Are shore dives legal on Cozumel?

[ReefHound]

For divers, I would have thought some of you would have a higher level of reading comprehension. So many of you have demonstrated otherwise though.

I have NOT rejected anyone's word on the rules, but merely asked if there were a directly verifiable source. I have NOT questioned anyone's integrity or honesty.

Christi did NOT post a link to park rules and regulations but to the homepage of the national park service. When asked if she had actually seen the rules on that website, she did not answer but said she had seen the rules on literature and during training courses. I am able to read Spanish pretty well by the way and did read about a dozen documents on that site. Unfortunately the site does not have a keyword search.

You DID offer posting advice, respectfully suggesting I not ask anyone here for information. Why you would say that about the park boundaries is a mystery. Nobody stated the park boundaries thus far despite several asking what is or is not within those boundaries.

BTW, for the newer members, I've had plenty of discussions with Christi and Gordon and they are both quite capable of holding their own. They don't need anybody riding to their rescue.

 

[ReefHound]

Yes folks..you do need a DM in the park.Personally I'm unclear about shore dives at the hotels but if you were to charter your own boat and not have a Mexican National as a DM you do risk big trouble if caught.

Okay, I'll accept for now that a DM is required. So then, if one is shore diving how would one know that a local guy was a qualified park guide? Or is the practical effect simply to prohibit shore diving within the park?

 

[old gaffer]

TM55417: It's nice to see another well mannered Minnesotan on here! Sometimes I think folks have seen Fargo to many times and judge us accordingly you bet!

Fellow Minnesotan The Old Gaffer

 

[Ron Brandt]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In 1996 the Mexican government designated the area from Paradise Reef south as a National Marine Park. In the years since, island dive operators have worked closely with the government to protect this invaluable international resource. As a result, there are currently limits on the number of boats and scuba dive operators allowed on the reefs and each diver must pay a $2.00 per day park entrance fee which goes towards enforcing the rules. [/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

Spear-fishing, touching the coral and the taking of marine life will get you booted from the park if you're caught. But there are much more serious penalties for guides and boat-captains who violate the rules. As a result, despite an ugly incident in 1996 when the government allowed a cruise ship pier to be built over north Paradise Reef, the system has remained vibrantly alive and healthy.[/FONT][/FONT]
Cozumel Diving Intro

 

[Ron Brandt]

Okay, I'll accept for now that a DM is required. So then, if one is shore diving how would one know that a local guy was a qualified park guide? Or is the practical effect simply to prohibit shore diving within the park?

Like someone else mentioned, the south hotels have roped off areas for this activity.Most if not all south hotels have their own dive op...which have instructors and DM's on site making this "legal".

Taught in many scuba courses is something called "discover local diving" and if you have not dove Coz before...even a shore dive , it's well worth tipping a local DM to show you the site...you just might gain a new friend and this is invaluable on the island.

Ron

 

[ReefHound]

Like someone else mentioned, the south hotels have roped off areas for this activity.Most if not all south hotels have their own dive op...which have instructors and DM's on site making this "legal".

Taught in many scuba courses is something called "discover local diving" and if you have not dove Coz before...even a shore dive , it's well worth tipping a local DM to show you the site...you just might gain a new friend and this is invaluable on the island.

Ron

Thanks for the info. And for the record, I have been doing my own research and laboriously reading the large PDF documents covering the rules and definitions of the national park service as a whole. I can read Spanish about 90%, good enough to get the gist of most things but perhaps not good enough to parse legal statutes? I have to look up some words here and there, and read a passage several times to understand what they are saying. Literal translations often make no sense. Thus far I've found nothing so specific as is listed in general guides.

I've been to Coz and have shore dived, in those roped off hotel areas. Are those areas not in the marine park or have they been special permitted as designated activity zones? Sounds like you are saying the DM doesn't actually have to be in the water, just "on site"?

 

[Firefyter]

She doesn't have to do anything more, I didn't challenge her to do anything more, I simply said I'm not going to be convinced unless I have something more.

Is there anybody anywhere that can prove anything to you? I've noticed that in almost every thread you participate in, you're coming across as arrogant and argumentative. Whatever knowledge you do have is being lost in the presentation, and your attitude has begun to get tiresome. Welcome to my ignore list.

 

[H20Bubbles]

If I said suspicion that's a little harsher than intended. I just like to get information straight from a verifiable source rather than third parties, even if in this case the third party can be trusted. I never said anyone was fabricating or lying.

I don't know you from some guy on the street, but in reading this thread and the Aqua Safari thread you most definitely have a posting style that is aggressive and confrontational.

If you read your own post here, you should very quickly realize that posting any question or statement on an internet forum is in direct contradiction of your own beliefs.

If you want it from a verifiable source... quit posting questions on an internet forum - you know we are all unverifiable sources. In fact don't search for any information on the internet - for it is all second hand as you did not research or verify any of the information yourself. If you do want an answer, find the website for the Marine Park in Cozumel and read the information yourself. Of course it is going to be in Spanish as that is the official language of Mexico . You will have to translate the information yourself... because relying on a translator would be another third party. Better yet, pick up the phone and call them yourself.

But most of all, like others have said, you should quit questioning peoples integrity and knowledge of the business environment that they are working in. It is not their job to prove anything to you. They provide you information, which you continue to question. And in case you don't see it from this post and those of others, you are the one who is looking like a jack%^$.

Go ahead, flame away.... I expect nothing less based on your posting history. :flame:

 

[firstdive2005]

From this point on-no more 3rd party info. It must be 4th party-might be better heresay.

_________________________________________________________

Go ahead interpret my words as harmless-make my day.

 

[H20Bubbles]

And for the record, I have only shore dived in Cozumel under the watchful eye of an instructor during our OW certification dives - and I have no idea whether we were or were not in the Marine Park.