New photo album. Compares waterfront areas Hotel Barracuda to Punta Sur.

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OK I've only got photos of BA's pier from 2007 & 2011 but neither shows any form of ladder but if you can give me an idea where it has been added & how easy it is to use I'll use the 2011 photo & add that info to it.
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cicopo:
Jim, next trip won't be until Feb but I'll ask if I can tour Scuba Club. I had been under the impression they weren't very open to that idea.

Reefhound, I'll re check re the ladder & may have a better photo showing it but either way I'll replace the photo with one listing the ladder. I have stayed there but that's several years ago.

Yellowdog I know there were huge changes at FA but having picked up divers more than once since then I didn't notice any real changes re an actual section of beach etc. From memory things that were along the shoreline remained pretty much the same but the beach club area was changed big time. It's still mainly ironshore along the shore isn't it?
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Message me prior to your trip. Jim
 
cicopo:
Jim, next trip won't be until Feb but I'll ask if I can tour Scuba Club. I had been under the impression they weren't very open to that idea.

Reefhound, I'll re check re the ladder & may have a better photo showing it but either way I'll replace the photo with one listing the ladder. I have stayed there but that's several years ago.

Yellowdog I know there were huge changes at FA but having picked up divers more than once since then I didn't notice any real changes re an actual section of beach etc. From memory things that were along the shoreline remained pretty much the same but the beach club area was changed big time. It's still mainly ironshore along the shore isn't it?
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We just walked up and they were more than accommodating when we asked for a tour at Scubaclub
 
Fiesta Americana - The footprint may be the same but except for the dock nothing else looks the same. They have built an overhanging boardwalk with seating, outdoor cabanas and multi wooden step access to the water. Snorkeling was surprisingly good with lots of life close to the shoreline and larger sea life farther out. ( not much coral ) Lots of boat activity at the dock so one wants to stay north of it in the safety zone. One of the cool things I found was that the on site dive operator sells certified divers tanks for $6.00US to use in the snorkel zone. I had fun with my camera where I could take my time In the no current area.
 
I snorkeled the area from there to the Presidenté several times before Hurricane Wilma beat the heck out of the area. It was fantastic back then but it was in the days when underwater photography was expensive. I do wish I'd have tried a few of the disposable type but that's hindsight. Next trip I'll both re photograph the improvements at FA if I get a chance plus I'll contact you Jim as well. I hadn't come up with the idea I used for the new photo album until 3 weeks ago. My original plan was to just do the resorts which I had toured or stayed at, then I decided to add any others I had a few photos of & with all that done I decided I may as well add the beaches & beach clubs I had photos of.

For the record my first visit was in 95 & I stayed at Sol Caribé (now Park Royal), then in Feb 98 at the new Reef Club (now Sabor etc) and the beach there was excellent. I would walk down to the Diamond (now Allegro) & drift snorkel my way back but there wasn't much to see but a few starfish & rays. In Dec of 2000 I stayed at Plaza Las Glorias (now the Palace). 2002 & 2003 were at the Iberostar, then in Feb 2005 I tried Hotel Cozumel because my wife felt too isolated way down south after being able to walk downtown when we had stayed at PLG. In 2009 relatives wanted to try Cozumel & insisted on a real beach so we did 1 week with them at the Grand & when they left we did a week at Hotel Cozumel for Carnaval. I tore my Achilles Tendon off of my heel bone later that year & had to skip a trip the next winter while I healed. 2011 was another split trip with a week at Hotel Cozumel followed by a week at Blue Angel. We liked Blue Angel but my wife (a non swimmer) was pretty much in an empty hotel because almost every guest dove a big part of the day. Since then it's been Hotel Cozumel where we have made friends with an ever increasing number of other guests that also visit at around the same time we do which is early Feb. Going in late Jan or early Feb splits winter in half for us & by the time we return home day time temps are improving & the snow is usually starting to melt.
 
cicopo:
OK I've only got photos of BA's pier from 2007 & 2011 but neither shows any form of ladder but if you can give me an idea where it has been added & how easy it is to use I'll use the 2011 photo & add that info to it. View attachment 517255
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Just beside the tank dolly in the second pic. It didn't really look new to me. It's just a vertical ladder. About as easy (or hard) to use as a boat ladder.
 
Does it end up flush with the top of the pier? No hand rail extension to use as you work your way up to the height of the pier? Re boat ladders I like them with a higher hand rail than most boats supply. I like to be able to climb aboard while still holding the hand rail
 
cicopo:
Does it end up flush with the top of the pier? No hand rail extension to use as you work your way up to the height of the pier? Re boat ladders I like them with a higher hand rail than most boats supply. I like to be able to climb aboard while still holding the hand rail
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As I recall, the top of the ladder extends about 12" above the deck. But I could be wrong and it is flush. It isn't the easiest at the end as you don't walk all the way up holding a handrail. We would get to the ladder, hold on as we removed fins and tossed them up, then climbed up. I would go first then reach down for my partner's weight pockets and to help her up.
 
OK, Thanks. I'll hunt for photos from other angles but the ones I have show nothing above the dock that resembles a ladder.

Edited to add you are right about a handrail. I found a photo on BA's website showing it. Wasn't there when I stayed there though.
 
 
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