So what do I want in a Coz dive trip...

[montanagal]

Don, glad you had good passage, too bad it has come to not be the dive it use to be. Is good to read your reports and have them, BUT not the same as experiencing them myself, especially when there is issues at work, I much rather be diving then dealing with some of the stuff going on. I keep telling myself next month is vacation, then I remember it is still August.
Thanks for taking the time to post reports, will have to live vicariously thru your's until I can have my own.

 

[Cozdreamer]

Enjoying your updates. Thanks for taking the time to share daily while you are still there. School started today here, so it'll be awhile till we see the island again, so I appreciate the Coz-fix Continued safe bubbles to you and travels around on island time.....

 

[DandyDon]

La Choza...!

I found it again! I tried to find it last year after ferrying back from our Coba day trip, but could not remember the name - so went hiking in the general direction looking for the building. Also had forgotten that it burned. Eh, my memory for such was bad even before I got old. We looked over lists of places and that one sounded like the one I was trying to see in my mind, so we headed over, figuring it couldn't be bad from all of the recommendations even if it wasn't the one I was trying to remember from past visits.

Nice new place. I miss the old corner building a few doors from the new one, but it's nicer in some ways. I still was not sure until I saw the sauce: "Yes! This is it...!"

Great service and food, to be sure. The red snapper deal was too good to pass up so we got it. Gawd, enough for medium household! My soninlaw and grandson eat like crazy but I think it could have feed them, my daughter, granddaughter and me. We did what we could, came home very stuffed, got the rest in the fridge to microwave tomorrow for lunch. The garlic butter sauce really set it off nicely, hot tortillas, etc. Normally I wouldn't be hungry again until tomorrow night, but this is diving - it changes that. Eat!

Sounds like a great trip, Don. I was in Plainview yesterday. Good enchiladas, but I'd rather be there with you. I look forward to your full report since I'm considering Villablanca/ScubaMau myself for a trip in March.

Where did you eat in P-ville? TexMex ain't what it used to be there, but glad you enjoyed it. This is the full report tho, pics and vids to follow next week after editing.

Don, glad you had good passage, too bad it has come to not be the dive it use to be. Is good to read your reports and have them, BUT not the same as experiencing them myself, especially when there is issues at work, I much rather be diving then dealing with some of the stuff going on. I keep telling myself next month is vacation, then I remember it is still August.
Thanks for taking the time to post reports, will have to live vicariously thru your's until I can have my own.

October ain't long. Have you had dress rehearsal dives? We did ours in 62F water and a dark hole, but still helped prevent a lot of gear and rusty diving problems.

Tell your DM that you need turtles; s/he find them on all of the reefs, even if not in herds. Tell him/her there is an extra $1/turtle in the tip for those found.

 

[blue steal]

We were with the owner of La Choza and his daughters last October when we saw maybe 300+ turtles. Of course we were digging them out of their "volcano" holes with the release people and counting before releasing them at sunset on the "wild side". Then dinner at La Choza, nice atmosphere and pretty decent food.
Thanks Don, you are making our days at work go by better with your reports.

 

[Ms. Ann Thrope]

Glad to hear Villablanca is working out for you. The rooms sound perfectly nice. We were at your "old hotel" about a month ago. I do appreciate a good view. So what do you see when you look out the windows at Villablanca?

 

[DandyDon]

We were with the owner of La Choza and his daughters last October when we saw maybe 300+ turtles. Of course we were digging them out of their "volcano" holes with the release people and counting before releasing them at sunset on the "wild side". Then dinner at La Choza, nice atmosphere and pretty decent food.
Thanks Don, you are making our days at work go by better with your reports.

Hey, wonder if M-gal would like get in on that...?

I would...!

Glad to hear Villablanca is working out for you. The rooms sound perfectly nice. We were at your "old hotel" about a month ago. I do appreciate a good view. So what do you see when you look out the windows at Villablanca?

Hey there Whale Shark chaser...!

We have a nice view of a well kept courtyard and pool. Sea views would cost more I am sure but we see plenty of sea views from the dock and boat. The dock is about the same distance from the room, perhaps just a little further, but across the street with a Ped-Crossing halfway. 5 restaurants and a convenience store within a block. I'll get a pic of the view, but if you want sea view sunsets - across the street, or elsewhere for triple the room cost.

 

[scubawife]

Hey, wonder if M-gal would like get in on that...?

I would...!

Hey there Whale Shark chaser...!

We have a nice view of a well kept courtyard and pool. Sea views would cost more I am sure but we see plenty of sea views from the dock and boat. The dock is about the same distance from the room, perhaps just a little further, but across the street with a Ped-Crossing halfway. 5 restaurants and a convenience store within a block. I'll get a pic of the view, but if you want sea view sunsets - across the street, or elsewhere for triple the room cost.

The 2nd floor "superior oceanview" rooms at Villablanca all have a view of the ocean from the little balconies, just look to your left. Superior rooms are the same price whether you're on the ground or second floors so no extra costs for the view.

The penthouse suite that's got a huge private terrace directly facing the ocean goes for about $150-225/nt depending on what deals you find and the time of the year.

 

[DandyDon]

Yes, I noticed the sea view when I stepped out this morning to shoot the view. :silly: Haven't had time to download the pics, but the channel is visible on to the left from the balcony on second floor.

Had a really nice last trip today. The CO issues persist but since we are both in the learning stages of calibrating and testing - we chose shallower sites rather than calling the dives. We still went into the yellow with our computers on both dives and they were great.

I'd thot that Opal had forgotten that Sunday was my birthday, which I'd mentioned in the planning, but as I was showing at the beach club - here comes Mau & Victor looking away, then I noticed Opal hiding behind them with this silly expression on her face, right before the pie hit my face. They call it a cake, but whipped cream works better. I would post pics but my bud forgot his land camera today.

They normally don't collect until the last day but we had insisted on prepaying on arrival since we were dealing on cash discount terms and didn't want to keep it on hand. I thot we'd owe for taxes and park fees, but it seems those were included- wow, so they had my change ready.

The crews and shop staff have just been great about everything, even moving the dock time up an hour this morning so Jer & I could get out early enough to rinse, set up gear in our room to dry, etc. and make the 1pm ferry. There was no 1pm ferry tho, I think it was busy with cruise boaters, but we actually would have made it - even after microwaved leftover snapper in the room.

Same time next year, if not before Scuba Mau...!

I'll come back to tell the story of our run to Chichen Itza tomorrow I think. Too tried tonight...

 

[firstdive2005]

Great reviews and stories Don. I sure hope I can get there soon. Can't wait for the pics.

 

[scubawife]

Glad you're having a good trip, Don. Just FYI, the shops I've used in Cozumel, the price per 2-tank trip has been inclusive of daily park fee and tax. Have you actually had to pay it extra? I usually pay by traveler's cheques (some do still take them) or cash. Credit cards with most do carry an extra service fee to cover the high merchant processing fees in Mexico, but they tell you that upfront so if I choose that convenience then I know ahead of time.