Advice on cozumel dive for beginners

[MMM]

OK, you're wrong!

I adore that dive and could do it over and over again (and in fact, I have!). There are some pretty good sized green eels hanging around there and if you're really lucky, a school of GIGANTIC tarpon. It's one very cool dive, in my books. But I like your metaphor.

I'm sure I'll hear others say I'm wrong, but I'm not a fan of the Tortugas dive in PDC. To me it just seems like a Boca retirement village for turtles. There are usually 30+, but they just sit there like someone's grampa who isn't too thrilled the great grand kids came by to visit him in the home.

 

[Moodiejeff]

OK, you're wrong!

Ha ha, I agree! If you're over on the mainland this dive is a no brainer... you'll be sick of Turtles by the end of the dive (in a good way). The Tarpon are icing on the cake. When I did it in May we were unfortunately already on our safety stop by the time we got to them. They are HUGE!!! Barracuda (PDC) as a second dive is pretty nice too, you get to go real slow and see... More Turtles! Lot's of Macro life too.

In Coz my favorite shallow dive is Colombia Shallows. Paradise is good too if you can get it to yourself. Sometimes it gets way too crowded as it's a stop for cattle boats.

Dalila impressed me last time too with it's large families of trunk fish.

 

[MMM]

Yeah, this is a dive best done on nitrox for just that reason. Not that you can't do it on air because lots of people do, but nitrox is better if you are good on air. It will greatly extend your dive time given the profile of this dive. I agree, I love Columbia Shallows. My best photo of a spotted eagle ray is there - literally I looked up and there it was!

The Tarpon are icing on the cake. When I did it in May we were unfortunately already on our safety stop by the time we got to them. They are HUGE In Coz my favorite shallow dive is Colombia Shallows.

 

[scubawife]

OK, you're wrong!

I adore that dive and could do it over and over again (and in fact, I have!). There are some pretty good sized green eels hanging around there and if you're really lucky, a school of GIGANTIC tarpon. It's one very cool dive, in my books. But I like your metaphor.

BUT, these will be his first post-certification dives, AND he's only got one day to dive in Cozumel. So with those restrictions, it makes no sense to use that day and not dive Cozumel sites.

 

[ccanfield]

On a somewhat related topic, have any of you taken part in a whale shark snorkel? I have seen some advertisements for snorkel excursions but they seem a bit overpriced. Have any of you taken part in one, and was it worth the cost?

 

[MMM]

Respectfully, I'd disagee. I dived this site a couple of years ago with a brand new diver. He had some initial difficulty on descent with current (which was strong that particulary day), but figured it out fast enough. (I stayed with him until he got it right and then we caught up with rest of the group.) However I know that while we were determining where we'd go to dive, the boat crew had a conversation with his instructor as to his abilities.

This is a great site and new divers tend to look for "big things". Lots of those around at this site. And the limited amount of coral makes buoyancy control a non-issue. The ability to "see the bottom" (albeit it that it's 60 feet) also helps folks gain diving confidence.

It's a fabulous site that is sure to result in lots of "oohs" from a relatively new diver. I've seen a few folks have difficulty with the crossing between Cozumel and PDC however. (Not me. Only thing that makes me puke is diesel smell.)

BUT, these will be his first post-certification dives, AND he's only got one day to dive in Cozumel. So with those restrictions, it makes no sense to use that day and not dive Cozumel sites.

 

[JDelage]

Hi,

I went to Cozumel last September. I stayed 1 week there, and oa 2 weeks in Yucatan (3 days before Coz' on the Riviera Maya, and 4 days inland visiting Uxmal, Xixen Itza, the Puc ruins, and Merida).

I had rented a car and took it to Coz'. That was ahuge mistake as you can't take the small, fast ferry that leaves from Playa with a car. You need to drive further down to a different terminal (not very well indicated) which has way fewer departures and is much slower. Once in Coz', I barely used the car at all. Overall, this costed me close to one day.

I used Deep Blue. I did the dive package with Hotel Baya, and I felt it was a great value. The Bahia is just by the sea, and therefore very convenient, and the rooms are huge and clean, with kitchenettes. Hot water is not always there, but who cares...

As to dive sites, if you've never dived in a similar place, you're going to be amazed wherever you go.

If you do the Riviera Maya, do one of the dives or snorkeling exploration of the fresh water Cenotes. Unfortunately, I wasn't certified when I was in the area, but even a snorkeling tour is extraordinary. You just need the OW cert for diving cenotes (though admitedly it can be tricky if you don't have very good control of your buoyancy).

 

[scubawife]

Respectfully, I'd disagee. I dived this site a couple of years ago with a brand new diver. He had some initial difficulty on descent with current (which was strong that particulary day), but figured it out fast enough. (I stayed with him until he got it right and then we caught up with rest of the group.) However I know that while we were determining where we'd go to dive, the boat crew had a conversation with his instructor as to his abilities.

This is a great site and new divers tend to look for "big things". Lots of those around at this site. And the limited amount of coral makes buoyancy control a non-issue. The ability to "see the bottom" (albeit it that it's 60 feet) also helps folks gain diving confidence.

It's a fabulous site that is sure to result in lots of "oohs" from a relatively new diver. I've seen a few folks have difficulty with the crossing between Cozumel and PDC however. (Not me. Only thing that makes me puke is diesel smell.)

I still don't think I would come from the mainland to dive for one day in Cozumel and use that time to go back and dive a mainland site If I was staying on the island and diving for a week or more, then sure, I'd take a day to do it. But if I'm staying on the mainland as ccanfield is, and taking just one day to come and dive in Cozumel, I'd take that day to experience a couple Cozumel sites. But that's ok. It would a very boring board if we all agreed all the time.

I'm not a puker and very glad of that.(Or at least I have never puked on a boat yet) It can be a miserable experience and a lonnnng ride from Coz to PDC on a dive boat for anyone prone to seasickness.

 

[bfisher]

My opinion? New diver and staying on the mainland? I'd do the turtle dive. Been there and dove most all the reefs at Coz. They are something to take the breath away, but there are nice dives from the mainland. Tortuga and Momma Nina are two nice dives for a beginner. You'll see more with less effort. It just pops up in front of you. It'll wet your appetite for more. Do the Turtles!!!!!!!!!

That's when you start planning your next trip---to Coz.

 

[scubawife]

My opinion? New diver and staying on the mainland? I'd do the turtle dive. Been there and dove most all the reefs at Coz. They are something to take the breath away, but there are nice dives from the mainland. Tortuga and Momma Nina are two nice dives for a beginner. You'll see more with less effort. It just pops up in front of you. It'll wet your appetite for more. Do the Turtles!!!!!!!!!

That's when you start planning your next trip---to Coz.

...but if you are staying on the mainland you can dive it from PDC. No need to spend the time and money on the ferry to Cozumel and pay a dive op there to take you to a PDC dive site then back to Coz to catch the ferry back to PDC. That just doesn't make sense to me.