Worst of Cozumel.

[Mike]

here's the uncut video from Palancar Gardens

You obviously photo shopped them all out! Or probably that's a dive in Belize, Roatan or Bonaire.

Can you prove this is Cozumel?

 

[Darol]

I think we all have had a ho-hum dive now and then, but then there's that Holy Crap dive when you see everything and can't believe it.

 

[Okie Mike]

You go deep at Palancar to see coral structure--any fish are gravy. The fish often seem to like to hang out a little shallower. My guess is the overcast conditions made more fish hide than usual. The water seems murkier than usual as well.

 

[SailNaked]

Aparently the video is 5 minutes after a giant shark passed by and scared away all the fish.

 

[gopbroek]

I have dove Palancar gardens and seen a lot of fish, other times we have caught the fringe and have seen few fish, but great coral and structures. That does not mean there isn’t a lot of life around if you look close and observe.
The Palancar complex is a constant wonderment to me, it is large and has multiple sub reefs and coupled with the various entry angels and currents, each dive is a ‘new’ dive filled with anticipation. To me it never gets ‘old’.
I digress, this thread is about the worst of Cozumel; which comes down to cruise ships and day trippers (excluding the universally hated Taxi Mafia). Individually these are all nice and good people, but due to time constraints of their schedule, they become stressed and can unknowingly cause a self-created 'bad' day. 8 hours in COZ or any other port is not enough time to get the feel of the place and relax prior to engaging in a stressful sport like diving.
12 days till I am back in COZ

 

[t4e]

rofl Mike, sure i can try proving is Cozumel but i shouldn't have to, you should know the place like the back of your hand
i don't know about Belize and Bonair, but Roatan was great when we were there

Skittl1321, i did comment how beautiful the landscape is, much healthier than anything we've seen so far on all the trips, and we do poke around for macro life, but couldn't see that either
i love poking around, i stay ahead of my husband and find stuff so he can take pictures

i think Okie Mike hit the nail in the head, it was overcast and it actually rained too, which was pretty neat to see from below

@ SailNaked, either that or perhaps what someone suggested on the previous page that we hired a cheap dive op, maybe the fishies know then and thought..."ooh look, that boat is here, lets hide" lol

anyways the second dive was much better

 

[Darol]

t4e said:

it was overcast and it actually rained too

I've had some great dives on rainy days in Coz. Remember "it never rains underwater".

 

[Dave Dillehay]

I watched much of the video and have no reason believe that it is anything but Palancar Gardens. I happen to like it a lot especially the small tight swim throughs at the end are a lot of fun. It is also a great place for new or unknown divers as you do get the sense of the big walls but usually little current and can be enjoyed at 40 or 80 feet.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

PS Like some wise person said, any dive in Cosumel can be the best dive...or the worst.

---------- Post added October 28th, 2013 at 06:34 PM ----------

psps...

Unless we knew your dive skills before, we never would have taken you to the best Cozumel has to offer. But given your one day foray, you were very lucky to get Palancar Gardens And Columbia Shallows. Most people coming over for one day get Yucab and Paradise...Not bad, but not the real Cozumel.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[djanni]

I enjoyed our one trip to Coz, but there were some things that weren't ideal.

I don't like hawkers, but the ones on Coz seemed pretty easy to discourage, and they didn't get in my personal space like the ones in Egypt did.

I didn't like the beach club where we spent surface intervals very much, and would have preferred a "secluded beach" over a confined place with a bunch of chairs and loud music. The food there was also indifferent -- we had MUCH better food at the little restaurants on the back streets in San Miguel.

We had one bad day on the boat, where the dive guide took off with the one diver who wasn't part of our group, and ignored the fact that we had three photographers who wanted to move much more slowly. We solved that by ignoring the guide.

Overall, we had a very good trip, saw some pretty reef (and the best visibility I've ever seen outside of a cenote), ate some good food, and enjoyed good weather. It's a pleasant destination, but I have to admit I don't understand why people go back there over and over again, when there are so many other places to explore.

Same reason a lot of us don't understand why you keep diving the PNW. Humm......

 

[Darol]

djanni siad:

We had one bad day on the boat, where the dive guide took off with the one diver who wasn't part of our group, and ignored the fact that we had three photographers who wanted to move much more slowly. We solved that by ignoring the guide.

Landing Saturday, and hoping for "The Best of Cozumel". CV lets have some drinks....... and dinner is on me.....