Very quick trip report

[gt2003]

Just got back a couple of hours ago. Didn't get to go out to eat at all!!!!! Only ate at the hotel. Had the in-laws who thought all-inlcusive meant they didn't have to bring any money so guess who carried them?...... But, I dove my hiney off. Got there Monday and was in the water by about 1pm. Wife and I both were working on my brother-in-laws buoyancy so saw nothing. YIKES! No way to start out a trip. Anyway, did a night dive that evening. KEWL!!! Sea urchins out and lurking. I've never seen so many. We saw a couple of eels and were lucky enough to see an octopus. That was the coolest. Next 3 days we did a 2 tank boat dive both days. Day 1 Palancar Gardens and La Cedral (?). I saw some cowfish and a huge puffer (I thought they stayed small). Saw a nurse shark but didn't have my light and she was so far under a rock I could hardly see her. Day 2, Palancar wall dive and the Delila. Same thing. Pretty much the ordinary fish you typically see. Had my buoyancy challenged relative with me so my wife could at least enjoy 1 good day of diving so I didn't see much. Needless to say. I was more occupied with keeping him alive than diving so not too good of a day. (Boy, this is sounding bad but I really had a good time, I think I saw so much its hard to remember it all). Day 3 - shipwreck, the boys liked it because they hadn't done it before. Had the relative again so not too spectacular. Final dive, Paradise reef, SPECTACULAR, huge puffer, cowfish, all types of angelfish, an eel that I got right up on, a tiny, skinny crab with purple pinchers (ID?) and a tube sponge (purple) with three of the spiny starfish inside, small flounder, splendid toadfish and lobster. I think my max depth was 29 ft on this dive but I would recommend it to anyone looking for excessive marine life. It was too cool. I'm getting pics tomorrow and will post the good ones. I bet this sounds like it was a drag but overall it was an excellent trip. I can't wait to go back. Take care all. Thanks for all the restaurant tips. Maybe when I go back I can try some different food. Thanks again, Greg

 

[diveborg]

So, where did you stay and who did you dive with? Glad you had a good time despite the buoyancy challenged brother-in-law.

 

[gt2003]

We went with our LDS and stayed at Casa Del Mar and dove with Del Mar Aquatics ($785 for airfare from Dallas, lodging/meals and drinks at Casa Del Mar, unlimited shore diving and 3 days of a 2 tank boat dive each day). Our LDS owner is close to 80 years old and has back and neck problems and really prefers the super large boat they have. I've only dove with this one outfit so I can't compare. The divemasters do a good job of keeping track of all the divers as well as searching out and showing everyone much of the marine life. We left DFW on Monday and came back Today.

 

[BomberoDiver]

good short trip report.........

 

[Tekdiver10]

Just wait till you try the 6 pack boats, you will never want to go back to those cattle cars, but for a first timer it sounds like you had fun!

 

[Hawkeye Mark]

Returned this afternoon from Cozumel. Got to meet gt2003. Staying at same hotel but diving with different operator. Highlight of trip was the last two days of five days of boat diving. To keep it short this is how last two days went.

Thursday
Dived Chancanab(sp). This is reef just before you get to Maracaibo. Once we passed the last boat it took another 30 minutes. It is my understanding very few boats go out there and for good reason. Seas were 3 ft minimum and 1.5 knot current. This is clearly advanced dive. Of 20 divers on boat only two were relatively new. We missed the main part of what we wanted to see. DM was apologetic about this. Then stopped at Columbia Shallow on way back. I got in 1 hr 32 min. Last person out at 1 hr 46 min. Saw everything in world there

Friday
Due to experience level of divers operator proposed trip across channel to Playa Del Carmen to look at turtles. Two dives also in heavy seas and fast currents. Saw biggest turtles ever. On safety stop buddy pointed down and saw turtle size of a queen size bed. Also saw huge tarpon and several moray eels. Crossing rough but really no more of a trip than a trip to Punta Sur. On second dive saw close to 25 turtles plus big tarpon. This is definitely a trip to see big animals as the reefs are nothing worth making such a trip for

Been on this trip with this group 4 of last 5 years. Definitely best ever.

 

[ggunn]

Thursday
Dived Chancanab(sp). This is reef just before you get to Maracaibo.

That would be Chun Cha Cab (I've seen different spellings, but that's the one on my map). Chankanaab is considerably north of there.

Sorry I missed you when we were there; our trips did not overlap by much.

Cheers,

 

[Christi]

I think you mean Chun-Chacaab (correct spelling) often referred to as Maracaibo Shallows. Strange that you had that much of a current, we rarely experience a fast current in that section. We dive this reef often, but many operators will not go to this site due to the distance, surface conditions are often not favorable, and the extra fuel cost. Chankanaab is a shallow reef much further north, out in front of Chankanaab Park.

Glad to hear you had a great time!

 

[Hawkeye Mark]

You are right on spelling. I have been on the shallow one much further north. Reason we went to these reefs was trip leader brings two large groups per year there and dive shop directs all its business to one operator. As a result they are inclined to go the extra mile for groups from this shop, even though there are certainly extra costs. Also we were all on one (slow) boat. Trip leader demands everyone tip well. In fact he collects the tips at the airport before we ever leave Houston. His trips are not for everyone as he is an ex college mens basketball coach and kind of runs the boat like a coach would run a basketball team. His style is not for everyone. On one trip several years ago two people said they would never go on one of his trips again.