Questions on Cozumel

[mccabejc]

I've heard that Coz diving is mostly drift diving. 'Zat so? Also, I'm wondering if there are any beach resorts in Coz where you can walk out the door and do a great beach dive. I'm new to diving, and I'm looking for some easy, fairly shallow reef dives. I'd not too sure about drift diving. I think I'd rather do the work myself than just sit there and watch a reef go by.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

It isn't really like that. You can be very active while drift diving in Coz----- swim throughs, walls to descend and ascend, reefs with gentle enough currents to explore, etc.
Scuba Club has an easy shore dive with sometimes entertaining and even X-rated material! Watched sting rays mating on a night dive there.
I don't think even a newbie would find Coz drifts boring or particularly difficult---- just make sure you have good buoyancy control on the walls.
Love Coz!!! :07: :07: :07:

 

[scubacoz]

It isn't really like that. You can be very active while drift diving in Coz----- swim throughs, walls to descend and ascend, reefs with gentle enough currents to explore, etc.
Scuba Club has an easy shore dive with sometimes entertaining and even X-rated material! Watched sting rays mating on a night dive there.
I don't think even a newbie would find Coz drifts boring or particularly difficult---- just make sure you have good buoyancy control on the walls.
Love Coz!!! :07: :07: :07:

There are easy shore dives at most hotels south of downtown. Plaza Las Glorias is one I've done many times, as well as the airplane at La Ceiba. These are not "beach dives" technically, as you'll be entering from a rocky shore. But that's why the diving's good in those areas... no sand to get stirred up and ruin your vis.

These are good for a check-out before your major reef/boat dives. I also enjoy these for a quick afternoon or night dive.

If you're going to Coz, you'll be drift diving... and you'll love it.

 

[UndrWatrDan]

Don't worry about the drift diving in Cozumel. It's great and the currents are not that strong. You can still see much of the reef, spend time looking around etc. I just got back from Cozumel and had 3 kids ages 11-13 with us and they loved the dives. I did dives off Plaza Las Glorias and La Ciba and prefer the diving off La Ciba. As scubacoz said, not really any "beach" diving there but the water entries are very easy. PLG is closing on Aug 29th for renovations and will not open again till Dec 23rd, so i'm sure the closing will also close off the shore diving in that area.

Do the drift dives, you'll love them.

 

[ggunn]

I've heard that Coz diving is mostly drift diving. 'Zat so? Also, I'm wondering if there are any beach resorts in Coz where you can walk out the door and do a great beach dive. I'm new to diving, and I'm looking for some easy, fairly shallow reef dives. I'd not too sure about drift diving. I think I'd rather do the work myself than just sit there and watch a reef go by.

Unfortunately, there is no great beach diving on Cozumel. There's OK beach diving, and easy beach diving, but nothing you can get to from the beach will remotely approach what you will have access to from a boat.

And yes, the boat dives at Cozumel are virtually all drift dives (a lot of the shore dives are, too), but you'll love it. There are plenty of great dives there that are well suited to new divers.

 

[Christi]

I think many people, especially new divers are intimidated by the term "drift diving." Don't be.

A drift dive simply means that there is a current and that you do not have to navigate ack to a starting point. The boat follows the divers and picks you up where you surface. The currents in Cozumel are very manageable (with only a few exceptions) and you can still stop and look at things, go through swim throughs, etc. YOu will not be flying by the reef so that you cannot enjoy.

Even from the shore, you would be doing a drift dive. Which actually makes a shore dive in Cozumel more work than a boat dive because you either have to navigate back to your starting point or exit and walk or taxi back to your starting point. If you choose to navigate back, you wll have to swim against the current in the beginning of your dive.

Cozumel is famous for the reefs, which are only accessible by boat, unlike places like Bonaire and Curacao where shore diving is the highlight.

Don't let "drift diving" scare you. Come down and have a good time. If you don't do some boat diving, you'll really be missing out!

 

[mtnredhed]

what could be easier?
1. Roll off boat
2. watch beautiful reef and fish go by, maybe do a few swim throughs
3. duck behind coral heads to hang with the locals
3. surface and be picked up by boat
4. repeat after an hour if this is first dive.
5. lunch, nap, Pina Coladas

repeat as often as wallet and comp/tables allow. That's my Coz dive plan

 

[ronrosa]

what could be easier?
1. Roll off boat
2. watch beautiful reef and fish go by, maybe do a few swim throughs
3. duck behind coral heads to hang with the locals
3. surface and be picked up by boat
4. repeat after an hour if this is first dive.
5. lunch, nap, Pina Coladas

repeat as often as wallet and comp/tables allow. That's my Coz dive plan

Well, not every dive operator takes special care with newbies.

Some dive ops swim against currents to end dives faster.

Some don't show newbies how to duck behind coral/rocks to avoid current.

Some newbies freak out when they can't control their movement.

I've seen all 3 and the divers in subject did not enjoy the dive.

That being said, Cozumel is a great place to dive even for newbies. Select a good operator, let them know your experience level and concerns and you should do fine.

 

[NDH]

When your in Cozumel let the DM know your experience and they will take you to the reefs that your qualify for and have a great time.

 

[Paco]

If you're a bit nervous about the drift diving, I would recommend that your first one be an afternoon dive (they're shallower) and ask about Paradize Reef (Paraiso in Sp.). This reef is teaming with fish and only 40' deep. I think that after that one you'll have the confidence to do others. The diving off Plaza las Glorias is generally in 15 ft. of water, but you can see some old Spanish cannons and some fish but it doesn't compare to the reefs.