Some questions regarding cozumel diving

[LetsDive]

You can use Dressel (house op) for your fill in dives like an afternoon shallow boat dive instead of a shore dive and don't miss Dressel's night dive.

 

[krbailey]

A note on Dressel - they have a schedule of which sites they do on which days (I believe someone posted a pic of it awhile back). I stayed at the Iberostar last April and used Dive with Martin. They picked me up at the pier with no problems 2X daily. It was no frills and great package prices for multiple dives. You can taxi to their shop to go out on the boat that goes to the more northern sites.

Enjoy your stay!

 

[deborahdelamar]

I'm pretty sure that Columbia Shallows (my all time fave second dive) is south of Dalila by a good bit.

Yes, Gordon, I thought about it after I posted but was too lazy to edit, so now I'm posting again! Lo Siento, I like the Shallows, too...

 

[robint]

Yes, Gordon, I thought about it after I posted but was too lazy to edit, so now I'm posting again! Lo Siento, I like the Shallows, too...

We did Columbia Shallows back when we first got certified in Cozumel and loved the dive....... well, until a huge group of snorkellers got dropped above us and blotted out the sunlight! :laughing: It was kinda funny so we all started waving at the snorkellers. It took several minutes before one of them would wave back. Anyhow, that was the only time we ever did that sight and the thing I remember most about it... dozens of people with little yellow vests above us, blocking the sun.

As far as great shallower dives, I think Chankanaab and Chankanaab Bolones are awesome - just like diving inside an aquarium.

robin

 

[loudives]

Some more questions then ...(I'm sorry when I start I don't stop

If you must stay at the big "I" and steel is a must hers is an option. Book either Liquid Blue or Living Underwater for the morning dives. If they are not going back out in the PM have them call Raul at Bottom Time. Heres how it would work:

Morning 2 tank steel with pick up at Iberostar, Ride the boat back to the Caleta. Both Liquid Blue and Living Underwater will transfer you to Raul's boat. Go do the shallower dive 3 &4 then have Raul drop you off back at I. He will get your gear back to either of the other ops for you.

These Ops often work together and they always see each daily at the Caleta. Raul has a 6 pack boat and uses Al 80"s but after your long 1&2 dives your computers will limit your bottom time anyway. You should be able to do 70 min on dives 3&4.
Raul will go out with a min of 2 divers and being at the north end of the Park to start you will get to go to the sites in that area. I think you said October. That time of year most PM dives are large cattle boat Ops with cruise ship folks as that is low season.

I will be there Oct 9-14 and dive with Raul at Bottom time, first choice, then in no other order Liquid Blue, Bluextsea, Living Underwater, Dive with Allison, Scuba Tony.

All are very good Ops with small groups, and after they check your skills will leave you do your thing within the rules of the park and the plan. Don't touch anything, watch depth, stay in sight of divemaster.

 

[beester]

Thanks for all the info guys... It's much appreciated

I'll also look into bottom divers. Thanks for the advice.

As said we could do the 2 before noon dives with one of the ops mentionned and do a leasurely afternoon dive with dresslers (where cattle boat or lots of newbies doesn't matter..since it's relax-max... shallow slow diving). Good suggestion is also to combine 2 dive ops...

I understand that dive ops with less / smaller boats (what we want... less divers in group) also don't do afternoon dives if the boat is not full. It makes sense!

Anyway alot of info to digest. I love Scubaboard for this. It's appreciated. If any of you are in the neighbourhood during beginning of october (2-17 oct) come by and I'll buy you a drink (or 2)... just to talk about our favorite sport

For MMM. CMAS or 'Confederation des ActivitñÔ Sous Aquatique' is a worldwide non profit diving organisation. It's was created in 1952 by JJ Cousteau and in most European countries it has a big local branch. You could compare it with the UK BSAC or the US YMCA in regard that it's totally volunteer. Emphasis is in selfreliance. Getting your certs takes a bit longer than commercial organisations and there are pros and cons with CMAS vs PADI/SDI/etc. The only big difference is that with CMAS (as with BSAC) deco-procedures and deco diving is part of the normal curriculum and from CMAS 2* onwards you can dive to 130 feet and do deco dives. From CMAS 3* onwards you can do dives up to 130-200 feet depending on organisation. Since the certification takes alot longer because you rely on volunteer instructors most CMAS divers are (or used to be) active local divers...(this can be a pro or a con depending on what you want to get out of the sport)

 

[Tom and Cheryl]

Ok, here is Cheryl and mine 2 cents about Iberostar and Dessel diving while staying there. We stayed there twice last year and Dressel was nothing but great to dive with. We took to diving once we got certified and they picked up on that. The smaller groups we dove with in Nov. they adjusted the dive places and down time depending on the group.We dove our computers and they were very good with that. We were in Coz in Feb. and came back the first week in March 2009 and dove with other dive shops this trip. Dressel still rates to us as one of the good ones and if you are staying at Iberostar give them a try. Yes there are a lot of people that learn to dive in Coz and like us we love it and have learned fast. 3 trips last year and 12 days this year so far in Coz. ( I'm trying to talk her into going back) We hit 50 dives in 18 months. We have dove with Dive Paridise, Dessel, SDS, and Dive with Martin. All are very good and Christi from Blue XT sea is on the list of good operators to dive with. If you are staying at Iberostar for more than a couple of days maybe check out a couple of dive operators but don't count out Dressel if you are staying for more than a couple of days. We have always had a great experience at Iberostar. Enjoy your trip and enjoy your dives.

 

[Tom and Cheryl]

Oh I forgot to mention that Nitrox is availible at Dressel as an option to the big tanks. Have fun enjoy Coz. We do every trip.

 

[MMM]

:For MMM. CMAS or 'Confederation des ActivitñÔ Sous Aquatique' is a worldwide non profit diving organisation. It's was created in 1952 by JJ Cousteau and in most European countries it has a big local branch. You could compare it with the UK BSAC or the US YMCA in regard that it's totally volunteer. Emphasis is in selfreliance. Getting your certs takes a bit longer than commercial organisations and there are pros and cons with CMAS vs PADI/SDI/etc. The only big difference is that with CMAS (as with BSAC) deco-procedures and deco diving is part of the normal curriculum and from CMAS 2* onwards you can dive to 130 feet and do deco dives. From CMAS 3* onwards you can do dives up to 130-200 feet depending on organisation.

Cool! One can learn something new everyday if you are sufficiently curious. I like the idea of teaching deco diving as part if the curriculum. Asking whether they will routinely do deco dives of the ops you are contacting would be a good question. I suppose that an op that lets you "dive your computer" is preferable to one that linits your dive time, my preference is ine that lets me "dive my air". That is, allowing for a planed deco obligation. Lots won't, citing safety issues, but provided you've got the right group of divers, it expands your options for the dive.

While you will have some limitation of dive sites staying where you are, you'll still have a great time. You could plunk me down on the same reef for two weeks straight and I'd still find something interesting to see on every dive and be happy as a clam.