Shore diving on Cozumel at present

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

My first trip to Coz is coming up soon. I've read a bit about the shore diving spots in old threads, but I know Wilma changed a lot of that by destroying reefs and causing (?) closures of reefs (how do you close a reef anyway? ).

So, where are some good spots to go shore diving at the moment taking into account closures, etc?

Where can I get some air fills? It seems like a lot of places will only give you air if you are staying or diving with them, which seems strange. Never met a dive shop that wouldn't take my money for tanks. Are there any shops just sort of like regular dive shops that rent tanks?

How about night shore diving?

Is shore diving Chankanaab going to be available the second week of January (we're staying very close to there)? Can you dive the wreck from shore? Doesn't look like too long a swim.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Gregg

 

[Ron Brandt]

My first trip to Coz is coming up soon. I've read a bit about the shore diving spots in old threads, but I know Wilma changed a lot of that by destroying reefs and causing (?) closures of reefs (how do you close a reef anyway? ).

So, where are some good spots to go shore diving at the moment taking into account closures, etc?

Where can I get some air fills? It seems like a lot of places will only give you air if you are staying or diving with them, which seems strange. Never met a dive shop that wouldn't take my money for tanks. Are there any shops just sort of like regular dive shops that rent tanks?

How about night shore diving?

Is shore diving Chankanaab going to be available the second week of January (we're staying very close to there)? Can you dive the wreck from shore? Doesn't look like too long a swim.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Gregg

I personally would not try diving "The Sunk" as a shore dive...it's an interesting thought though...

Ron


Ron

 

[loudives]

Chankanaab was completely destroyed. I just returned yesterday from Coz and from the water side Chank looks terrible---no way are you going to dive there. I saw the snorkel boats at Villablanca with people in the water but don't know about the reef. Most all reefs are to far out to dive anyway. Try Blu Angle dive shop at the Caribe Blu Hotel for shore diving---no where near as good as the boats. Many of the shallow reefs took it bad, many broken or missing coral formations. Most sites 50' or more in good shape. Most shops do not have compressors, they lease from a company so they don't have many spares and the ones they have of course they are saving for their multi dive customers. Maybe if you guarantee x number of tanks before hand they can have them for you. You will not be happy shore diving in Coz anyway--there is always a current and you will not be able to swim against it. A 1+ hour shore dive will take you at least a mile away, thats a long way to haul gear!
Contact the following for real good dive people with small fast boats and personal service.
www.bottomtimedivers.net Raul
www.liquidbluedivers.com Michaela and Roberto
www.bluextseadivers.com Christi

You had better start now as dive shops are filling up for Jan and Feb. Raul's boat is a six pack while Roberto's and Christi's can take 8. All three have canopies so guys like me don't get the solar dome sunburned.

Lou

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I personally would not try diving "The Sunk" as a shore dive...it's an interesting thought though...

Care to elaborate? What would be the issue? Boat traffic? Currents?

Thanks for any further info...

I'm assuming "The Sunk" is the wreck near Chankanaab?

 

[loudives]

Ron is probably thingking about the currents and the traffic. Also right now the thing is not stable and there is a ban on entering it.

Lou

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I'm booked with Christi the entire week I am there. But I'm trying to figure out how to do some shore diving in the afternoons and nights.

For the sake of this thread, let's just assume that I am aware that the only real diving in Coz is from boats, that I will hate shore diving there compared to the boats, and that the current is an issue, but I want to do some shore diving anyway. I've met people who told me they were able to do drift dives putting in in one area and getting out at another, so the currents don't seem like a deal killer at all. I'm just trying to adapt plans to the post-Wilma situation.

Again, thanks for any ideas.

 

[loudives]

The best shore dive that I've heard of is taxi to Villablanca drift to Caribe Blu and exit.

Lou

 

[halocline]

I used to shore dive from scuba shack all the time; it's just north of La Ceiba and you can easily swim out to a little patch of paradise reef. Christi just mentioned in another thread that since the pier there is gone, it might be impossible to safely put in, and that there might be major damage to that section of the reef. I'm sure I'll still give it a shot some afternoon when I'm there in a couple of weeks.

Regarding the villa blanca to Caribe blu dive, can someone explain exactly where this is to me? For some reason I'm having trouble picturing exactly where the entry and exit points are, let's say using Casa del Mar as a reference point.

About the wreck, what I've read is that currents make it extremely difficult to shore dive. I've only done the wreck once, and there was a pretty nasty current. To be honest, it wasn't one of my favorite dives anyway. Hey humuhumu...etc, when will you be there? I'll be there Jan 4-10, ggunn will be around some of those dates as well. Maybe we can all get together for a beer? I'm doing a solo trip this time so I'll be up for a hang.

 

[Christi]

Trying to dive the wreck from shore would be close to suicide. It may not LOOK like a long swim...but it is and only an expert diver who KNOWS the area would be able to navigate the currents from shore to the wreck. By the time you made it to the wreck, you would have to turn around and come back...and most likely, you wouldn't even have the air for that. Trying to do a surface swim from shore to the wreck would most likely exhaust you or get you run over by a boat. Finally, it is a boring dive and you would be very disappointed after all of that work...so no, it is not at all advisable.

Chankanaab park is closed and will be for the foreseeable future.

One of the reasons shops don't "take money" for tanks to shore dive is exactly what Lou said. We don't have compressors and our tanks are kept at the central fill station where they are refilled and maintained. Only shops on the waterfront with shore diving locations keep spare tanks sitting around to rent for shore diving. Otherwise, we order our tanks the night before to be delivered to our boats early the morning of the dive. Delivering one or two tanks costs them more in gas than they charge for the tanks...so logically, they won't do it.

These shops that DO have shore diving locations maintain the area and provide the facilities, so it is only fair that they be the ones providing tanks for shore diving and making the fe extra bucks...which by the way is not a big profit center.

Post Wilma, most of these waterfront shops are operating, but shore diving just really isn't an option due to the debris and repairs going on with all of the piers.

I think once you come to Cozumel and see the layout of the island and see how things work...all of this will make alot more sense to you. You just need to realize that every dive destination you go to will operate differently and will have different protocols.

In summary, Cozumel is not set-up for much shore diving...and even less so after Wilma.

 

[Christi]

I used to shore dive from scuba shack all the time; it's just north of La Ceiba and you can easily swim out to a little patch of paradise reef. Christi just mentioned in another thread that since the pier there is gone, it might be impossible to safely put in, and that there might be major damage to that section of the reef. I'm sure I'll still give it a shot some afternoon when I'm there in a couple of weeks.

Regarding the villa blanca to Caribe blu dive, can someone explain exactly where this is to me? For some reason I'm having trouble picturing exactly where the entry and exit points are, let's say using Casa del Mar as a reference point.

About the wreck, what I've read is that currents make it extremely difficult to shore dive. I've only done the wreck once, and there was a pretty nasty current. To be honest, it wasn't one of my favorite dives anyway. Hey humuhumu...etc, when will you be there? I'll be there Jan 4-10, ggunn will be around some of those dates as well. Maybe we can all get together for a beer? I'm doing a solo trip this time so I'll be up for a hang.

Matt, I made sure to look when I drove by today...shore access does not look possible at this point in front of Scuba Shack...they're definitely working over there...but as of today I would not advise shore diving there.

The Villa Blanca/Caribe Blu shore dive is basically getting in at Papa Hogs and drifting down to Caribe Blu...but of course you need to know where to get out...and the markers I used are apparently no longer there. The landscape has completely changed along the shoreline obviously, so I wouldn't even be able to give you a clue. Of course the DM's at Blue Angel can if they've done any shore diving there. I have a pending Discover course this week in front of Caribe Blu...but the father is going to do a quick shore dive to assess it to see if he feels comfortable with the conditions before we go ahead.

Casa del Mar is further south from Villa Blanca and Caribe Blu...so it's not a reference point for that dive.

Hope this helps some.