Recently back from Cozumel 'aka' the 'Hiroshima of the Caribbean' !

[Divingnthedark]

SERENITY NOW!!!

Just kidding, of course. That's a good link, and the advice it gives is exactly what I was trying to do - remind folks not to feed the trolls. My chain is not jerked; don't worry. I've been back once after Wilma (in January) already, and I will be going again in May. I know what to expect, warts and all. ;^)

Gordon, That's the spirit!:14:

 

[domino22]

I can understand the disagreement that is surfacing here but the accusations would appear to be unfounded. Looking at Scubafanatic's profile and membership history, I see no reason to doubt his report.

Clearly he had an unfortunate experience in Cozumel that does not seem typical of most other members experience since Wilms.

Hey Karl. I had to ask to have my post removed. Did not know you where going down, get ready they are gonna be gunning for you after you made a honest post. I went thru some of my photos to defend my post but I got to tired of the attacks and asked to have my post removed. But on the bright side you to should get allot of PM'S backing your position I got many. Allot of folks here like to read the posts and not make them, I was amazed of how many I got it was awesome. Since you posted my name and call sign it will be looked at as a setup, get ready for that! Ya folks I know this guy and have dove with him in the Sea of Cortez and the Flower Gardens and maybe T&C do not remember. We are both members of two seperate dive clubs well both members of each one. Karl the folks who that are going to attack you do not know you and their is the Coz thing that people got in their heads I do not understand and it,it has to be one of the following. 1) They have a financial reason. 2) Coz was their first ocean dive. 3) They never dove Coz before the cattle boats came in 4) They never had to hire a fishing boat too go diving well I only had to do that twice 5) Money-Money-Money 6) Or heck it was warm water and was better vis than the local lake/quarry 7) Sometimes a person can never get over the loss of his/or hers first love, put me in that place. My high school sweatheart who I saw awhile back is no longer the awesome reef I once loved and she will never look like the girl I fell in love with to me Cozumel will never be what it once was....good luck see ya in the gulf

 

[Charlie99]

I won't detail my Cozumel experience here right now, other than to say that Emerald Dolphin Dive Services was the WORST dive operator I've ever experienced, and I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy ! The boat was fine, the tanks were full and the Nitrox mixes were correct/appropriate, the DM/crew operated safely.. (to the point of paranoia) ......but the DM severely restricted our dive times ( 700 psi/45 min 'rules') and I've never been with an operator so obcessed/fanatical about terminating dives early....moreover, he did guided tours over the 'best' of Cozumel's desert wastelands, on dive # 5, as we decended to 70 ft to begin what might have been a half-way promising wall dive, he deliberately immediately pulled us off the wall, swam us head first into a current while swimming 180 degrees away from the wall, we spent the next 40 min skimming the bottom at 50 ft. deep staring as an endless underwater sandy plain until he ran us out of air......... downright criminal ! (this was the dive where I threw in the towel and was ready to return home immediately !

It sounds like you are lumping site conditions and unhappiness with a dive operator all into one magnified horrible experience.

I haven't been to Cozumel since the hurricane came through, but over the last few months in Maui I have chatted during SIs with divers that have been there after the hurricane. Their descriptions are pretty consistent --- some shallow sites have been hit pretty hard and been covered with sand, but that there is still a lot of very nice diving in Cozumel.

I plan on getting there this summer, and taking a look at how the reef is recovering.

Here in Maui, Molokini, particularly the shallow sections of Reef's End, got trashed out pretty badly by 10 days of heavy swells in January 2004. Rather than cry about it, I go diving, find the area that have been "reconfigured", and watch with interest how the area recovers.

Sorry you had a bad experience, but it sure sounds like a lot of your problem was the dive operator.

 

[sharky60]

Wow, another scathing "review" of Cozumel. And wow, he's a friend of domino22. What a coincidence.

I could be wrong, ladies and gents, but it really looks to me like we are being trolled. I humbly suggest that we leave this one alone.

Yup, just keep movin' along...Hmm what's the photo forum have to offer....

 

[scubawife]

Cozumel wasn't the first place I dived, or my "first love." I don't have any financial interests there, I don't like lakes and quarries so all my diving is warm water. Most of my favorite dives have not been in Cozumel. Yes there is damage and sand and topside there is still lots of work to be done too. But pictures like Christi's and others that have been posted on recent reports are also representative of what's on Coz now. I saw both. I also got to dive on the east side where you'd think you were on a different island. No sand and lots of soft stuff and color.

For me, a big part of my experience with a destination has to do with selecting the right dive operator and place to stay. And that doesn't have to be the most expensive or luxurious. If you want advanced diving and the best a destination has to offer then pick a shop that caters to what you want. Or even better, a shop that caters to what you want that day - dive where you want, as deep as you want and as long as your air and computer allow you to dive. Cozumel has so many shops that you can pick and choose and you will find the perfect match even if you are the pickiest or choosiest diver around.

I'm sure your experience was exactly as you've stated. If that was what I had I would not be going back either. You seem to be a very experienced diver who for whatever reason settled for a dive operator that sounds like it's best suited for discover scuba classes. I wouldn't expect anyone who's had your experience to go rushing back no matter how many people say you drew the short straw. It happens. People tell me over and over how great the Bahamas is, but my experience there sucked and I don't plan to go back anytime soon. I also had bad luck in Puerto Rico. Great resort and the few dives we did were acceptable, but the shop fired a captain and had new management the week before we got there and their bad timing resulted in us losing 3 dive days. Unfortunately we were in an area where there weren't 50 shops to choose from so we were stuck. I won't be going back there anytime soon either.

Sorry you're vacation sucked. And thanks for giving everyone a heads up about Emerald Dolphin. It's a shop I've never seen mentioned on any dive board and if this is their usual operating then I see why. I hope that wherever your next trip is you have a better time and better diving then you did in Cozumel.

 

[domino22]

Cozumel wasn't the first place I dived, or my "first love." I don't have any financial interests there, I don't like lakes and quarries so all my diving is warm water. Most of my favorite dives have not been in Cozumel. Yes there is damage and sand and topside there is still lots of work to be done too. But pictures like Christi's and others that have been posted on recent reports are also representative of what's on Coz now. I saw both. I also got to dive on the east side where you'd think you were on a different island. No sand and lots of soft stuff and color.

For me, a big part of my experience with a destination has to do with selecting the right dive operator and place to stay. And that doesn't have to be the most expensive or luxurious. If you want advanced diving and the best a destination has to offer then pick a shop that caters to what you want. Or even better, a shop that caters to what you want that day - dive where you want, as deep as you want and as long as your air and computer allow you to dive. Cozumel has so many shops that you can pick and choose and you will find the perfect match even if you are the pickiest or choosiest diver around.

I'm sure your experience was exactly as you've stated. If that was what I had I would not be going back either. You seem to be a very experienced diver who for whatever reason settled for a dive operator that sounds like it's best suited for discover scuba classes. I wouldn't expect anyone who's had your experience to go rushing back no matter how many people say you drew the short straw. It happens. People tell me over and over how great the Bahamas is, but my experience there sucked and I don't plan to go back anytime soon. I also had bad luck in Puerto Rico. Great resort and the few dives we did were acceptable, but the shop fired a captain and had new management the week before we got there and their bad timing resulted in us losing 3 dive days. Unfortunately we were in an area where there weren't 50 shops to choose from so we were stuck. I won't be going back there anytime soon either.

Sorry you're vacation sucked. And thanks for giving everyone a heads up about Emerald Dolphin. It's a shop I've never seen mentioned on any dive board and if this is their usual operating then I see why. I hope that wherever your next trip is you have a better time and better diving then you did in Cozumel.

Awesome responce!! I am a Coz lover not a hater as some suggest but my island I have loved for many years has changed and I am upset of what has happened there, for me diving there in the 70's can never be repeated period. And I think even on this board no one will not disagree with that statement.

 

[archman]

...for me diving there in the 70's can never be repeated period. And I think even on this board no one will not disagree with that statement.

Unfortunately, 1970's-era reefs are pretty dang rare in the Caribbean. Notwithstanding other degradation factors, the Diadema mass deaths in the mid-80's were enough to throw everything sufficiently out of whack. Very few reefs were untouched by this epidemic.

You should try the Flower Garden Banks off Texas. They're just about the most historically pristine reef site left in the greater west Atlantic.

 

[domino22]

Ya you are correct I go once or twice or none per year depends if we get blown out or not. You are a aggie so you understand that? I did hit the coral spawn last year. By the way they the "Flower Gardens Are in the Gulf Of Mexico" is that the Atlantic? Here in Buba land we just call it the gulf. Ok reread sorry greater west Atlantic my fault I sorry. I went to Sam Houston in Huntsville. But the world is dying and I need to see what is left in the Pacific now that I can afford to go. Before it was just out of my $$ range and Coz was always my close jewel and with in my price. That has changed for me , I gonna spend the $$$$ and go west it is all gonna die I just want to see it before it /or I am gone.

 

[domino22]

Yup, just keep movin' along...Hmm what's the photo forum have to offer....

I sent you 3 pm 's why no responce??????????????

 

[Christi]

I sent you 3 pm 's why no responce??????????????

Harassment comes to mind based on your response here.