Riviera Maya diving

[Hack]

hello fellow divers
just wondering if anyone has been diving in the ocean and the cenotes ?
i want to take students on a reasonable trip
and has anyone been diving with Yucatek divers or does anyone have a suggestion on a dive opp.
yucatek promises whale sharks July through Aug. anyone have any luck with that?
THANKS

 

[MikeM_scuba]

Hi, I've just came back from Riviera Maya.
Was diving with Dive Aventuras from Puerto Aventuras. Very nice shop and very nice people. www.diveaventuras.com. You can negotiate a cash deal with them, something like $60 for two tank dive. If you have complex BCD (like Zeagle Ranger type) don't let them set it up for you (they set up all BCDs). They don't know how to set up anything but simple jacket style BCD. Boats are small, 5-6 divers max. Divemasters are very good.
Dive were OK, you can check out pictures on www.melnikov.us/mexico2006
Reefs in bad shape after Wilma, not quite the same as two years ago when I was there. Reefs covered with 2'' of sand, mostly grey and brown in color.
But there are still plenty of fish as you can see.
About whale sharks, I don't know. I've asked around but nobody knew any details.
All I know is that July and August is hell hot and humid there. If you go, make sure you call few shops, you can find amazing deal, since they are all but dead this time of year.
Senotes is nice but not my type of diving. I like ocean better.
Plus, in cenotes you have to walk down stairs with loaded BCD and tank attached.
Not too good for my back problems.
Let me know if need any more info

 

[divingjd]

We were in Playa del Carmen in January. I dove a few days in the ocean and one in cenotes. The cenote dive was with Yucatek. We did Dos Ojos. They did a very good job and we had a very good guide. I would definitely recommend them for cenote diving. If you do Dos Ojos, I recommend using the entrance from the highway labeled "Dos Ojos" (that's what Yucatek uses) not Hidden Worlds Cenote Park. At Hidden Worlds, you have to climb down a ladder through a small hole in the ground to the Bat Cave and begin your dives there. From the other entrance, there are broad stone steps down to the cenote entrance, which is one of the "two eyes." It is easier and more scenic. I dove one day in the ocean with Abyss and a couple of days with Tank Ha. The staff at both was good. All of the dive ops in PDC use relatively small boats with outboards because they pick you up at the beach. There are no piers for dive boats. Almost all of the boats are small. Tank Ha's are a little larger, although they still keep the group sizes down. They are still relatively small boats, but you have enough room to gear up without getting tangled up with the diver across the way and you can use a giant stride entry. How large a group are you planning to take? There are very few dive boats in the area that will accomodate more than six to eight divers. Diving was good, but not spectacular. Sea life is abundant, but the corals are not as interesting as other places. Because the coast is exposed to the wind, it is more likely for the port to close than in a place that is more sheltered like Cozumel.

 

[pablovi]

The whale sharks ar ein Holbox island, but you can't dive with them, only snorkel.

 

[scubawife]

Reefs in bad shape after Wilma, not quite the same as two years ago when I was there. Reefs covered with 2'' of sand, mostly grey and brown in color. But there are still plenty of fish as you can see.

Aventuras took a direct hit from Emily. Wilma did damage in the Akumal area from the surge that brought the ocean ashore.

I've been diving in Akumal a couple times a year for the past 5 yrs. We dive with Akumal Dive Adventures. Last trips were Dec and Feb. We were very pleased to see that there wasn't devistating hurricane damage. We didn't see 2" of sand on any sites we dived, and actually, there was hardly a trace of sand on the reefs. There were damaged fans and sponges, and lots of the amazing old elkhorn had broken limbs. The reefs in the area did suffer some bleaching this past summer due to higher temps and lighter then usual rainy season (aside from Emily and Wilma).

The ocean diving around Akumal is nice, easy drift diving. There are no walls or really spectacular stuff like you get in Cozumel, but the reef is pretty healthy and lush and you'll regularly see turtles, all sorts of rays, eels, lots of angels and the regular array of small tropicals. It's not a marine park so the variety and abundance of marine life is good, but not as good as you get in the Marine Park dive sites in Coz.

The cenotes are a great experience. We do a day or two of cenote diving on every trip. You said you're taking students, so, if you'll be diving cenotes with them, make sure they all have good bouyancy skills first.

Have you considered Cozumel? Your land costs would probably be cheaper and the diving will have more variety. I'm going to Coz next week for the 3rd time since Wilma. Yes, there is still sand on many sites and there was lots of damage to fans, sponges and soft coral on many sites. But, for every site in bad shape there is one that looks great and even on the not so great ones there is still lots to see. I don't think you would be disappointed

 

[Hack]

Hi mike
thanks for the quik response
can you tell me the water temp.of the cenotes?

 

[MikeM_scuba]

It's warm, just like in the ocean. I would recommend 3mm suit since you may touch something going through tight passages. I've uploaded pictures of me in cenotes in May of this year. Very nice experience but don't do it more than once. If you with group of people arrange 2-3 person in the group, no more. You don't want to get to many people in kind of small space. Make sure everybody in the group have good buoyancy or check them every so ofter. The water is fresh, so take 2-4 lbs off your belt compare to whatever you have in the ocean. Salt water is only on the button. The best way, go to ocean first, practice buoyancy with your group and than take to cenotes. If you'll want more than one day there they will be glad to accommodate you, they charge for cenotes $40 more than for ocean dive and promoting it heavily. Once again, remember it's a low season in Mexico now, dive shops will fight for you cash. BTW, cash goes long way in Mexico, you can get much better deal if you mention cash in US$$$. As somebody mention here you could much better prices and diving in Cozumel instead of peninsula. If I would go for diving trip (not family vacation) I would go to Cozumel.

 

[RussR]

I was diving in Tulum and the reefs in that area were in bad shape and the marine life was scarce. The Cenotes were incredivble and are worth the trip by themselves.

If I were to return to that area I would dive Cozumel or Playa del Carmen and the Cenotes.

 

[ScubaMike05]

Another huge vote for Cenotes!!! It's the time of your life!!

 

[Brewone0to]

Strongly thinking about Dos Ojos for early next year. Just returned from Roatan.
What accomadations do you suggest for this and what area would be ideal for a base if we wanted to ocean dive, cenotes, snorkle (the aquarium) Yalhun (?), and possible ferry over to Coz? I was looking into Akumal. Anyone stayed at Akumal Beach Resort?
I had a 8 day stay all inclusive quote of 1150 for 2 people. Looks pretty nice. Just not sure of the location in regards to the above mentioned interest.