Worst of Cozumel.

[Darol]

Almost everyone who posts here is a cheerleader of sorts for Cozumel, and that's good.
It would be interesting to hear what is the worst experience you've had, or something
you would like to see change on that beloved island?

 

[Dave Dillehay]

The greedy axx'd hotels that charge their guests for using the dock. Next it will be for the swimming pool...same concept.


Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Merry and I were put in a group of divers and instructed to stay with the group. Unfortunately, we were the only ones trying to photograph. I spent every dive stopping to get one shot, then having to kick like mad to catch up with our group. To make matters worse, they were kicking with the current. I sucked through a tank in less than thirty minutes every dive. One day they gave me 95s to use. They had short fills, so I was better off with the 80s. I had more fun making shore dives in front of the hotel.

 

[fishfood]

Last trip when for 5 days of diving on the island before we took of to playa del carmon. Was blown of the reef for 3 of the 5 days. Had to spend my time exploring a cool town, relaxing on the beach, Eating at different restaurants 3 times a day and doing a in depth servay if its true if theres a worm on the bottom of tequila bottles ( jk i drink vodka )
I vowed i would never return till they figured out the wind problem or put a dome on the island but 3 years later i am heading back to give cozumal another try

 

[halocline]

Merry and I were put in a group of divers and instructed to stay with the group. Unfortunately, we were the only ones trying to photograph....

Wow, what a coincidence, my worst experience was being in a group with a couple of photographers that couldn't stay with everyone....

No, I'm only kidding. The only 'bad' experience I had on Coz was diving just after a hurricane, maybe Emily, when I arrived electricity was spotty on the island, meaning no A/C and the visibility was really down.

 

[citycountryguy]

Well, the skeeters were pretty bad this year.

 

[Mike]

I wanted to make sure I got to read this thread before it gets deleted

The diving and the dive operators are some of the best you can find in Mexico.

However Cozumel needs better food. Isla Mujeres which is tiny in comparison just blows Cozumel away in the food department. Can't understand why they are so different.

And plant some dang palm trees, the island is kind of ugly.

 

[gopbroek]

For 5 days out my last 4 trips to CZM in the last year, El Norte shut down the port, I was forced to explore the east side of the island. It was spectacular, but they got me drunk.

 

[skankpile]

I wanted to make sure I got to read this thread before it gets deleted

The diving and the dive operators are some of the best you can find in Mexico.

However Cozumel needs better food. Isla Mujeres which is tiny in comparison just blows Cozumel away in the food department. Can't understand why they are so different.

And plant some dang palm trees, the island is kind of ugly.

Really? Pretty good and reasonable IMO.

Casa Mission
Especias
La Cocay
La Hoza - for cheap mex (across street from Deep Exposure)

 

[DjDiverDan]

My worst experience was years ago, diving with an operator that contracted with the Cruise Lines to take Cruise Ship Divers. Because I was diving solo, I was paired up to be a dive buddy to a diver off the Cruise ship, a woman in her mid 40s who was certified, but had not been diving in 5 years and had never done drift diving. We were going to Santa Rosa Wall (a great dive, and not terribly hard, but I don't think a Dive Op ought to take a diver there if they have no idea about his or her skills). This woman was a disaster from the start, overweighted, BC didn't fit and kept riding up, couldn't adjust her buoyancy, and, despite a decent dive briefing on the boat ("stay close to the wall, there may be down currents, pay attention to your depth"), she was totally oblivious. I was trying to keep my eye on her, and stay close, but after looking at something on the wall, I turned to find her, and she was 25 or 30 feet away from the wall, 20 feet below me, and I was already at about 95 feet (max depth on that dive was 100). I went after her - she was fiddling with her BC, not paying any attention to the group or where she was, and continuing to descend - and caught up with her at 135 feet. I dragged her back to the wall and grabbed her console to show it to her -- she had no idea where she was. I got her back up to the group and spent the rest of the dive babysitting her. Even at the end of the dive, when I bitched at her about not paying attention, she had no clue that she had been totally oblivious. I swore off diving with any Dive Ops that took divers off the cruise ships. I know, some of them, maybe many of them, are competent, careful divers. But I didn't ever want to be paired up again with a disaster waiting to happen.