shoreline drift dive?

[zinmaker]

Hello,

Ok call me crazy. How far is it for a drift dive from the dock at Hotel Cozumel, to the plane that is sunk somewhere in or near the Chankanacab park. As I recall it is a mild reverse current along the shore for the most part. If I have to go under the ferry terminal docks, I'll abandon my quest now.

 

[ggunn]

Hello,

Ok call me crazy. How far is it for a drift dive from the dock at Hotel Cozumel, to the plane that is sunk somewhere in or near the Chankanacab park. As I recall it is a mild reverse current along the shore for the most part. If I have to go under the ferry terminal docks, I'll abandon my quest now.

Well, in the first place, if it's the plane I am thinking of, it's in the water off the La Ceiba complex, which is a pretty fur piece from Chankanaab.

In the second place, according to the web page http://www.playa-azul.com/english/how.asp, Hotel Cozumel is in the north hotel zone.

In the third place, according to the map on the same page, from Hotel Cozumel to Chankanaab looks to be 10-12 miles; the ferry pier and three cruise ship piers are between them, and it's all upcurrent. How much air are you planning to carry?

OK, you're crazy. ;^)

 

[parrotheaddiver]

I think he is talking about the old Brisas, Fiesta Inn, Costa club. It is just south of town next to Scuba Club.

 

[divematt]

The now broken up plane is in fact in front of El Cid La Ceiba hotel, 2 1/2 to 3 miles south of town. I stayed there a month ago and did 4 day shore and 2 night shore dives there. It's really not that bad a dive at all for free (minus tanks). The current ran north and sometimes dragged us up to Ernestos Fajita Factory and Casa Del Mar Hotel which isn't far. You might get Del Mar Aquatics (the onsite dive op) to rent you some tanks there. Hotel Cozumel is a bit north of all of this.

 

[ggunn]

I think he is talking about the old Brisas, Fiesta Inn, Costa club. It is just south of town next to Scuba Club.

OK, assuming the that's the hotel he means, and it is the La Ceiba plane he is talking about, it's still a heckofa long ways. I have drifted from the Caribe Blu down to SCC; it took about an hour, IIRC. From SCC to La Ceiba has to be 4 to 5 times as far, and upcurrent.

But you're right; it's not nearly as far as from the northern hotel zone. He's not crazy, merely severely delusional... ;^)

Cheers,

 

[zinmaker]

Thanks DiveMatt,
I was thinking of doing the dive starting from the hotel cozumel dock, and yes the place with all the previous names, las brisas, costa club. If the plane is all broken up, then that is ok as well, just sounds like fun, my package includes free shore dive tanks, and just wanted to make the most of it. I was planning on bringing some taxi fare for me and my buddy for the ride back. Hotel Cozumel is about a mile south of town, and that would put the El Cid La Ceiba hotel plane wreck at the most 2 miles, with a reverse current of anything around 1 knot it should be maybe an hour dive, to get to the wreck, providing the currents are prevailing. Otherwise we could take a taxi to the wreck, with our tanks. and drift dive to the hotel dock and cold beer from that new bar area they have. I think this is a win win situation.

 

[Christi]

Thanks DiveMatt,
I was thinking of doing the dive starting from the hotel cozumel dock, and yes the place with all the previous names, las brisas, costa club. If the plane is all broken up, then that is ok as well, just sounds like fun, my package includes free shore dive tanks, and just wanted to make the most of it. I was planning on bringing some taxi fare for me and my buddy for the ride back. Hotel Cozumel is about a mile south of town, and that would put the El Cid La Ceiba hotel plane wreck at the most 2 miles, with a reverse current of anything around 1 knot it should be maybe an hour dive, to get to the wreck, providing the currents are prevailing. Otherwise we could take a taxi to the wreck, with our tanks. and drift dive to the hotel dock and cold beer from that new bar area they have. I think this is a win win situation.

Unless you are aqualung, you would not make it on one tank of air against the current from your hotel to the airplane.

Additionally, this is a dangerous adventure due to all of the docks and boat traffic along the way.

The wreck is merely a junk pile at this point and can hardly be recognized as an airplane. You may be very disappointed.

If you are going to do this, I would start with the plane and drift north until you need to exit.

 

[zinmaker]

Thanks Christi,

My big concern for the boat docks is the ferry boats, because the guard looks like he has a gun that I noticed on my last dive on Paradise Reef where we surfaced about 100 yards away from the pier. It sounds like good advise if we decide to do this dive to stay away from the boat docks until we reach ours. If it is fun it will be a safer night dive, with less boat traffic and the boaters would have better vis of the divers.

Bruce

 

[ggunn]

Thanks DiveMatt,
I was thinking of doing the dive starting from the hotel cozumel dock, and yes the place with all the previous names, las brisas, costa club. If the plane is all broken up, then that is ok as well, just sounds like fun, my package includes free shore dive tanks, and just wanted to make the most of it. I was planning on bringing some taxi fare for me and my buddy for the ride back. Hotel Cozumel is about a mile south of town, and that would put the El Cid La Ceiba hotel plane wreck at the most 2 miles, with a reverse current of anything around 1 knot it should be maybe an hour dive, to get to the wreck, providing the currents are prevailing. Otherwise we could take a taxi to the wreck, with our tanks. and drift dive to the hotel dock and cold beer from that new bar area they have. I think this is a win win situation.

You understood that my remarks about you being crazy/delusional were in jest, right? If you can make it from SCC to La Ceiba on a single tank, you are definitely DA MAN and I wouldn't want to piss you off! ;^)

Seriously, though, the reverse current of which you speak is a rare occurrence; I dive and snorkel a lot around Caribe Blu (which is between the old Brisas and La Ceiba) around this time of year, and I have seen a north to south current only a couple of times, and it was a very slow drift - nowhere near 1 knot.

If you want to get in somewhere and drift back to your hotel, I suggest Villablanca. Be sure and stay down and/or close in; the boat traffic along that stretch of shoreline is pretty heavy at just about every hour of the day.

Cheers,

 

[zinmaker]

Gordon,

How fast is the normal current from south to north in the area. I wouldn't mind going from La Ceiba to the Hotel Cozumel if the currents are prevailing.

Bruce