Goodbye Cozumel; Lets Try It Again Next Year

[DandyDon]

Don, Did you do any shore diving at Caribe Blu? How was it?

I tried one. I think it was good before the hurricane, not now. Might be better down the beach 100 yds where I saw the snorkelers going in. Drag a float, at least a sausage on a spool.

 

[Moodiejeff]

Wirlesss? I never asked. They have it in the lobby, and I was going to the internet cafe? Jeeze, they could post a sign. :doh:

Hehe... did the same last fall. Didn't find out about it 'til the day before we left.

 

[NadMat]

sometimes being a network geek with an internet addiction pays off.

I saw their access point by desk in lobby, so asked. But I am so geeky I carry my own access point when traveling so don't have to put up with cat 5 running across room in a non wireless hotel. I was just glad they had the access back up when there in Dec. Cable was still out, but I was actually happy about that as long as I had internet access.

 

[NadMat]

...
Yeah, I had a turtle in the floor, both times I've stayed there. Same room? Thought maybe they all had turtles...?

...

Was my first time there, so all I saw was turtle, but their site shows several other designs...

I think next time I may try for the Manta...

So any other fellow SB'rs out there stay at Caribe Blu? What was your floor like?

edit: created new post with poll for this

 

[HammerNoMore]

To be peferctly honeset, I don't recall...

 

[DandyDon]

When I first checked in with Victor at the shop, he assured me that I'd be on a boat with experienced divers, but I know from a few of my own organizational experiences how difficult that can be. Sure enough, on the first boat, when the DM asked each diver how many dives s/he had, the guy next to me said: "Four - my OW check out dives." :11: But another diver quickly added: "But he has 2 of the best dive buddies possible!" Okay, fine. Dived with them 2 mornings, as well as a variety of other divers - all of whom seemed experienced enough. The newbie did just fine, and there were no "Show me how to do this again" challenges on the 4 trips I got to make.

I had hell with shooting into the hazy white water and the white reefs, but did get over a hundred good enough to share with non-divers, who are easily impressed, plus some interesting land shots. I then had hell loading them into SB's gallery with the crashes we've had this week, but got them crammed in. I further tried to delete the duplicates that got loaded amidst the SB crahes, but that was just making things worse. So, while there are some duplications, I do have a couple hundred dive and dry shots loaded. If you'd like to check them out, go to my gallery and scorll down to My Cozumel April 2006 Weekend.

I greatly enjoyed the Eagle Rays and turtles, as well as trying to shoot a gobi with half his body out of his hole, but I guess my fav find was the pipefish. I just did not know that Coz had pipefish...

My pipefish

 

[Christi]

I had hell with shooting into the hazy white water and the white reefs, but did get over a hundred good enough to share with non-divers, who are easily impressed, plus some interesting land shots. I then had hell loading them into SB's gallery with the crashes we've had this week, but got them crammed in. I further tried to delete the duplicates that got loaded amidst the SB crahes, but that was just making things worse. So, while there are some duplications, I do have a couple hundred dive and dry shots loaded. If you'd like to check them out, go to my gallery and scorll down to My Cozumel April 2006 Weekend.

I greatly enjoyed the Eagle Rays and turtles, as well as trying to shoot a gobi with half his body out of his hole, but I guess my fav find was the pipefish. I just did not know that Coz had pipefish...

Just a few helpful photo tips and reminders:

1. Remember that color is lost the deeper you go. That was true before Wilma...so the lack of color in some of your shots is simply that...and there's not alot you can do about it for things in the distance.
2. If using an internal flash only, it really only lights up the stuff directly in the 1 to 3 foot range in front of your camera and often can pick up alot of backscatter.
3. If using an external strobe, that range is only extended out to about 5 feet. If shooting a subject more than 5 feet away, you might as well turn the strobe off and use natural light with approporiate shutter speed and aperature settings.
4. You are shooting down at many of your subjects. Always shoot up or at least level with your subject.
5. Composition makes a huge difference. Try to fill your viewfinder with your subject...remember things appear larger and closer under water.
6. If you have to shoot down at a subject in the sand, turn your aperature up (8.0 to 11.0 and use your flash...this will help get the contrast of the subject and the sand below it.

You did get some nice shots...I really like your school of Porkfish...yuo captured the blue! Hope those help for next time.

 

[DandyDon]

If you have to shoot down at a subject in the sand, turn your aperature up (8.0 to 11.0 and use your flash...this will help get the contrast of the subject and the sand below it.

You did get some nice shots...I really like your school of Porkfish...yuo captured the blue! Hope those help for next time.

Thanks for the completment. I was using a strobe but occasionally shot again while it was recharging yileding much darker shots. Used Adobe PS 3.0 to pull those out some.

About "turn your aperature up (8.0 to 11.0 and use your flash": I don't remember that term - remember you're talking to a real amateur here; is that the white balance?

​

 

[ggunn]

Thanks for the completment. I was using a strobe but occasionally shot again while it was recharging yileding much darker shots. Used Adobe PS 3.0 to pull those out some.

About "turn your aperature up (8.0 to 11.0 and use your flash": I don't remember that term - remember you're talking to a real amateur here; is that the white balance?

​

Aperture is the width of the lens opening, also called (by the more archaic of us) the F stop.

 

[Christi]

Thanks for the completment. I was using a strobe but occasionally shot again while it was recharging yileding much darker shots. Used Adobe PS 3.0 to pull those out some.

Yeh, I can see the reds you pulled out.

About "turn your aperature up (8.0 to 11.0 and use your flash": I don't remember that term - remember you're talking to a real amateur here; is that the white balance?

​

White balance is something completely different.

As Gordon said, aperature is the F Stop and lens opening, which is one factor that determines how much light is let in.

Im not a pro, but these are just things I have learned from reading, trial and error and from other photographers.

The other factor determining light exposure is the shutter speed....that is how fast the shutter opens and closes. The longer the shutter opens, the morel light exposure there is. Therefore, a faster shutter speed will let less light in.

Depending on your camera, you might not have the option to shoot manual. If shooting the automatic settings, they usually don't yield the best results underwater, but are fine topside. Again, that depends on the camera.

I shoot complete manual, which means I manually set the aperature, shutter speed and strobe setting for each shot. Some cameras allow you to shoot win aperature priority or shutter priority...which allows you to manually set one or the other and the camera sets the other.