paradise reef from shore
- Thread starter Candiru
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Augustus
Contributor
Thats right. The work making the cut for the exit of the new marina means you no longer can get down to paradise. Maybe once the marina opens you will be able to but for now its impossible unless you want to lug your gear a long ways over ironstone.
We tried this a couple of times when we were staying at the Presidente. The actual reef is far enough offshore that we blew through half our air getting partway there. By the time we swam back, current had pushed us pretty far north and we had a significant trudge back.
I do know that people have done Paradise shore dives, but we concluded that for us the cost saving of a shore dive was trivial compared with the greatly increased fun of a boat dive.
That's not to say there's nothing at the shore there. Some of my best photos of juvenile angels, porcupinefish and slipper lobsters were taken snorkeling a few feet offshore from the Presidente.
I do know that people have done Paradise shore dives, but we concluded that for us the cost saving of a shore dive was trivial compared with the greatly increased fun of a boat dive.
That's not to say there's nothing at the shore there. Some of my best photos of juvenile angels, porcupinefish and slipper lobsters were taken snorkeling a few feet offshore from the Presidente.
Aside from the above, it is within marine park boundaries and you are required to have a local guide and have a marine park bracelet - not to mention the boat traffic witht he entrance to the Caleta, etc. - just sayin 
Frank Storms
Contributor
Within the marine park boundary, yes, that's the rule, and Paradise Reef is in the park.
I'm not sure how firmly that rule about guides in the park is enforced, frankly. I was chatting with my seatmate on the airplane on my way down here. I learned he was a diver and it was his second trip to Cozumel. I asked him who he dived with and he said "my friends". I said "no, which dive shop". And he said "oh we just rent a boat to take us out...we don't use a dive op". I reiterated the marine park rules and he said "yeah, I know. Oh well." So it would appear there are boat captains who would rather take the money and run instead of following the marine park rules. Probably the same guys you can find fishing in the park if you get out early enough....
They probably hire a DM and the DM gets the boat - I am hoping. Still, if the boat has permits and they aren't using them, it will catch up to them when it comes time to renew permits. If they are not using a guide and it is just a rouge captain taking people out - the day they get caught, that captain will likely lose his license - in a case like this, the Harbor Master woudl come into play and the Marine park and HM would team up. The captain would be the one punished.
Isn't the shore diving from pretty much every resort south of the ferry pier "inside the park"? I don't see SCC (or any other resort) saying "unlimited shore diving, but only if you take a guide".
Is there some difference between shore diving Paradise Reef and shore diving off one of the resorts?
Is there some difference between shore diving Paradise Reef and shore diving off one of the resorts?
Similar threads
