority) and dining (a close second), with lodging as the lowest priority. I can live with very Spartan digs, as long as it’s clean. I understand the draw of looking for a package deal, but in my personal experience you can do as well or better by creating your own ala carte package. Up to you.

 

[miserkris]

For what it’s worth, I’ve never done Scubaclub, and I avoid all AI places on Cozumel because I love good food and Cozumel has a real wealth of very good restaurants, in all budget categories, too many favorites of mine to even hit in a one week stay. When I travel cheap, I spend my money on diving (first priority) and dining (a close second), with lodging as the lowest priority. I can live with very Spartan digs, as long as it’s clean. I understand the draw of looking for a package deal, but in my personal experience you can do as well or better by creating your own ala carte package. Up to you.

Good point, i love authentic local food in all travels. So i guess scuba club is a no...
That means i gotta stay at san miguel for good local food!

Pls suggest a dive op in san miguel...
Are all dives happening in southern part of island? That's quite a ride in the boat i read.

 

[DjDiverDan]

How much do ops like DWM , scuba club cozumel.... etc.... give priority to safety?

Can i trust these op that the DM'S take care if the divers a lot...

Also do they fill the tanks between Dives and connect equipment or do we have to fill the tanks by ourselves. how much do these guys do the work for us ?

Also i love diving in tshirt/ shorts, is that ok in cozumel, are there jelly issues?

What will I see in Cozumel that I could not have seen in Bahamas

Thx

I doubt that you’ll find ANY dive op on Cozumel that doesn’t pay close attention to diver safety. But that doesn’t mean that they will baby sit you. If you are concerned about that, let the DM know on the boat, then on the dive, make sure you stay BEHIND the DM, close enough to signal him if you have a problem.

On the tanks, NO, they don’t refill tanks between dives. Each boat will have on board 2 tanks for each diver and 2 for each DM (plus often a spare or two, in case there’s a problem). After both dives are done and you are dropped off, the tanks will be shipped off to the commercial compressor station for refilling overnight.

As to diving in Tshirt/shorts, I have done that without problem for a day or two. BUT remember that loss of body heat is cumulative. If you are going to dive 4 days in a row, that third and fourth day of diving might be kind of chilly, even if there’s no change in water temp. Even in 81 deg. water, you WILL be losing body heat. And yes, there are occasional jellies, but the hydroids are the bigger issue, little tiny things you won’t even see, the hit feels like a wasp sting, but the pain is gone within 10 seconds or so. The itching red welt can last for weeks, and it’s miserable. If I am diving more than 2 days in a row, I wear a full body “skins plus”, fleece lined, 0.5 mm neoprene. If I’m diving HP steel 120s with Aldora, with 90+ minute dives, I’ll step up to a full 3mm wetsuit. A 90 minute dive in just a Tshirt and shorts might be comfortable for the first 45-50 minutes, but you’ll be shivering at the 90 minute mark (a lot sooner on the second dive), I guaranty it. Just a small amount of thermal protection AND protection from the little stinging things can make all the difference between comfort and misery.

 

[DandyDon]

That was not my post. I don't know how that happened. Trying again here...

I read several pages where scuba club is one such value for$ places...

Many here like Scuba Club for packed hotel, food, and diving, but many like more of a pick & choose approach.

Sorry about the change, please recommend 5 or 6 nights best bang for the buck place for drift dive in cozumel.

I like to stay in town, short walk to the dock, short walk to economical eateries, not one to splurge. You can go the hostel route and there are several. I use Hotels.com for hotel shopping as I like their rewards & guarantees. I like Hotel Mary Carmen @ $38/night with their on site $4 breakfasts, or Suites Bahia is showing $39/night with free breakfast at Casa Mexicana.

Competition is tough in Coz so picking a dive op is a matter of taste maybe. My go to shop is Salty Endeavors. Henry is an old friend, but I also like his commitment to service. My first trip with him, he repaired both regs with problems after servicing. His rates are competitive, discounts for multiple days, worth looking at.

Btw i might use AA award miles to fly PHILLY to cozumel!

Good luck. I once found a trip using minimum miles, without wasting miles at higher levels.

Also i love diving in tshirt/ shorts, is that ok in cozumel, are there jelly issues?

Henry and his main DM dive that way. I like full body protection.

What will I see in Cozumel that I could not have seen in Bahamas

Different views of the same big ocean, along with some species only found there like the Splendid Toad.

Pls suggest a dive op in san miguel...
Are all dives happening in southern part of island? That's quite a ride in the boat i read.

It's a significant ride, but most Ops use fast boats. I've done much longer rides in NC. The second dive is often closer to town so breaks up the return ride, or some dives are done north of town - closer in.

 

[ReefHound]

I've used 6 or 7 different ops and all are safety conscious.

I suspect by "fill tanks between dives" you mean change out tanks. The DMs will change out your tank after you surface, often by the time you have sat down and stopped dripping. Unless you tell them not to since some divers don't want anyone else setting up their gear.

I've heard decent things about Scuba Club but have never stayed there, mainly because when I compare options I find better value elsewhere.

I hate neoprene. I'll dive shorts and shirt in 78 or up. Sometimes I use a 1mm full for protection since it goes on easy.

 

[bamafan]

$500 says you're wrong. I take PayPal.

There is actually excellent cave diving on Cozumel so this is definitely a true statement .

 

[bamafan]

In Cozumel I have generally seen prices of $75 to $95 usd for a 2 tank dive. There are some small guys who have left the bigger shops and branches out on their own. They charter boats or get their own boat eventually and I have had excellent service from a few of these guys for $75 / 2 tank dive. So if you are diving 4 days you will blow the better part of $400 just on a morning 2 tank dive. Lodging is cheap. Their are the hostels and Airbnb. You can stay for $25/night easily during the summer. Stay close to town so you can walk to the local restaurants and the food is cheap there. Just look for a taqueria with the locals in it. Generally the further east you go the cheaper it gets.

 

[caruso]

All cave diving is drift diving.