shoreline drift dive?

[jlyle]

I've done the drift dive you are proposing, from La Ceiba, north to Scuba Club Cozumel. The current normally runs to the north at that location and it will take you about an hour to an hour and a half to drift that far. The water is very shallow near shore, maximum 20 feet and shallower. If you run out of air, you can snorkle the rest of the way.

The airplane, in front of La Ceiba, is pretty broken up and not much of a dive.

One August, we tried to repeat our drift from La Ceiba to SCC and the current was running to the south, stongly! We visited the airplane and then aborted the dive because the current was carrying us under the pier.

You won't be able to carry your gear through the lobby of La Ceiba. Have the taxi drop you off in front of what used to be called el Sol Caribe (new name? the taxi driver will know) immediately north of la Ceiba. There's a swimming beach that you can use to enter the water.

 

[ggunn]

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

It varies, but I would hazard a guess that it averages a slow walking speed. I have gotten in at La Ceiba, gone out to the wall, and taken out at Villablanca when the current was slower and Caribe Blu when it was faster. In either case we start back toward shore when we hit 1000 psi; you don't want to have to come up out there where the boat traffic is.

I have also put in at Caribe Blu, stayed close in, and taken out at Scuba Club; that took about an hour and about half a tank, IIRC. The current is slower close in, of course. I would guess that from La Ceiba to SCC is about 3 or 4 times as far as from Caribe Blu to SCC.

 

[redacted]

Currents can vary but normally run south to north at less than 1 knot. Some days they may run north to south, others may have no current, and others may exceed 1 knot so check before you dive. There are limited easy access points south of Hotel Cozumel. I have walked just to the south of HC to a spot you can jump in. it is only about 100 meters south but it saves a little current fighting. From their I have gone out to the sailboat mooring at about 35 ft which takes you into villa blanc reef (mostly sponges). you need to use the compass and compensate for current the whole dive. Screw it up badly enopugh and the exit point can be PLG (take taxi money). Or you can taxi about 400 meters south and enter at the lighthouse lagoon. Futher south another 300 meters is blue Caribe. Ive entered there when I dove with Blue Angel (?) but not sure they would appreciate the DP tanks. Another 300 or so meters south is another DP shop and probably a bit over an hour trip back to HC. Maybe you could pick a tank up at one shop- and drop it at the other. La Cieba is probably another 500 to 700 meter south of there and quite a haul back. The shoreline wall is only 15 ft but a mile of that would start to get a bit boring.

When are you going to be there? I'm headded for HC in a couple more weeks.

 

[zinmaker]

JLyle,

That is exactly what I wanted to here, someone who has done the dive, and is willing to do the dive again. Thanks for all the tips as well.

Bruce

 

[ggunn]

JLyle,

That is exactly what I wanted to here, someone who has done the dive, and is willing to do the dive again. Thanks for all the tips as well.

Bruce

One more thing, if you get in at La Ceiba and for whatever reason (slow current, etc.) you don't get as far as you want to go, never fear. There are plenty of places to take out along the way, e.g., Villablanca, Caribe Blu, the Caletita at the lighthouse. I'd carry a few $1 bills in a ziplock baggie in my BC were I you, just in case you find yourself in need of a taxi to complete your voyage.

Have fun!

Cheers,

 

[jlyle]

One more thing, if you get in at La Ceiba and for whatever reason (slow current, etc.) you don't get as far as you want to go, never fear. There are plenty of places to take out along the way, e.g., Villablanca, Caribe Blu, the Caletita at the lighthouse. I'd carry a few $1 bills in a ziplock baggie in my BC were I you, just in case you find yourself in need of a taxi to complete your voyage.

Have fun!

Cheers,

Good point. The taxi drivers will take wet dollars, too! They will even wait for you to run up to your room to get the money if you don't have any on you! You gotta love Cozumel.

 

[zinmaker]

I'm sure what ever money that I don't use for taxi fare will be spent on beer, I've spent wet dollars as well as wet pesos, they all spend the same.