The "shallow" end is open!

[Christi]

I forgot to post this last week, but the Marine Park has officially opened all reefs back up.

Although a few ops have been diving these reefs for the past month or so anyway, the Marine Park officially opened up Yucab, Tormentos, Chankanaab, and the wreck this past week. SO...that means the shallow end of the pool is open now too

Enjoy!

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Awesome! Thanks for the update, Christi! I'm going back to Cozumel in April. I can't wait. Glad to hear that everything is open. Any word on shore dive conditions around the Casa del Mar? By "the wreck" do you mean the C53? Is it being entered again?

 

[Giggi]

Christi, that's GREAT news! I'm not sure how we were allowed to dive these areas, but we weren't alone...sorry the officials gave you a hard time about it.

Frank, I am not sure whether penetration of the C53 is allowed (we didn't find out these areas were still closed until we talked to Christi AFTER we dove them), but according to the divers in our group, the inside of the wreck is pretty much the same as it was before the hurricane. There's a tear down the (I think they said starboard) side of the hull, which makes it look more like a wreck dive, but it's still upright with a few pieces scattered next to it. Unfortunately, because of the ear injury, I was only able to snorkel and observe from the surface, so my information is mostly second hand.

However, the sea life there is as abundant as it was last year. In fact, I saw quite a few starfish, a huge grouper, and a huge parrotfish from the surface, and the photographers in our group got some pictures of a lobster who made his/her home under the hull, as well as quite a few smaller fish inside the vessel.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Fantastic! Thank you. Glad to hear that my buddy, the Grouper, is still hanging around.

Sorry to hear about your ear. It sucks to get all the way there, and not be able to dive...

I hope shore diving is still available. Entries and exits are something I definitely want to work on. Plus, it's nice to get there and get checked in, and immediately hit the water.

 

[Sue Sue]

:luxhello: Sue

 

[Christi]

Christi, that's GREAT news! I'm not sure how we were allowed to dive these areas, but we weren't alone...sorry the officials gave you a hard time about it...

They didn't give me a hard time about it...we didn't dive them because we were respecting the rules....just not everyone did and/or they didn't know that these reefs were closed.

I called the marine park every week to check status. On Thursday or Friday after talking to you, I called and they said, yes, they were open as of March 1, which was Wednesday.

 

[sharky60]

Wooo Hoo!!!:monkeydan
Hurry up May! Hurry up May! Hurry up May!

 

[Diver Mike]

Christi,

Thanks for the update, I am off there for a few quick days of diving in April and will mos tlikely hit one or two of the shallow sites.

Thanks,

Mike...

 

[Giggi]

They didn't give me a hard time about it...we didn't dive them because we were respecting the rules....just not everyone did and/or they didn't know that these reefs were closed.

I called the marine park every week to check status. On Thursday or Friday after talking to you, I called and they said, yes, they were open as of March 1, which was Wednesday.

Sorry about that, Christi. I just reread my post and realized that I inadvertently implied that you were breaking the rules, and I know better than that. Bad form on my part...unintentional...but still bad form.
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(Want to buy a size 9 dive boot? It's slightly gnawed from shoving my foot in my mouth.)