Poll - Will this partial closure of marine park affect your future plans to visit Cozumel?

[jomcclain]

Just a little perspective for those who are not familiar. Yes, the Palancar and Columbia sites are famous and for good reason - they are majestic. With that said, we have over 30 wonderful dive sites to choose from. So 8 reefs of 30+ will be temporarily closed for a bigger picture scenario. I am anticipating a staggered closure schedule in the future for all reefs - a rotation if you will. This is what is being discussed but NOT OFFICIAL - it's being proposed and discussed among other options.

As hard of an economic hit this may be to the island, specifically to dive operators already operating on small margins, protecting the reef - whether this is an effective measure or not - is paramount. Not getting to dive our favorite sites on our vacation (yes I know, it was hard earned in most cases) falls into the category of "luxury problems." But if we don't do SOMETHING, there may not be reefs to dive in the future. I don't like that it has come to this, but I'm willing to see how it all pans out. If declaring a state of emergency gets more funding back to Cozumel parks so that the authorities that be have more resources, then I think it is a win for everyone.

So rather than stomping our feet and taking our balls and going home - look at this from a different lens and understand that this may be your opportunity to start enjoying Cozumel's macro life instead of the towering formations (although there will still be opportunities for those). You may have an entirely different Cozumel diving experience. As a photographer, some of my personal favorite sites are Chankanaab Bolones, La Francesa, Cedral Wall and Tormentos - but I'm also someone who is just happy to be in the water with a scuba kit on and camera in hand.

So, are you a glass half full or a glass half empty kind of person? You DO have a choice in how you look at this. I choose to be in acceptance and to be willing to see what happens.

Stay tuned.

My husband and I are going to be there next week. We probably would have cancelled but, we've already paid deposits and I don't want to lose those. I'm sure that there will still be plenty of good stuff to see. It breaks my heart to know that the reefs of Coz are in such bad shape. I haven't been there in 4-5 years so I didn't know. Not diving the reefs there would be a very small price to pay for helping them to recover, But I doubt restricting diving is going to be of any help at all since the authorities aren't going to change anything else that likely has a far greater impact on the health of the reef.

 

[Kimela]

We have friends who have ownership in the Palace resorts. They contacted us about a great deal for NEXT September and we said "yes" (I just looked at the texts and it was from Sept 19th - coincidence?). This was before I knew about this. So we're committed to another trip next year and wondering if we've made a mistake.

 

[JamesBon92007]

Wonder how they came up with the time right before Christmas to open the reefs back up.

The beginning of "high season" perhaps?

 

[DiverN2H2O]

This reminds me of what happened after Wilma. People were in a panic, canceling trips for a year or more in advance.
For those of us that were loyal and returned we saw what some considered total devastation.
Jump forward 10 years and 80% or more of the divers visiting Cozumel are in awe of what they see.
10 years from now even if the south sites never open there will still be new divers in awe of what they see.
Answer to the poll, yes we’ll be back staying November-April 26 years and counting.

 

[drrich2]

For those of us that were loyal and returned we saw what some considered total devastation.
Jump forward 10 years and 80% or more of the divers visiting Cozumel are in awe of what they see.

But there's the rub. Should people who want to take a dive trip to Cozumel go when there are currently closures of popular sites, and there's the concern it's somewhat at risk to happen again in the near term future, or should they wait a year or two to see how this shakes out? And go somewhere else in the meantime? Especially people who at least for now aren't already Cozumel loyalists, and would like to enjoy the best Coz. has to offer the one time they might go.

Richard.

 

[Trailboss123]

We have friends who have ownership in the Palace resorts. They contacted us about a great deal for NEXT September and we said "yes" (I just looked at the texts and it was from Sept 19th - coincidence?). This was before I knew about this. So we're committed to another trip next year and wondering if we've made a mistake.

You haven't
I am going next month and have ZERO regrets. I booked a few days before this announcement. The dive sites that are still accessible completely blow away most of anything else in the Caribbean anyway. I think most of the people that are freaking out and panicking are people that always do their first deep dive of the day in the Palancar Reef System and then their 2nd dive at one of the shallower inner reefs and don't know anything else. They have no concept or experience with all of the great wall diving that exists outside of the closure area. Maybe this brief closure will expose some people to incredible dive sites they have never had the opportunity to experience.

Don't get me started on the awesome culture, food scene and people-- That is icing on top of the diving Cake.

 

[cvchief]

Maybe I wasnt clear in things I said. Yes there is dying coral and yes it make's me cry, but there is still a whole lot of not dead corals too.

I understand Undercurrent is doubling down on their condemnation of Cozumel's reefs. You know if you are a subscriber, they have a money back guarantee, just saying.

So since they clearly need some help on their reporting, I give you Jefe's man on the reef interviews. How does the regular diver feel? Let them tell you.

 

[scubafanatic]

We have friends who have ownership in the Palace resorts. They contacted us about a great deal for NEXT September and we said "yes" (I just looked at the texts and it was from Sept 19th - coincidence?). This was before I knew about this. So we're committed to another trip next year and wondering if we've made a mistake.

You and all the other folks who didn't/won't get the memo in time are providing the life-support $ needed to keep the Coz scuba business ecosystem alive until the ultimate facts/conditions can be determined. I'd give Coz one more year's worth of scuba business before the scuba tourist $ faucet completely shuts off, (reputations take a little time to be gained or lost) given the speed of the disease and no motive for the vested commercial interests to clean up the sewage/stop over development. Diseases often lurk hidden in the background awaiting organisms' to weaken their immune systems (environmental stresses like elevated temps/silt/sewage) before becoming evident. Coz is not alone in this, it's widespread, it's one of many more dominos to fall I fear.

 

[ChainDiver]

My wife and I were about to book for December 6th to 13th when the closure was posted on Scubaboard. We held off and were looking at other options. With the re-opening on the 15th we have booked for December 13th to 20th. Flights were 412$US direct from Montreal to Coz, staying at Casa Mexicana (for the 4th time!!) and diving with Tres Pelicanos (for the 3rd time!). Should be interesting, we dive on the 14th with the closures, then the next day things will be open.