To dive or not to dive in cozumel

[phylo]

You definately dont want to get on any of the cattle boats.. I was there in July and had the misfortune to get stuck diving off of one of them for two of the dives we did while there.. The main problem with these boats is that your bottom times are usually pretty low.. we averaged 30 to 35 minutes with the cattle boat, but when I dove with Seaurchin dive we had an average of 55 minutes. I highly recomend Seaurchin, there DM is top notch and they run six pack boats so you are guaranteed to not be with a huge crowd.

I also agree with the folks that have suggested that you go to someplace other than cozumel. The diving is great, but Palau or any of the other previously mentioned sites is going to be cheaper for you and probably offer better diving.

Just my two cents.

 

[Fredi]

hi,
Hurricane season ends in Nov.But you never knows,mother nature!I just return diving with Dive Paradise and also staying at the Barracuda Hotel.Its a budget hotel with a spartan enviroment,but is well located and walking distance to town.I'll stay there again on my third trip to Coz.I did 15 dives with DP and 5 shoredives/nitedives from the hotel,in a week.The viz did suffered abit from the Emily hurricane.Some of the corals are covered with sand but the viz is still great between 50ft and above in most places.I'm sure with the constant south/north current,the water will wash away the sand and clear up the water soon.I've dive with DP twice and they have good prices and their operation are reliable and well run.I'll dive with them again too.I've lived in SEAsia many years and wondered why you have to spend so much time and money to travel all the way to Coz to dive.You can easily dive Micronesia,Philipines,Layang Layang,Manado,Sipadan,Similan,Perhentian,Burma Banks,GBR of Australia,Papua,etc...and still have a great time, and spend less on money and travel time!These are world class dive sites!I dive Coz because its near ,great drift diving,and the cost reasonably cheaper than in USA and the Carribean Islands in terms of diving ,food, and accomodation.Anyway dive safe...wherever you choose to dive.My 3 cents.


I planned a dive trip to cozumel in december 05. However, recent reports in my country(southeast asia) are warning about hurricane season in the area around cozumel as well as the high incidence of hurricanes this year. Although I am looking forward to going to Cozumel, this trip will cost me almost all my savings (about 5 years worth) which is alot to me because I am still a student studying and it means I have to sacrifice alot of cheaper dive trips.

Because of this, any advice on the conditions in Cozumel would be deeply appreciated. Would it be more advisable to delay the trip to next year(either june or december) or would it be okay to continue as planned.

I guess I am worried about a number of things. That my diving will be cancelled because of bad weather or be a disappointment because of poor water conditions are a result of bad weather. That and that if my diving is cancelled, money would have gone to waste and this trip is meant to be a once in a lifetime thing.

So tell me what you guys think! Am I being paranoid about the hurricanes?



Thanks.[/QUOTE]

 

[Mike Nelson]

Have you considered looking into "trip cancellation insurance"? Several companies offer it. For a hundred bucks or so, you are covered if the trip is cancelled or you have to back out at the last minute. If you're investing a few thousand dollars, having the peace of mind that you're covered for that investment would be worth a bit.

 

[Damselfish]

The reason why I am thinking of Cozumel, because I read in articles and such, that it's really a good place to dive...in fact one of the best.

Well here's the thing - it may be one of the best in the Carribean, but when ranked with places in the whole world, I don't think it is nearly as high on the list as many places you are lucky enough to have closer to you. There's certainly lots of nice diving in the Carribean, but Caribbean diving is on average not considered as good as Pacific diving.

I'd hate to see you spend so much money and possibly be disappointed compared to what you could have done more cheaply closer to home! Go to Coz if you must, but do it realizing while it may be a "dive mecca" of the Carribean, it's not the dive mecca of the world. People in the US go to the Carribean because it's relatively close, and dream of when they can go to all those great places in the Pacific!

I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence!

 

[avenlay]

Thanks for the advance! For trip cancelling insurance, if I cancel do they cover the full cost or just half? I don't know much about it.

It is true that the grass is greener on the other side. After the comments recieved, I think I will have to consider my trip very carefully...especially if hurricane Emily has left its mark. I really don't want to be disappointed heh, it might just be really better to let this season pass and get some good equipment. And cattle boats are not really fun.

I didn't realise that carribean diving is not considered as good as pacific diving! Seems like everyone is saying different things on different sides of the globe! I guess, maybe we tend to take our backyards for granted or something

Once again, thanks for the recommendations! Will check out the urls posted!

 

[BigJetDriver]

If I lived in Singapore, there are a LOT of places I'd be looking to go before heading to Cozumel... Palau, Truk, Guam, Great Barrier Reef, Okinawa, etc. All of which would be a LOT cheaper. Why not stay closer to home, and use some money to buy your own things?

What he said!!

 

[avenlay]

Heh after much consideration, I think that's what I'll do...invest in my equipment heh...thanks! =)

 

[sharky60]

Well here's the thing - it may be one of the best in the Carribean, but when ranked with places in the whole world, I don't think it is nearly as high on the list as many places you are lucky enough to have closer to you.

Funny, Cozumel has been listed as the number 2 dive destination in the world by Conte' Nast, Skin Diver Mag and other dive and travel publications for years! Sure the Pacific rim has unprecidented diving, but if one lives in Singapore those destinations may be more accesible than Mexico and if you've been saving for it and it's what you want to do...go for it!

Hurricane season is over by December, you may have to worry more about a "norte" winter storm blowing in from the north rather than a hurricane, but generally the odds are in your favor. Cozumel rarely get hit by hurricanes anyway, so I don't know if I'd let that control my plans.

If you are really nervous about it, change your plans to early spring before the rainy season starts, April or May, the weather great that time of year. I've been going at that time of year for over 10 years and have never had a dive canceled due to weather.

 

[Damselfish]

Conde Nast is not really where I'd get my dive information.

 

[viejo]

Hi guys,

I planned a dive trip to cozumel in december 05. However, recent reports in my country(southeast asia) are warning about hurricane season in the area around cozumel as well as the high incidence of hurricanes this year. Although I am looking forward to going to Cozumel, this trip will cost me almost all my savings (about 5 years worth) which is alot to me because I am still a student studying and it means I have to sacrifice alot of cheaper dive trips.

Because of this, any advice on the conditions in Cozumel would be deeply appreciated. Would it be more advisable to delay the trip to next year(either june or december) or would it be okay to continue as planned.

I guess I am worried about a number of things. That my diving will be cancelled because of bad weather or be a disappointment because of poor water conditions are a result of bad weather. That and that if my diving is cancelled, money would have gone to waste and this trip is meant to be a once in a lifetime thing.

So tell me what you guys think! Am I being paranoid about the hurricanes?

Thanks.

Yep, you're being paranoid. And, even if you weren't, depending on how long you were staying, it wouldn't matter anyway. We were in Cozumel a week after the last hurricane hit there in July. While the visibility was "down" to about 75 ft. (still better than many places), the marine life was more prolific than any of our previous dozen or so trips to Cozumel. Frankly, it was better than anyplace I've ever been, South Pacific included. Hurricanes displace much of the marine life and it takes them some time to get resettled. Meanwhile, they're out running around in broad daylight, so things that you usually only see at night are in plain view during the day. Probably the best diving I've had. I may wait and schedule the next trip to Cozumel for shortly after the next hurricane. You virtually have the island to yourself. It's much like it was 15 yrs. ago.

As for diving, I'd use Blue~XT Sea. I won't dive with anyone else.