Shore Dive recommendations

[ggunn]

I never touch or push off of anything unless absolutely neccessary, but unfortunately a lot of divers do feel the need to touch everything in sight when wearing gloves. Not long after they built the pen, I was trying to see what was inside of it and grabbed the fence, never expecting there to be any stingers attached to it so soon. It's just a man made fence, so I saw no harm in it. As far as using gloves other times, I had a nasty hydroid sting on the back of my hand from having a loose floater bump into me. I don't see a problem with divers wearing protection, just in case, but the dive masters have better things to be doing than deciding who is responsible enough to wear gloves, and who is not. So the park rules should apply to everyone. I for one will still be wearing mine when not in the park.

A couple of years ago while I was staying at the BA, the current reversed and caught some snorkelers out by the pen. It swept them into the mesh and they got some pretty nasty stings.

 

[firstdive2005]

I never touch or push off of anything unless absolutely neccessary,

I for one will still be wearing mine when not in the park.

Hi I agree, I also like wearing gloves for the floater protection.
Most times people need gloves is when they do the swim throughs and don't have the kick skills to reverse or turn properly. They then push off the coral. Inside the coral swim throughs it is just as alive as outside.
I suppose it's the dms move to take them through with whatever skill they have. They dont grill everyone about every detail of their skills. So naturally people are going in that need to grab and pull. I have seen cuts on fingers and scrapes that become very infected from doing this. When the animal gets in the skin it can be nasty. When I was in the hospital on my last trip in the waiting room was a lady with quite the swollen finger from bouncing off the coral head as she put it.
I suppose the idea behind preserving the reef is up to us as divers to know how close we can get with our skill level. I like taking close up photos, I like looking with my magnifying glass. I practiced like crazy to learn how to reverse. And that was with split fins way back. Crap I read here on the board that was litterly impossible to do. Well it's not.
If each one of us took the time to practice our skills just a little bit the reefs and safety of each other would very good.

 

[ggunn]

... I like looking with my magnifying glass.

Me, too. I bought a 3" glass with a plastic handle from the grocery store, drilled a hole though the handle, ran about 5 feet of light line through it and put a small carabiner (my spell checker doesn't like anything I try for that) on the other end - instant dive gear! I use it a lot at Colombia Shallows where I can just hang next to a big coral head and search for tiny stuff.

 

[1KWIK_69]

Hi I agree, I also like wearing gloves for the floater protection.
Most times people need gloves is when they do the swim throughs and don't have the kick skills to reverse or turn properly. They then push off the coral. Inside the coral swim throughs it is just as alive as outside.
I suppose it's the dms move to take them through with whatever skill they have. They dont grill everyone about every detail of their skills. So naturally people are going in that need to grab and pull. I have seen cuts on fingers and scrapes that become very infected from doing this. When the animal gets in the skin it can be nasty. When I was in the hospital on my last trip in the waiting room was a lady with quite the swollen finger from bouncing off the coral head as she put it.
I suppose the idea behind preserving the reef is up to us as divers to know how close we can get with our skill level. I like taking close up photos, I like looking with my magnifying glass. I practiced like crazy to learn how to reverse. And that was with split fins way back. Crap I read here on the board that was litterly impossible to do. Well it's not.
If each one of us took the time to practice our skills just a little bit the reefs and safety of each other would very good.

I've practiced the crap out of my bouyancy skills since the 80's. I received my peak performance bouyancy cert many years ago. I've even received mad props from dive masters and instructors on my bouyancy control. It helps that I have a huge set of lungs, but it's not so good on my air consumption.

 

[DandyDon]

Me, too. I bought a 3" glass with a plastic handle from the grocery store, drilled a hole though the handle, ran about 5 feet of light line through it and put a small carabiner (my spell checker doesn't like anything I try for that) on the other end - instant dive gear! I use it a lot at Colombia Shallows where I can just hang next to a big coral head and search for tiny stuff.

Yeah, google spell check has it's shortcomings as that is correct...

A carabiner or karabiner is a metal loop with a sprung or screwed gate. The long axis opposite the gate is referred to as the spine. It can quickly and reversibly connect components in safety-critical systems. The word comes from "Karabinerhaken", meaning "hook for a carbine" in German.

It doesn't like any of these choices.

 

[sharky60]

we made a dive last April from just north of El Cid to Pappa Hogs. That are has recovered very well. Lots of sea fans on a comeback, and many, many places for hunting critters.

around the stingray enclosre is a great shore dive day or night, the "cage" has almost become a mini reef on it's own count, take your time and you will find lots of stuff.

the area from the stingray enclosure down (south) to Papa Hogs (Villa Blanca Shallows), still isn't what it used to be, but again, if you take your time and hang out on one of the many small coral heads dotting the landscape, you will find a lot of interesting critters.

the entire strip from the International Pier all the way north to Blue Angel, (and probably up to Scuba Club for that matter), is packed with plenty of suff to keep you busy if you take your time
and look for it.

 

[sharky60]

Here's a related question: does anyone know if you can get into the water somewhere near Scuba Club if you are not staying there? There is always a buzz about shore diving out in front of SCC.

 

[Texas Torpedo]

Here's a related question: does anyone know if you can get into the water somewhere near Scuba Club if you are not staying there? There is always a buzz about shore diving out in front of SCC.

The best way I know of is to use the Dive Paradise entry right across from Hotel Cozumel. Easy swim right over to SCC.

 

[Craig66]

Related Questions related to shore night diving

1. The area in front of Jennies and Margaritaville is where the pod people do the helmet diving. Given the artifacts that have been placed there I am imagining that there is possibly reasonable night life in that area as well as around Barracuda Hotel. Has anyone ever dived there and what are the logistics of diving there with regards to access, tank availability and is it even allowed especially as it is close to the Naval Base?

2. When night diving in areas other than SCC and BA what is the situation with surface marking? I would imagine a non illuminated SMB is not a good idea at all and rather it is just lights shining upwards and then above the head if needing to ascend?

3. Can one rent tanks and dive at BA if one is not regularly diving with them or do you have to be a BA diver

Thanks

Craig

 

[ggunn]

3. Can one rent tanks and dive at BA if one is not regularly diving with them.

Yes; at least that was so last May when I was there last. I'll have an update for you in about six weeks.