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

[Saboteur]

The boat ladder isn't fixed; they pick it up and set it over the side (kind of like an upside down U) to let people climb back aboard. Seas during my trip were about the most consistently smooth I've seen. I used the dangling 'ski rope' over the side to hold on (not a big deal, but at times there's some surface current) and move toward the back of the boat; when it was my turn to reboard, it wasn't hard to move down and grab the ladder.

I pay attention to seas a bit, because my lower back isn't what it used to be (so the 'bouncing' when a boat's underway isn't pleasant) and my wife and a friend I used to dive with were both prone to sea sickness; I'm not (unless our kid wants to me ride the Tilt-A-Hurl,er, Whirl) with her at a fair, but I think about it.

On an unrelated note, regarding weird souvenirs, I brought this back for her.

View attachment 480220

Richard.

I may not know much about art...but I know what I like.

 

[MargaritaMike]

I'll be giving Steve crap (yet again) every time I hear Paso del Cedral mentioned.

If you want to get to Steve just tell him he has to dive Columbia Shallow with you and watch the veins on the side of his head start popping.

Cheers -

 

[KathyV]

The boat ladder isn't fixed; they pick it up and set it over the side (kind of like an upside down U) to let people climb back aboard. Seas during my trip were about the most consistently smooth I've seen. I used the dangling 'ski rope' over the side to hold on (not a big deal, but at times there's some surface current) and move toward the back of the boat; when it was my turn to reboard, it wasn't hard to move down and grab the ladder.

I pay attention to seas a bit, because my lower back isn't what it used to be (so the 'bouncing' when a boat's underway isn't pleasant) and my wife and a friend I used to dive with were both prone to sea sickness; I'm not (unless our kid wants to me ride the Tilt-A-Hurl,er, Whirl) with her at a fair, but I think about it.

On an unrelated note, regarding weird souvenirs, I brought this back for her.

View attachment 480220

Richard.

I think that she would have preferred some nice jewelry - they make lovely silver jewelry in Mexico!

 

[chillyinCanada]

I think that she would have preferred some nice jewelry - they make lovely silver jewelry in Mexico!

I trust Rich to know what his 5 year old daughter will like or at the very least, what kind of gifts Daddy gives

 

[dflaher]

Great report Rich! I think this will become a blueprint for my next Coz trip.

 

[deepsea21]

f you want to get to Steve just tell him he has to dive Columbia Shallow with you and watch the veins on the side of his head start popping.

Actually, a few years ago Steve noticed there were 8 cameras (some being some very high-end rigs) on a boat of 10 divers and Old Columbia Shallows Grumpy actually suggested the shallows to appease all the photographers with no current, bright sunlight and 90 minutes of bottom time to explore. I managed to find him 2 or 3 lions to kill and, what do ya know, he managed to turn his frown upside down for that dive on the shallows! Depending on where one drops, the shallows can get pretty good once you reach the dense reef structure further north. Furthermore, big things can be spotted there (Turtles, Sharks, Green Morays, and even Eagle Rays cruising the sands east of the reef). Deeper doesn't mean better... just shorter and darker with less color and less to see in my opinion.

 

[ReefHound]

Next time I'm on the boat with him and the DMs ask where we want to go, I'm going to suggest a double-dip on Colombia Shallows.

 

[Johnoly]

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Really glad you got to experience Coz, but DANG you are one hard-core diver at 26 dives!!

Can't be 100% sure,,but is that photo a yellow fin grouper?? I've seen alot of things on the Coz reefs but never a yellow fin.
I know how much time and effort it took to write up that Great 5 Star, extensive trip report,,,and it's much appreciated by all of us !!

 

[drrich2]

I think it's a yellow fin. I believe I saw one on one of my 2-tank dives back in 2011 on a cruise stop in Cozumel, too, but the pics for this report were from this trip. Cozumel has a good variety of marine life. At one point our guide, Edgar, was vigorously pointing forward trying to get me to see a southern stingray buried in the sand; I couldn't understand what he was pointing at till it bolted, then while I was looking at him immediately afterward, I saw 2 eagle rays passing by in the background behind him, and I started pointing and grunting (turns out one doesn't need a tank banger; grunting works pretty well).

The 2 electric rays were a stand out to me; not something I'm used to seeing.

Really glad you got to experience Coz, but DANG you are one hard-core diver at 26 dives!!

I was wiped out around 7 or 8 p.m.; kept trying to figure out why, vs. 5 dives/day on a live-aboard, and eventually figured out that on a live-aboard, I emerge from a dive, eat something, go doze in a lounger for awhile till it's time to dive again (or eat), so I rest up over the day. With that in mind, I tended to lean over and doze on the boat - I must've looked depressed, as people occasionally asked if I was okay.

Richard.

P.S.: You got me curious enough to dig into my old photo stash, from a Jan. 20th, 2011 stop at Cozumel about Celebrity Cruiseline's Constellation. Here's a photo I snapped of a grouper in 2011 that I'm guessing was also a yellowfin.

 

[Karloss]

Nice report and nice pictures. We "liked" Cozumel the first time there but after learning to stay in town and what op to use we really enjoy it now. We did the sam Rich, we dove 4 dives a day the first trip. On our second trip it seemed like our drift diving techniques just acclimated instantly. Can't describe it. We still enjoy trying new places to eat at night. Cozumel will get in your blood.