Shore snorkeling on Coz? Bring my own fins or rent?

[Katie L]

I’m headed to Cozumel tomorrow, then going to Isla Holbox. I am packing fairly light, not bringing my own BCD or regs. My dive shop has a flat fee for most rental gear, and stocks the same fins I own. I was thinking of just bringing my computer, mask, boots, and possibly fins, but I can’t decide re: fins!

I won’t be diving every day and am planning to snorkel/free dive with my non-diver partner. We have booked a guided boat trip for snorkeling with the dive shop. But do I bring our own fins so we can also snorkel from the shore? A deciding factor will be the availability of good, accessible shore snorkeling in Coz/Holbox.

Where are the best spots for this?

 

[DandyDon]

I'd take my own fins unless packing was a challenge.

A deciding factor will be the availability of good, accessible shore snorkeling in Coz/Holbox.

I did not explore other options than whale shark swimming when I went, but I think there are some. Surely you're going to swim with the Dominoes. I'd want my own fins.

 

[ggunn]

I’m headed to Cozumel tomorrow, then going to Isla Holbox. I am packing fairly light, not bringing my own BCD or regs. My dive shop has a flat fee for most rental gear, and stocks the same fins I own. I was thinking of just bringing my computer, mask, boots, and possibly fins, but I can’t decide re: fins!

I won’t be diving every day and am planning to snorkel/free dive with my non-diver partner. We have booked a guided boat trip for snorkeling with the dive shop. But do I bring our own fins so we can also snorkel from the shore? A deciding factor will be the availability of good, accessible shore snorkeling in Coz/Holbox.

Where are the best spots for this?

IMO, the best snorkeling is at Colombia Shallows when the weather allows.

 

[Rob9876]

I would bring fins, as to me there are a number of good places on the island to shore snorkel, including near Buccanos (entry fee credited toward food), Tikila, Chankanaab (entry fee), Money Bar, and a nice small reef that is a little long but mostly shallow swim out from the Punta Sur beach (entry fee). There's also decent snorkeling near Hotel Barracuda -- they have a bar there open to the public, not sure if they charge any entry fee. Not sure where you'll be staying, but many of the condos north of town on the water also have good snorkeling.

While many beach clubs also rent snorkel gear, I still like to bring my fins for snorkeling for a few reasons:

• Any snorkel rentals (unlike your dive op) usually use snorkel fins that now feel tiny to me, even compared to my travel fins, and it's nice to have the extra power of scuba fins -- I've ended up needing to tow a poor swimmer before;
• Most rental snorkel fins don't have room for my 2mm swim booties, which are still nice to have on many "iron shore" shore entries, and a lot of rental snorkel fins are not comfortable to me;
• Sometimes the port gets closed in the morning, but things settle down later in the day, so it's nice to have what you need to snorkel.

Not everyone is a fan of Cozumel snorkeling, but I always find enough to see to enjoy it.