Question Tell Me About Shore Diving at Cozumel Hotel (Wyndham)

[Rob9876]

In a couple of weeks I'll be staying at Cozumel Hotel & Resort (by Wyndham) for the first time. One draw is the potential to do shore dives and/or snorkeling right from the hotel. I've never been in the water there -- can someone tell me about renting tanks & weights, the best direction to head out initially, about how far out to go, what type of currents to expect, other considerations, etc.? Thanks!

 

[rick00001967]

we have been shore diving there a number of times.

although it is shallow (around 20 ft) and not exactly amazing diving, we always see a lot of different life. especially at night.

the shop is right down by the water so you can get tanks and weights there. they also have lockers, rinse tanks, and hanging racks. you can get a locker key from the hotel when you check in. at least thats how it used to work.

you can dive either direction. i prefer to head into the current if there is one and then it is an easy time to get back. conditions can change from day to day.

you can either enter off the left side of the dock or there is a small calm area to the right. just be careful when entering and exiting that area as there are usually a lot of urchins on the sea wall you have to swim over.

be sure to use a flag or buoy of some type when diving during the day.

 

[ReefHound]

It's not a matter of how far out to go. Most of the stuff is within 100 feet of shore. After that is 500-1000 feet of seagrasses until you reach white sand and the reef. I'd advise against it as it is a very long swim and risky if anything goes wrong. Near shore just to the south is a replica of the Chichen Itza pyramid about ten foot by ten foot. For more pics search google images for 'underwater pyramid replica "hotel cozumel"'

 

[cicopo]

You need a partner to rent tanks. NO solo diving. If you haven't got one it usually doesn't take too long to find someone that will let you join them & a friend or 2 to do it with . Usually you swim against the current which flows south to north most of the time. This 2 links get you an older album of things I've seen doing my gear check out dive combined into 1 album 7 the second one is my freshly updated photo tour of the hotel.

Shore dives at Hotel Cozumel.

This is a mix of photos taken on my shore dives done at Hotel Cozumel to check both my gear & weights needed for my diving. I usually do my shore dive on the first or second full day after check in. Because Scuba Club is next door these are the things you may see while snorkeling of doing a...

flic.kr

The NEW Hotel Cozumel Photo tour album (updated 2024)

A photo tour that uses many new photos along with many older ones. I have tried to help people who want a room with a view by taking photos from around the pool showing which areas of the resort can be seen or showing the view of the ocean from the 2nd and 3rd floor. It really is necessary to...

flic.kr

 

[Zman96]

Its been a number of years but I have done a bunch of shore dives there. I always went south to near the lighthouse and then turned back north and went to Scuba Club and then back to the entrance at the hotel. As mentioned above at night it is pretty cool, during the day it isnt bad as there is always some interesting smaller things to see. We never found the current to be too strong to go against, nothing like the main reef areas. As Larry said, if you are going out, bring a float there are lots of boats around and make sure to not pass the lighthouse as then you are in the car ferry area.

 

[rick00001967]

You need a partner to rent tanks. NO solo diving.

just curious if that is a more recent rule there?

i have seen people solo diving. even at night. i actually had a young guy prepping to splash just after the wife and i finished an afternoon dive on shore. he looked really new. we started chatting. i decided it might be best if he did not dive alone. so i discreetly asked if he minded if i joined him.

 

[cicopo]

The policy (as far as I know) went into effect island wide after Cameron (Northernone) disappeared on a dive which began from shore with his mother. She returned to shore according to what I read so he could do a short wall dive and then join her about 20 minutes later on the shore. There are threads about it & the massive search but he was never found as far as I know. DP hasn't been willing to rent me a tank solo ever since & I had no trouble doing it prior to that event.

This search brought up these results. Search results for query: Northernone is missing

 

[ReefHound]

That was a tragic incident but would not have been affected by this policy. Cameron started the dive with a buddy and had his own tanks. You could also stay somewhere like Blue Angel or Villa Aldora or other places where they have tanks set out for guest use and no one is checking, you just grab a tank and go.

I also find towing a flag/float to be detrimental not helpful to my safety. It adds drag and multitasking, is a snag hazard, and could get run over or picked up by a jet ski or boat. Not useful at all if I don't surface away from exit point and if I do surface I'll have my SMB deployed.

 

[rick00001967]

I also find towing a flag/float to be detrimental not helpful to my safety. It adds drag and multitasking, is a snag hazard, and could get run over or picked up by a jet ski or boat. Not useful at all if I don't surface away from exit point and if I do surface I'll have my SMB deployed.

although i completely agree it is a pain in the ass, i am sure you understand it is common practice to tow a flag anywhere near any type of traffic area. especially in shallower waters. i am sure in some locations it is required by law.

full disclosure.....we were asked to tow a flag when we went shore diving on coz at a different location once. i never saw anyone using them when shore diving near casa del mar. and i will admit my wife and i never used one when we were shore diving at hotel coz, and no one ever asked us to.

 

[ggunn]

although i completely agree it is a pain in the ass, i am sure you understand it is common practice to tow a flag anywhere near any type of traffic area. especially in shallower waters. i am sure in some locations it is required by law.

full disclosure.....we were asked to tow a flag when we went shore diving on coz at a different location once. i never saw anyone using them when shore diving near casa del mar. and i will admit my wife and i never used one when we were shore diving at hotel coz, and no one ever asked us to.

I agree with ReefHound; I see no reason to tow a flag when shore diving around Cozumel. Like RH, I carry an SMB, and I send it up ahead of me if I need to go to the surface before I am closer to shore than boats will go. In all my trips to Cozumel over the years I can only remember seeing a diver towing a flag once. It was when I was on a drifting boat doing an SIT stop at Paradise, and the diver nearly snagged his flag on the boat.