Where to Go for Short Boat ride/ First Timer Newbie

[volks_r_us]

Hi

My girlfriend and I are newly certified Divers. We are planing our first dive trip ever.
We got about 20 logged dives mostly Fresh water River dive here in Canada.

We went once in Atlantic City NJ. With the Atlantic divers. Was our first salt water dive. I was Sea Sick real bad, I almost couldnt dive. I still dont understand How I made it Today. Anyways 70ft under it was amazing. I only manage to dive once (was a 2 tanks dive package). I puked over 15 times before and After the dive, the Trip lasted the whole day (from 8Am to 4PM) I don't know how long was the boat ride but it seems to last for ever to me.
I didn't knew I had motion sickness until that day. My girlfriend was a Real sailor

So here the deal.

We were suppose to go to Bonaire because of the shore dive, but couldn't get it to fit our budget.
Plane trip from Montreal Canada is also quite long , shortest I found 9 hours.
It will also be my first time in a Plane so it might be a good ideal to take it easy on the new stuff if I can.

We want a very nice Hotel All included with a Dive Op that have short boat ride (no more then 20min) and that will be comprehensive that I might get motion sickness again even thought Im gonna try the wrist band and bring some Ginger pills. I don't want a Crowdy boat also, No more then 4-6 divers.
Since I only dove once in the Ocean about everything I will see will be amazing to us. A hotel with some possible shore dive would be nice also even if the reef is a bit far away.

I don't have a clue what Cozumel can offer me, Which side of the Island is better for diving or as less Waves and shorter boat ride, Possible Shore dive, 4 star hotel, Good dive operator (dive master) for newly certified diver.

I really don't know much about the whole process Hotel/Diving. I Never went further then N.J in my whole life and never took a dive oriented vacation. How does it work I pay for the hotel then dive shop or it's all included ?
-Do I have to book all my diving days in advance ?
-I don't want to have a Schedule, Im in vacation I want to do want I want without the whole Planing Schudule Bull**** (12hour notice would be nice )
-We plan to go in Cozumel in April

Maybe I'm Dreaming or asking to much but thats why Im asking and there a first time for everything.

Thanks for your Help
Alex

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I would highly suggest the Scop patch...I used to get seasick quite bad, and have used that patch hundreds of times and it takes me from "puke before we leave the dock", to "yee-haw 10' waves are fun!". That may allow you to do normal-length trips. In any case, the seas are usually pretty calm around Coz, and most of the dive sites are relatively close, so you may not have a problem at all.

I would suggest Dive Cozumel for your op, they go on a very, very nice boat and are highly professional. Another good op is Sergio Sandaval's op. I'm not sure what it's called. They go on an even nicer boat, one that I would easily say is the nicest dive boat in Cozumel by a long shot. It's big, very stable, and only takes a max of 12 people, and rarely anywhere near that many. Those two ops are the biggest and nicest boats on the island, I can't recommend them enough.

As far as shore diving.....you'll get a variety of opinions on that. I have done many shore dives at Paradise, and always have a blast and see interesting things each time. (The fact that I can do a dive there for a total of $1.50 US helps as well) Your hotel may have shore diving available in front of it. There are also varied opinions on the legality of a shore dive in the park. Christi will likely be along here soon, and she and her website claim that you must have a local guide to dive in the park. I've talked to at least 4 local DMs/Instructors, and every one of them said it was fine to dive there by myself, so that's what I do. I do get a $2 park bracelet, as that is obviously required.

Have fun!

 

[cicopo]

I am guessing that you in the Montreal area and I think there are a few flights from Montreal to Cozumel but I am not sure about that. I fly to Toronto for my trips and the Toronto to Cozumel flight is 4 hours and 20 minutes or so. If you fly to Cancun & then do the bus & ferry trip that may be the 9 hours you are talking about.
Now for some recommendations based on my own experiences that I think are valid. Join Tripadvisor for a lot of help re the hotels & resorts plus general questions (it's free).
Cozumel Forum - TripAdvisor
and then read reviews on the following hotels or resorts, they are All Inclusive and very nice, close to the better reefs, and have decent in house dive ops. I DO recommend that you use the cattle boat style op because they will put you on the larger boats that are much less effected by the waves, BUT you are diving the leeward side of the island & the waves are not normally very big. The resorts to read up on are the Occidental Grand & the Iberostar if you can afford them (I have stayed at the Iberostar twice, & it's very popular with Canadians including those from Quebec). If they are above your budget the next choice is the Wyndham (the Allegro is closed right now for a remodelling) and then the Hotel Cozumel or the Park Royal which are in town so it makes for a long boat ride. Another resort that is half way between town & the popular reefs is the Fiesta Americanna which can be booked as an all inclusive or without the AI option.
Cozumel itself is a small island with excellent diving in warm (to us) clear water. The island is very safe day or night, and most of the Mexican's you will meet speak very good english so based on your writing I assume you are French but speak & write English well enough to do just fine there. I have several on line albums relating to Cozumel here that will help you get an idea of what it offers.
Picasa Web Albums - Larry
Some show the diving, some the island, and some are for different resorts I have either stayed at or toured.

 

[georoc01]

If your goal is to minimize your boat trips, stay as south on the island as you can. Places like Hotel Allegro and Iberostar will minimize your boat time as they are closer to most of the dive sites than hotels closer to San Miguel.

 

[1KWIK_69]

Getting sea sick one time doesn't mean it will always happen. I grew up on boats
between local lakes, several small boat trips from Galveston Texas to South Padre
Island, and boating all over the Florida Keys since I was a kid without
ever having a problem. A couple years ago I found out that between having a few
drinks the night before and a big greasy breakfast the morning of the dive was
enough to put me over the edge. I chummed the water pretty good. Anyway,
try eating just some fruit before going out and you might be ok.
The smaller boats that take 4 to 8 divers like you asked about will get you to and from
the reefs a whole lot faster but if the water is rough at all, you'll feel it a lot more
than on the large (cattle boats) that take hours to get to and from the reefs with
a dozen or more divers.

P.S. Once you see how amazing Cozumel diving is, you'll never want to dive New
Jersey ever again!

 

[DivingPrincessE]

I agree with Tek. Get the patch About the Transderm Scop motion sickness patch, clinically proven to prevent travel sickness

It's prescription in the U.S., and I know several people that swear by it. You don't want to limit your dive sites just becaue you got sea sick once.

When you pick out your dive op, make sure to use the "search" feature here to research it. Several (if not most) shops in vacation destinations have been reviewed by someone here on SB.

 

[NancyLynn]

Fiesta Americana has a nice shore diving area, although the entry is a bit challenging since the concrete steps to it are slick. Gentle currents on most of the days we were there. We found scorpion fish, flounders, two varieties of eels, arrow crabs, and lots of juveniles of quite a variety of fish. I heard at least one diver found an octopus there. Not much for coral.

We got very good treatment from Dive House (the on-site shop). We requested dives that required longer boat trips, but the first trip (the one they planned to check out our skills) was a short boat ride away. There were 8-10 divers on board.

As for being a 4 star hotel - the accommodations were reasonable, but nothing that particularly impressed me. Food was adequate (but very little local influence) and available all day long. The liquor was plentiful (with the all inclusive). They have an impressive pool setup if you like to lounge around on site when you are not diving.

If I could combine the Fiesta Americana shore with the Scuba Club Cozumel operation (more attentive non-diving staff, gear lockers at the shore, gear hangers on each balcony, easy walk into town, and more local influence on the food) I'd be one really happy camper. Personally, I would choose SCC over FA - but for your purposes (short boat ride and (easy) shore dive), FA might be the better choice.

 

[Sue Sue]

Hi

My girlfriend and I are newly certified Divers. We are planing our first dive trip ever.
We got about 20 logged dives mostly Fresh water River dive here in Canada.

We went once in Atlantic City NJ. With the Atlantic divers. Was our first salt water dive. I was Sea Sick real bad, I almost couldnt dive. I still dont understand How I made it Today. Anyways 70ft under it was amazing. I only manage to dive once (was a 2 tanks dive package). I puked over 15 times before and After the dive, the Trip lasted the whole day (from 8Am to 4PM) I don't know how long was the boat ride but it seems to last for ever to me.
I didn't knew I had motion sickness until that day. My girlfriend was a Real sailor

So here the deal.

We were suppose to go to Bonaire because of the shore dive, but couldn't get it to fit our budget.
Plane trip from Montreal Canada is also quite long , shortest I found 9 hours.
It will also be my first time in a Plane so it might be a good ideal to take it easy on the new stuff if I can.

We want a very nice Hotel All included with a Dive Op that have short boat ride (no more then 20min) and that will be comprehensive that I might get motion sickness again even thought Im gonna try the wrist band and bring some Ginger pills. I don't want a Crowdy boat also, No more then 4-6 divers.
Since I only dove once in the Ocean about everything I will see will be amazing to us. A hotel with some possible shore dive would be nice also even if the reef is a bit far away.

I don't have a clue what Cozumel can offer me, Which side of the Island is better for diving or as less Waves and shorter boat ride, Possible Shore dive, 4 star hotel, Good dive operator (dive master) for newly certified diver.

I really don't know much about the whole process Hotel/Diving. I Never went further then N.J in my whole life and never took a dive oriented vacation. How does it work I pay for the hotel then dive shop or it's all included ?
-Do I have to book all my diving days in advance ?
-I don't want to have a Schedule, Im in vacation I want to do want I want without the whole Planing Schudule Bull**** (12hour notice would be nice )
-We plan to go in Cozumel in April

Maybe I'm Dreaming or asking to much but thats why Im asking and there a first time for everything.

Thanks for your Help
Alex

First of all Alex, Welcome ! And to answer to your last statement, You are NOT asking too much..It is better to ask the questions now rather than later. Although, you will find out more info as you go along. One of the most important things to remember is to have no hurries or worries, ESPECIALLY, in Cozumel.

Secondly, Make sure to check out the STICKY posted by Christi at the top of the Cozumel Forum. The information she has posted is worth it's weight in gold !

Diving/Distance: Diving is primarily on the West side of the island. There is some diving on the East side, however, that is primarily for more advanced diving. There are plenty of diving opportunities to keep you busy on the beautiful reefs available on the West side. Also, the boat trips are usually brief. A 10 min ride is not unusual. Although, try to visit the East side for a trip to one of the many oceanside refreshment establishments. A perfect activity for a vacation...Mescalitos, Playa Bonita, Iguanas, Coconuts....Relax and enjoy. Should be about a $30.00 cab fare round trip. You pay in advance and they will pick you up at your designated time.

Seasickness: My hubby also gets seasick. (Ever since a rough deep sea trip off of Barnegat Light !!) He takes a tiny little piece of Dramamine or Bonine and he is fine. Perhaps it is all in his head, perhaps not, however, this system works for him. Talk to your MD about the Scop patch or perhaps seek out an alternate method such as medication or wrist band. Perhaps you can test it out before Cozumel.

Hotel: Some hotels have their own dive shops and most have their own piers. Some allow outside Dive Ops to use their piers for guests, some do not. If you want an all inclusive hotel, do a search for All Inclusive Hotel Cozumel. You can then find out if they have a dedicated dive shop and contact them with your dive questions. Hubby and I stayed at the Park Royal for a quickie spur of the moment trip. I don't know if they have a dive op...anyway, it was nice...however, our usual stay is at a NON all inclusive hotel, condo or B & B. There are so many wonderful local restaurants that we do not want to miss out on the experience.

Dive Op/Diving: Cozumel is known for Boat/Drift diving. There are some shore dive spots. Also, be prepared for much improved visibility compared to the water off of AC. The best bet for you is to contact the dive ops directly with your diving questions, ie: availability, distance, dive sites, number or size of boat used. This way, you will get the information straight from the source. Do a search on the board for Cozumel Dive Shops and you will find a common thread of those who are usually recommended. Keep in mind, that without scheduled reserved dives, you do take the chance of not being able to go out. Also, Calling around for open spots also can take up your vacation time and is inconvenient. FYI: Keep in mind you will be diving in a protected Marine Park. No gloves, Knives or touching !!

April is right around the corner. Best Wishes in your future dive plans. Sue Sue

 

[driftin' by]

Some allow outside Dive Ops to use their piers for guests, some do not.

Actually, all except 1 (SCC) maybe 2 (Ib*) allow pickups. Correct me if I'm wrong.

My $.02 pesos:
Short Boat Rides: Stay South- Allegro, Occidental, Iberostar. Slightly longer: Wyndham, Fiesta Americana. All offer all inclusive options so that answers that question too. I'm not sure what your expectations are as far as a "very nice hotel" goes but aside from a couple of expectations (Palace, Presidente), you're not going to find a high level of luxury on the island. Nevertheless, if Bonaire blew your budget, either of these options in Cozumel would as well. Cozumel is very laid back. You will receive exceptional service but don't expect polished marble tile, crystal, silver and fine china. Just a tip, keep your expectations in check and you'll have a blast.

Rough seas: Diving the leeward (West) side of the island will not come even close in comparison to the seas off NJ. Based on your experience, you won't have an option. The only time it could get nasty is if an El Norte rolls in which is possible in April. Otherwise, smaller 6-pack boats will be fine in the surf. FWIW, I have an inner-ear problem that messes with my equilibrium. Basically, I get motion sick extremely easy. However, I've never had a problem while on small boats. It's the larger boats the will gently roll from side to side that make me hurl. YMMV.

Flexible schedule: Avoid the house (on-site) ops. They have the benefit of a captive audience therefore they are less eager to please by allowing divers to choose the sites. The silver lining is that you're less likely to visit the same site in one week. Unless you get a packaged deal that includes hotel and diving, you'll settle up with the dive op generally at the end of the week. It's a good idea to reserve your spot ahead of time which will require a deposit. Depending on the popularity of the op, cancellation policies vary with notices ranging from several days to the morning of. Since this is your first trip, you'll probably benefit from having a very flexible cancellation policy. My first diving trip was to Playa del Carmen on the mainland and although I was gung-ho to dive every day, all day long, it was a lot to get used to and I felt emotionally and physically taxed most days and opted to only dive one tank a day and skipped a couple. Looking back, I must have been crazy but at the time I wanted to stay within my comfort zone.

Shore diving: Why bother? Bonaire is known for it while Cozumel is known for drift diving which is best experienced from a boat. Again, if shore diving is preferred because of a bad experience on a boat off AC, don't sweat it.... it won't compare to Cozumel.

I'll only add this since this is your first trip but be sure to budget tip money.... both for service your receive (maids and servers) and diving (captains, deck hands and DMs). I'm not going to dictate how much because it a personal thing and I hate the topic but be aware that in most cases it's expected and generally, greatly appreciated.

You're getting a ton of good info here so I'll leave it at that. Have a great trip and I look forward to hearing all about it when you get back.

 

[Valwood1]

We want a very nice Hotel All included with a Dive Op that have short boat ride (no more then 20min) and that will be comprehensive that I might get motion sickness again even thought Im gonna try the wrist band and bring some Ginger pills. I don't want a Crowdy boat also, No more then 4-6 divers.
-Do I have to book all my diving days in advance ?
-I don't want to have a Schedule, Im in vacation I want to do want I want without the whole Planing Schudule Bull**** (12hour notice would be nice )
-We plan to go in Cozumel in April

Following up on the previous suggestions:

1. Stay south at Iberostar, Occidental, etc, all of which are a ten minute boat ride to the reefs.
2. An excellent dive op for new divers is Cozumel Scuba Diving with Alison
3. You may have a difficult time scheduling your dives 12 hours in advance. You certainly could take potluck and hope that your preferred dive op has a spot, but you should prepare to be disappointed since the better ops may not have such openings.