Main objective, Whale Sharks...

[DandyDon]

I'm sure the water is clearer at Isla Mujeres. Depends on where the shoal goes year by year - sometimes closer to Holbox, sometimes IJ.

Don, were you not on the same Holbox boat as we were? There were tons of little rays flying by under us. The water wasn't as clear as it looks in those pictures, but they were there. I'd love to go back as well and enjoy its sleepy charms. I keep reading about some big resort that's supposed to be built.

Missed them. Where - with the whale sharks, or snorkeling, or on the way back? I slept thru some of that. Dang!

I've been afraid they'd build a resort there, fix the road, bring in a better ferry, pave the streets, and ruin that place. Business is business.

Any chance of seeing whale sharks in May? I'll be down there the 2nd week of May and would love to see one if there's a chance.

That's very early, especially with these recent northers. 250 dead turtles on Texas coasts. If you can find an Op that claims to be finding them and guarantees to find you some or refund your money, might try it - but I am skeptical. I don't think they'd give any guarantees in May.

 

[DIVECOZUMEL]

Clear water does not mean more whale sharks.
From here:
Cancun Whale Shark, Isla Mujeres Whale Shark

To swim close to the biggest fish in the world may be done in a few places of the world as Australia and Belize, nevertheless the area between Isla Holbox and Isla Contoy is the most privileged one as it gathers the major population of this animal in the world.

The presence of this creature in the summer between the north of Contoy Island and Holbox Island is due to the large amount of nutrients that is found in this part of the Caribbean Sea.

OP you may want to read this also:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mexico/289522-isla-mujeres-holbox-whale-sharks.html

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, it's the murky water stuff that attracts them, but there are seen in clear water at times. Impossible to predict where they go really.

 

[DIVECOZUMEL]

BTW OP you may want to read this before going. This is dated Aug 2010 and states:

Tourism based on whale shark watching has increased dramatically in the last few years and government agencies have taken steps to protect these magnificent animals so that the species will not be harmed and so they will continue to return to this area. For that reason, Isla Holbox has recently been named by the Mexican government as the only port that can offer trips to swim with the whale sharks and there are strict rules against scuba equipment being used to view them in the area.

From here:

Swim with the Whale Sharks in Yucatan /  Breaking News

 

[budaman]

We went last August....supposed to go to Holbox, but tour company changed without telling us & we went out of Puerto Sam outside of Cancun. Wasn't real happy about the change, but we still had a great time. If I remember correctly, it was about an hour boatride to the site. It was strange jumping into the middle of the ocean with no land in site. But, the water was much clearer than I expected. I guess there were probably 25-30 whalesharks in the area and an equal number of boats. We seperated out a bit from the mass & stayed with a group of 5 whalesharks. We'd go out in pairs & spend 10-15 minutes in the water. We were in the water 3 times. FYI....take your wetsuit, they make you wear one of those stupid snorkel vests if you don't. Luckily we had taken our .5mm full skin so we were able to avoid the vest. Afterwards,we spent about an hour at a beach in Isla Mujeres having beers & ceviche.

Video I took of the experience:
MobileMe Gallery

Update.....forgot, we had our rash guards, not skins, but that worked. Some of the other people aboard were upset they had to wear the vests

Mike

 

[DandyDon]

BTW OP you may want to read this before going. This is dated Aug 2010 and states:



From here:

Swim with the Whale Sharks in Yucatan /  Breaking News

Now that is very interesting, if believable? Who is hapefun.com? Strange to hear that claim from an unknown site only?

We went last August....supposed to go to Holbox, but tour company changed without telling us & we went out of Puerto Sam outside of Cancun. Wasn't real happy about the change, but we still had a great time. If I remember correctly, it was about an hour boatride to the site. It was strange jumping into the middle of the ocean with no land in site. But, the water was much clearer than I expected. I guess there were probably 25-30 whalesharks in the area and an equal number of boats. We seperated out a bit from the mass & stayed with a group of 5 whalesharks. We'd go out in pairs & spend 10-15 minutes in the water. We were in the water 3 times. FYI....take your wetsuit, they make you wear one of those stupid snorkel vests if you don't. Luckily we had taken our .5mm full skin so we were able to avoid the vest. Afterwards,we spent about an hour at a beach in Isla Mujeres having beers & ceviche.

Video I took of the experience:
MobileMe Gallery

Update.....forgot, we had our rash guards, not skins, but that worked. Some of the other people aboard were upset they had to wear the vests

Mike

Hehe, I guess it can be if you never have dived outside of sight of land. Questions...

Re: snorkel vests you mentioned? The inflatable collars? That's what we took and we liked them fine. Why did you not like them? Or did you mean a bulky life vest, which are cumbersome and will slow you in the water?

Re: rash guards, not skins you mentioned? Sounds like the same thing. To avoid wearing a snorkel vest or life vest, I suggest at least a 3 mil neoprene suit so you can't sink.

 

[budaman]

Now that is very interesting, if believable? Who is hapefun.com? Strange to hear that claim from an unknown site only?

Hehe, I guess it can be if you never have dived outside of sight of land. Questions...

Re: snorkel vests you mentioned? The inflatable collars? That's what we took and we liked them fine. Why did you not like them? Or did you mean a bulky life vest, which are cumbersome and will slow you in the water?

Re: rash guards, not skins you mentioned? Sounds like the same thing. To avoid wearing a snorkel vest or life vest, I suggest at least a 3 mil neoprene suit so you can't sink.

1. Just felt weird without scuba equipment on.....just you & the water in the middle of nowhere.
2. They were the collars...I just don't like them & they do look kind of dorky.
3. We just used our rash guard tops we use when snorkeling so our backs don't burn. lightweight lycra. Guess we're naturally buoyant...must be why it takes so much weight when diving We really like our .5 mil skins. Haven't used any other suit while diving since we bought them. We usually only do 2 & every so often 3 dives a day for 4 or 5 days so getting cold hasn't been a problem. The coldest temp reading I've had on my computer was 74....don't think I'd want to use them much lower than that though. They are so much more comfortable than a 3 mil.

Mike

 

[DandyDon]

1. Just felt weird without scuba equipment on.....just you & the water in the middle of nowhere.
2. They were the collars...I just don't like them & they do look kind of dorky.
3. We just used our rash guard tops we use when snorkeling so our backs don't burn. lightweight lycra. Guess we're naturally buoyant...must be why it takes so much weight when diving We really like our .5 mil skins. Haven't used any other suit while diving since we bought them. We usually only do 2 & every so often 3 dives a day for 4 or 5 days so getting cold hasn't been a problem. The coldest temp reading I've had on my computer was 74....don't think I'd want to use them much lower than that though. They are so much more comfortable than a 3 mil.

Mike

Oh yeah I guess. I snorkeled off of tour boats a few years of vacations before scuba, and I'd dived further out from NC than you went. Guess I'm more used to such.

I like the inflatable collars. I don't care how I look in one; nice tool snorkeling, and I wear one on any small, moving boat. I know, everyone else pretends that boats don't sink. I wear mine boating or snorkeling.

Lycra is not at all buoyant and I am surprised they let you use just that. I like to be sure I can float even if I find a way to hurt myself, so either inflatable collar or neoprene suit. I also get cold in 74F.

 

[robbcayman]

Oh yeah I guess. I snorkeled off of tour boats a few years of vacations before scuba, and I'd dived further out from NC than you went. Guess I'm more used to such.

I like the inflatable collars. I don't care how I look in one; nice tool snorkeling, and I wear one on any small, moving boat. I know, everyone else pretends that boats don't sink. I wear mine boating or snorkeling.

Lycra is not at all buoyant and I am surprised they let you use just that. I like to be sure I can float even if I find a way to hurt myself, so either inflatable collar or neoprene suit. I also get cold in 74F.

I always hear you talk about wearing life jackets on dive boats lol. Do you not know how to swim if a boat does sink? Do you have any pictures of you in said life jacket? Do you wear it to every dive site and then take it off before entering the water?

I'm really intrigued by this life jacket rant. Personally, I can't stand wearing those things. My wife isn't a diver and I do snorkel trips with her. I'm shocked that someone actually enjoys wearing one of these restricting devices.

 

[DandyDon]

:laughing: Yeah, I know how to swim. I also have survived long enough to realize that I am not immortal and accidents happen.

From CDC - Injury - Water-Related Injuries Fact Sheet
LACK OF LIFE JACKET USE IN RECREATIONAL BOATING. In 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard received reports for 4,789 boating incidents; 3,331 boaters were reported injured, and 709 died. Among those who drowned, 9 out of 10 were not wearing life jackets. Most boating fatalities that occurred during 2008 (72%) were caused by drowning with 90% of victims not wearing life jackets; the remainder were due to trauma, hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, or other causes.

Actually I am surprised that any of those wearing life jackets drowned. Amazing what can go wrong huh? There are about 4,000 drowning deaths in the US a year tho, fourth most common causes of accidental death, for various reasons - and some were people who knew how to swim but failed anyway, perhaps when trying to rescue a child, or injured from the boat wreck, were too far out from land, etc. I am not trying to talk anyone else into the idea, but it amazes me that I am usually the only one. Oh well.

I might have pics of me somewhere. I don't know. I don't get many of myself. But yeah, I wear it to the dive site, then take it off to don my BC.

And the whale shark Ops are supposed to require every swimmer to wear neoprene suit or a flotation vest I thot. Surprised you didn't have to? Maybe he thot it was a neoprene suit?