Trip Report Tres Pelicanos/Casa Mexican Trip Report Sept. 2018

[Snoweman]

Great trip report! I've been hoping you'd get to Cozumel! 26 tanks on an 8 day trip is great and a heck of a pace. Good on 3Ps for their part in making that happen.

I dive a Suunto Mosquito computer. It's very conservative. My air consumption isn't horrible but I don't dive Nitrox to extend bottom time at depth. The purpose is to keep the computer happy. The Cozumel strategy I've used (it was suggested to me by the dive op) is to dive air on 1st and 3rd tanks of the day and nitrox on 2nd and 4th tanks. As 1st and 3rd tanks are generally deeper and often on walls, diving air means no need to worry about MODs. As 2nd and 4th tanks are shallower and tend to have a hard floor, the MOD for 36% isn't an issue. Long ago, I requested 32% but it was suggested to dive 36% as it costs the same and there's a little NDL benefit over 32%.

This strategy works for me and my computer, and cuts the nitrox upgrade fees in half. Years ago on a Belize trip I dove air only, and due to weather was only able to dive 4 tanks a day once. By day 3, NDLs were severely limited.

Thanks again for the great report!!

Were you in Cozumel in June of this year? I met someone at breakfast at Jeanie's that had the same nitrox strategy. I thought I would try it on my next visit.

 

[ggunn]

Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine) is treated legally almost like a narcotic. If caught, you could be looking at jail time for even one pill.

FWIW, I have never heard of anyone doing jail time on Cozumel for possession of a single pseudoephedrine tablet.

 

[WetInPortland]

FWIW, I have never heard of anyone doing jail time on Cozumel for possession of a single pseudoephedrine tablet.

The first link that Google gives me for "Sudafed Mexico" has the headline, "Kaysville woman jailed in Mexico over Sudafed pills". Now granted, this was a couple of years ago and it was in Puerto Vallarta, but why would you want to take that chance???

 

[tridacna]

The first link that Google gives me for "Sudafed Mexico" has the headline, "Kaysville woman jailed in Mexico over Sudafed pills". Now granted, this was a couple of years ago and it was in Puerto Vallarta, but why would you want to take that chance???

Puhleez. Take them out of the package and put them in a generic container. Get a doctor’s rx if you’re paranoid and keep it with you jic.

 

[uncfnp]

Puhleez. Take them out of the package and put them in a generic container. Get a doctor’s rx if you’re paranoid and keep it with you jic.

Agreed. A little common sense goes a long way. In fact, buy generic so no obvious markings. If they enforced this law in Cozumel they would have to build a lot more jails.

Unfortunately a doctor’s script will not help.

 

[ccannon707]

Wow, nice trip! All the usual reef suspects including turtles, sharks AND then seahorses + eagle rays in late summer. Jackpot! Thanks for posting your detailed report and pictures. Now you now why CZM has such a following.

PS: I always do the bag drag due to prices & availability from the West Coast. The minute I get off the plane I'm on vacation. It's sort of fun (+ very inexpensive) to ride the bus and do the ferry. Just have to plan your trip back accordingly with a later flight out of CUN.

 

[nodakdive]

Were you in Cozumel in June of this year? I met someone at breakfast at Jeanie's that had the same nitrox strategy. I thought I would try it on my next visit.

I wasn't in Coz at that time, but it's a pretty common strategy. When I first started diving nitrox, the shop explained it when I asked for nitrox for both tanks of a trip. If you're on one of the "walls", and there's a down current, it's a comfort to not worry about the MOD. Even with the Mosquito and 4 dives a day, NDL is not a problem. Prior to the Mosquito, 4 dives a day on a Sherwood profile was not a problem, but I wasn't consistently doing 4 a day then.

Using 120s might require a different strategy, but I'm ready to get out in an hour so 80s are fine.

 

[Snoweman]

I agree with you, but I'm not sure the rest of SB feels the same way. I mentioned it in another post, and got all sorts of responses about why I was not right in the head.

 

[MargaritaMike]

@drrich2 Thank you for this report. This is probably the BEST trip report I have ever read. Great descriptions and photos. I felt like I was there with you which was really enjoyable. I've cancelled my plans for October but hope to be there again before the end of the year depending on some health issues. I TRULY got my diving fix vicariously through your report. THANK YOU!

Cheers -

 

[tkaelin]

Thanks for the report. I skimmed it but I followed the pictures which gave me a new perspective on COZ.