Are shore dives legal on Cozumel?

[ReefHound]

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.

I didn't know I had a fan club keeping track of my threads. :mooner:

 

[Ron Brandt]

Wow Gordon and Christi....I take a break from teaching diving and Scuba Board for 8 months and come on here to see this.

Feels great to be home !

Ronnie

 

[cicopo]

To begin with I have copied & uploaded some maps here that have the park boundary shown.
Picasa Web Albums - Larry - Cozumel Maps
Use the magnifying glass icon to enlarge them if needed.
I have been told that to use the park waters for snorkeling or diving does require a park pass, and at the Iberostar they normally seemed to charge it to those renting snorkeling equipment even though they may not have ever left the roped off area. Should they have? I don't know. I have also been told & never questioned it that a guide is required within the park boundaries and also that a boat being operated within the boundaries also must be licensed to be there plus operated by a captain who is also licensed to operate within the boundaries. I have both been told these things plus read them in messages on another forum and since they don't restrict me from doing things I do I have never questioned them. I can however confess to having violated one but without realizing I had done so until recently. In Feb 98 I stayed at the Reef Club, walked down to the Allegro (Diamond then) and drift snorkeled my way back a few times, and I also drift snorkeled from the Reef Club almost all the way to Corona Beach on another day without getting park passes. (Now it is possible that I had already had one because I dove most days, but not every day).
As for shore diving within the park I can't really tell you the policy at each resort because I haven't run into anyone who wanted to do it, but considering how little needs protecting close to shore where the resorts are located maybe it's just overlooked re the need for a guide.

 

[ReefHound]

Thanks Larry (and Ron) for the info. Where did you get that map, a brochure, a website, or buy it somewhere? Would be neat to have that as a laminated waterproof card for the logbook.

So basically the entire southern end of the island from the Puerto Maya pier is the marine park. Based on the discussions of what is or is not within the boundaries I had this mental image of a haphazard boundary that would have a shore diver playing Mexican roulette as to whether he was legal or not. I see now that a diver should easily know when he is within the park.

 

[cicopo]

The map was originally listed as being from the Mexican government and on a web site that was provided by one of our members at Tripadvisor's Cozumel forum. You downloaded a 2 page pdf and could print it if wanted, and I guess you could laminate if you wanted to. About 2 years ago it disappeared so I scanned sections of it & uploaded it the way you see it, but will see if I still have the original file on any of my computers which I could email anyone if they want it.
As I understand it the boundary out in the water is just past the edge of the reef wall so that implies that the wall is protected but once you hit the deep water it isn't. The Puerto Maya pier was the northern boundary of the west side (before it was destroyed) making it easy to know where the park began / ended, but I can't say that I noticed any sign last trip marking the spot (on the shore or road) as I drove up the east side. I suspect there is something but it didn't jump in front of the car as I drove around.

 

[ggunn]

Thanks Larry (and Ron) for the info. Where did you get that map, a brochure, a website, or buy it somewhere? Would be neat to have that as a laminated waterproof card for the logbook.

So basically the entire southern end of the island from the Puerto Maya pier is the marine park. Based on the discussions of what is or is not within the boundaries I had this mental image of a haphazard boundary that would have a shore diver playing Mexican roulette as to whether he was legal or not. I see now that a diver should easily know when he is within the park.

I looked for an on-line map to point you to but I couldn't find one. I have seen one when I was on the island, however, and if you'll accept my second hand info, the marine park starts at the north end of Paradise Reef, which is to say a little south of the cruise ship pier that they chopped off the northern extremity of Paradise Reef to build, There are marker buoys there, BTW. The park extends southward to the south end of the island, rounds the tip, and extends up the east coast to approximately that intersection where the entrance to Punta Sur Park and the Paradise Cafe are. On the west coast it extends out past the dropoff; on the east coast I'm not sure how far out it goes or whether there is a dropoff over there.

 

[ReefHound]

Thanks for the effort, Gordon. I'm over my PMS so I'll take your word for it. I'm not gonna make an international call to play Mexican phone tag but next time I'm down there I'll try to stop by the park offices and find out the elusive details about guide requirements and ratios and sources and such.

 

[paulw]

I bought a book from Deep Blue that had a map showing the park, you can order one from here Cozumel maps, cozumel diving, cozumel dive, diving cozumel, scuba diving cozumel if this helps.

 

[ReefHound]

Looks a bit pricey. Not saying it isn't worth it but basic info is available everywhere. Names of dive sites, depths, descriptions, etc. are easy to find. Are there specifics in there not seen elsewhere? I think we've got the boundaries issue covered.

 

[Cozumel Wireless]

My first post here, even though i have posted a few comments on the other forums about that "other tread",

ReefHound, after you questioned the existence of a map, i found, after a google search a site that shows all the protected areas in Mexico, one by one...

Even though i'm a third party all this information was taken out of that site:

yours to keep: Cozumel Marine Park General Information

I'll be looking for the other files elsewhere and post them at the same site.

Have a great day!

Edit: found the website again... SIG-CONANP

Thanks Larry (and Ron) for the info. Where did you get that map, a brochure, a website, or buy it somewhere? Would be neat to have that as a laminated waterproof card for the logbook.

So basically the entire southern end of the island from the Puerto Maya pier is the marine park. Based on the discussions of what is or is not within the boundaries I had this mental image of a haphazard boundary that would have a shore diver playing Mexican roulette as to whether he was legal or not. I see now that a diver should easily know when he is within the park.