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Cozumel Dive Trip Report: November 24-28 :sombrero:
I flew a cattle car charter airline from Dallas-Ft.Worth to Cozumel once, after flying a real airline from Lubbock and spending the night en route, and I said Id never do it that way again. After doing it one more time, this time I mean it...!
It all started with an email from a LDS (Local Dive Shop) inviting me along, and while Id not done much with this dealer, I thought itd be good to try to support the LDS, to establish relations and get to know their customers, and enjoy a better trip to the Mexican Dive Paradise. A good question I failed to ask would have been: And will there be an experienced DM (Dive Master) leading the group? Presumptions really arent a good bet at all. But now I was committed, so I tried to go with the program, whatever it turned out to be, and make the best of it.
As the time approach, a subsequent email advised that the leader had us a deal at a nice suite motel near DFW en route for only $69, but this time I did ask if there was a group gathering there? No, as she was staying with friends in town anyway, with plans to just meet us there in the morning and park her car there for free while we were gone. I booked a different, nice hotel for $35.
Getting there is always interesting
I usually leave Lubbock on my regular airline at 6am, but for this plan I booked the Sunday 5pm departure, and I got to meet a new agent. She frowned at my 52 pound bag, then hit me for $25 on my $58 pounder?! Uh, did you look at my Frequent Flyer status, and you still want to charge me? Yes sir, I am. Okay, would you tell your supervisor that you want to charge a Platinum member for an extra few pounds, please? She left, and returned: Well - I learned something today. I dont guess they get very many Platinum Cards on the Lubbock route.
Did my overnight at DFW with a 5am wake-up, did the van thing, and did the 5:45am in line thing as requested. Id read my ticket about the 44 pound total weight allowance thinking surely they meant per bag, and I just gritted my teeth when I turned my 110 pounds over to Ryan Air. I was ready with my May I see your Texas Department of Agriculture sticker for your scales? thing, but she didnt bother weighing, simply turning them over to the TSA agents. So far, so good. Then I saw the rest of our group whod been watching me check in
Our 21 year old leader criticized me for bringing so much?! So what?! I never claimed to be a light packer. Doesnt she sell dive gear as her full time job? She should be proud of me as a good consumer example. I just shrugged and headed for security; it was time for a nice, airport breakfast. I met back up with the group at the boarding gate, and enjoyed sitting with a nice couple whod done the Roatan trip Id made with the owner of the same LDS, but mostly I woke up in Cozumel.
I do have a good bit of experience in grabbing luggage quickly and getting out of terminals, and I was quickly past the red-light green-light gate for the outdoor van line. Adventure Tours employees a number of locals in lime green shirts, but most of them just smile and wait for a couple of hombres at the curb to designate passengers to vans, so I headed for the curb. The rest of our group finally came out, but they all stood around the building door, I guess waiting on the entire crowd to disappear? After some half hour of not much happening, we finally were the last to load. I knew that any word would be wrong, so I just loaded bags and jumped a seat.
The All Inclusive, No Tipping Reef Club
It really is a nice resort for non-divers, pretty grounds, nice beach, and all. Scuba Board members warned me to try for a downstairs room close to the boat dock, so I had to wait a few hours for a room, but it was worth it. Getting to the dock once or twice a day was a healthy hike around the time share part of the property, and the dive shop wouldnt let me rent a locker unless I booked with their operator, so all my excessive gear had to be humped a few times. The rooms were nice enough, and the beds as hard as feared, but I had five pillows in my private room with two beds, so I just lined them up for a decent nights rest.
Did the ho-hum lunch in the interim, learning where things were, as no tipping means little service, got my gear ready for the next mornings dives, strolled the grounds, did the ho-hum dinner, and had a few drinks by the pool. Really a nice quiet place for newlyweds, chit chatters, or very old people who require a lot of quiet time, but overall as boring as the food, both becoming increasingly so over the days.
But I have to describe the outdoor snack bar, where an early bird can grab Continental Breakfast before the restaurant opens at 7am, or anyone still wet can grab a lunch without changing. I turned out at 6:30 the first morning to grab cereal, milk, juice, fruit, thinking that a nice CB would be just the thing before getting an early start for the dock, but alas their definition of CB is coffee and stale rolls, nothing else. Then, being in a hurry for lunch the first day so I could get back for a special dive trip, I tried the outdoor buffet again. I found it covered in flies, even on the hot dogs rolling on the roaster, and when I tried an imitation pizza slice from an enclosed cabinet, I found it to be at just the right temperature for microbe growth.
uke: I spit the food into the trash and marched into the restaurant wearing a t-shirt and my wetsuit peeled to my waist. They might have had enough hombres to throw me out physically, but they didnt try. :bandito:
Dive, Dive, Dive
Took my pony bottle to the local operator the next morning, thinking I could give him some business at least, even though we were diving with Papa Hogs from town, but he wasnt interested in starting a compressor until after 9am when they filled the other tanks. And he didnt sell camera supplies, either; he rented cameras. Note to self: Be better prepared next time, and take the pony to the operator immediately on arrival.
We finally boarded PHs big boat, and the motley group prepared to dive. PHs Margaret had advised Local DM Gabriel to load Nitrox tanks for me, but that didnt happen the first trip. Otherwise, PHs sent a great crew of four to take care of ten divers captain, two DMs, and a helper, all of whom were great helping with gear and everything else. The nice couple I knew from the Roatan trip couldnt dive because of a medical condition thatd flared up recently, but we had the young lady leader, her girl friend, their two boy friends whod never dived in the ocean before, a nice very young couple with a little experience, another nice young couple with a little more, and one experienced lady my age whom I knew from a Lubbock Honky Tonk. She and I were assigned each other for the duration, but she made it really clear Id better follow well. That didnt go well at all.
We did a newbie reef, returned to dock so people could retrieve things theyd forgotten, I got my filled pony, and we did another newbie reef and sand field except for one of the paper cards who went home hung over and seasick after his first ocean ever dive. Margaret promised me an extra afternoon trip as requested, but itd be a different, smaller boat, so while everyone else could leave their gear on board where itd be rinsed and guarded for them, I had to hump mine to lunch, then back. Whatever it takes ?
The afternoon boat pulled in on time, with a crew of two and one ready diver, one more to be picked up at the nearby Allegro. Now I was really impressed with PHs
, willing to send a boat out for three divers, the other two only planning on one dive. Finally, a good dive happened, and the DM promised take me on a private dive after dropping the others off, then send me back to my place with boss Mike in his pickup, but I was a little tired, and knew the last reef would be another newbie type, so I tipped him and humped my gear back to my room again.
The dives improved the second day, but our young lady leader not a DM, but Rescue trained and had been in the ocean a couple of times seemed bothered, insulting my diving, but I just took care of business and let the evidence speak for itself. DM Gabriel and I were quickly becoming buds, so hed lead the first group, the rest would follow, Id bring up the rear, and as the others exhausted their air, he and I would finish the dives. I hoped the air divers with charts were following their training, but I heard comments about all the rules were breaking on our bottom times. Lordie. I later heard that the air diving leader and her girlfriend were violating their computers but kept on swimming, ending with standard safety stops. I always thought that computer instructions were more than suggestions, but no one got bent badly enough to notice.
We did a nice, uneventful night dive the second night, with Gabriel and I finishing up again, and went on to a couple of nice dives the last morning. Many were griping at the DM that they hadnt seen a seahorse yet, and he assured them, By the last dive. He and I were cruising along ahead of the rest around 50 feet down when he motioned me over to a reef, where he positioned a two inch tall toy seahorse toy, then started motioning for the others. I was ROSLTR Rolling On Sand Laughing Through Regulator as others tried to crowd in to see.
After that last dive, we all unloaded our gear, said our goodbyes, I tipped $5 per dive as I had each day as I like the DMs to know Im one to express gratitude appropriately, and the rest finally presented an envelope of money. I can only hope there was a reasonable amount therein.
I needed to settle with PHs for the extra dive and Nitrox, but our leader didnt offer to assist, so I just planned on a $13 cab ride to pay myself out after I rinsed all my gear to dry. I finally got to meet Margaret, learning that Id just missed our leader whod come to pay the standard charges. Amazement continued still. :shaking:
From there, I walked a few blocks to check out the Casa Del Mar motel where Id be joining a Singles Dive Group a couple of months later. Nice place for a lot less money, short sky bridge walk to the boat dock, available rinse tanks and lockers, short taxi ride to town, and no meal plan which means that there will be competition for my dinning dollars. Next time, itll be one airline, one connection, one day of travel, and so many other things will be better arranged for less. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me! Gomer Pyle. Dont even think about a third time, Dandy Don.
The Escape
No one told me what time to be ready to go or how wed get to the airport, but I found out anyway. Our local lime green shirted host demonstrated again how difficult boarding taxis can really be, no matter how simple it seems, and we were back to the airport two hours before flight time, as suggested. The line had already formed, and it was moving slow, as this airport uses people rather than x-rays and chemical testers to search bags, but my turn with my two huge bags finally came. One glance and they waved me to bypass security. Over packing is really a great way to discourage being checked by security or customs, Ive found.
The security people did search every carryon bag, though, twice at the security entrance, and again at boarding. Who knows? Finally a take off, another two hour nap and we were at the DFW gate by 2pm. From there, I made an impossible connection off the plane, through crowded Immigration, digging through a luggage avalanche, through Customs, down the terminal, boarding cab, across the largest airport in the world, and to my airline in one hour flat. Wish I had documentation for Gunnies. I was in Lubbock by 4:30, wondering if any of the others who drove had even managed to leave the metroplex yet?
Next time will be better, I know it will. Its gotta be
I flew a cattle car charter airline from Dallas-Ft.Worth to Cozumel once, after flying a real airline from Lubbock and spending the night en route, and I said Id never do it that way again. After doing it one more time, this time I mean it...!
It all started with an email from a LDS (Local Dive Shop) inviting me along, and while Id not done much with this dealer, I thought itd be good to try to support the LDS, to establish relations and get to know their customers, and enjoy a better trip to the Mexican Dive Paradise. A good question I failed to ask would have been: And will there be an experienced DM (Dive Master) leading the group? Presumptions really arent a good bet at all. But now I was committed, so I tried to go with the program, whatever it turned out to be, and make the best of it.
As the time approach, a subsequent email advised that the leader had us a deal at a nice suite motel near DFW en route for only $69, but this time I did ask if there was a group gathering there? No, as she was staying with friends in town anyway, with plans to just meet us there in the morning and park her car there for free while we were gone. I booked a different, nice hotel for $35.
Getting there is always interesting
I usually leave Lubbock on my regular airline at 6am, but for this plan I booked the Sunday 5pm departure, and I got to meet a new agent. She frowned at my 52 pound bag, then hit me for $25 on my $58 pounder?! Uh, did you look at my Frequent Flyer status, and you still want to charge me? Yes sir, I am. Okay, would you tell your supervisor that you want to charge a Platinum member for an extra few pounds, please? She left, and returned: Well - I learned something today. I dont guess they get very many Platinum Cards on the Lubbock route.
Did my overnight at DFW with a 5am wake-up, did the van thing, and did the 5:45am in line thing as requested. Id read my ticket about the 44 pound total weight allowance thinking surely they meant per bag, and I just gritted my teeth when I turned my 110 pounds over to Ryan Air. I was ready with my May I see your Texas Department of Agriculture sticker for your scales? thing, but she didnt bother weighing, simply turning them over to the TSA agents. So far, so good. Then I saw the rest of our group whod been watching me check in
Our 21 year old leader criticized me for bringing so much?! So what?! I never claimed to be a light packer. Doesnt she sell dive gear as her full time job? She should be proud of me as a good consumer example. I just shrugged and headed for security; it was time for a nice, airport breakfast. I met back up with the group at the boarding gate, and enjoyed sitting with a nice couple whod done the Roatan trip Id made with the owner of the same LDS, but mostly I woke up in Cozumel.
I do have a good bit of experience in grabbing luggage quickly and getting out of terminals, and I was quickly past the red-light green-light gate for the outdoor van line. Adventure Tours employees a number of locals in lime green shirts, but most of them just smile and wait for a couple of hombres at the curb to designate passengers to vans, so I headed for the curb. The rest of our group finally came out, but they all stood around the building door, I guess waiting on the entire crowd to disappear? After some half hour of not much happening, we finally were the last to load. I knew that any word would be wrong, so I just loaded bags and jumped a seat.
The All Inclusive, No Tipping Reef Club
It really is a nice resort for non-divers, pretty grounds, nice beach, and all. Scuba Board members warned me to try for a downstairs room close to the boat dock, so I had to wait a few hours for a room, but it was worth it. Getting to the dock once or twice a day was a healthy hike around the time share part of the property, and the dive shop wouldnt let me rent a locker unless I booked with their operator, so all my excessive gear had to be humped a few times. The rooms were nice enough, and the beds as hard as feared, but I had five pillows in my private room with two beds, so I just lined them up for a decent nights rest.
Did the ho-hum lunch in the interim, learning where things were, as no tipping means little service, got my gear ready for the next mornings dives, strolled the grounds, did the ho-hum dinner, and had a few drinks by the pool. Really a nice quiet place for newlyweds, chit chatters, or very old people who require a lot of quiet time, but overall as boring as the food, both becoming increasingly so over the days.
But I have to describe the outdoor snack bar, where an early bird can grab Continental Breakfast before the restaurant opens at 7am, or anyone still wet can grab a lunch without changing. I turned out at 6:30 the first morning to grab cereal, milk, juice, fruit, thinking that a nice CB would be just the thing before getting an early start for the dock, but alas their definition of CB is coffee and stale rolls, nothing else. Then, being in a hurry for lunch the first day so I could get back for a special dive trip, I tried the outdoor buffet again. I found it covered in flies, even on the hot dogs rolling on the roaster, and when I tried an imitation pizza slice from an enclosed cabinet, I found it to be at just the right temperature for microbe growth.
uke: I spit the food into the trash and marched into the restaurant wearing a t-shirt and my wetsuit peeled to my waist. They might have had enough hombres to throw me out physically, but they didnt try. :bandito:Dive, Dive, Dive
Took my pony bottle to the local operator the next morning, thinking I could give him some business at least, even though we were diving with Papa Hogs from town, but he wasnt interested in starting a compressor until after 9am when they filled the other tanks. And he didnt sell camera supplies, either; he rented cameras. Note to self: Be better prepared next time, and take the pony to the operator immediately on arrival.
We finally boarded PHs big boat, and the motley group prepared to dive. PHs Margaret had advised Local DM Gabriel to load Nitrox tanks for me, but that didnt happen the first trip. Otherwise, PHs sent a great crew of four to take care of ten divers captain, two DMs, and a helper, all of whom were great helping with gear and everything else. The nice couple I knew from the Roatan trip couldnt dive because of a medical condition thatd flared up recently, but we had the young lady leader, her girl friend, their two boy friends whod never dived in the ocean before, a nice very young couple with a little experience, another nice young couple with a little more, and one experienced lady my age whom I knew from a Lubbock Honky Tonk. She and I were assigned each other for the duration, but she made it really clear Id better follow well. That didnt go well at all.
We did a newbie reef, returned to dock so people could retrieve things theyd forgotten, I got my filled pony, and we did another newbie reef and sand field except for one of the paper cards who went home hung over and seasick after his first ocean ever dive. Margaret promised me an extra afternoon trip as requested, but itd be a different, smaller boat, so while everyone else could leave their gear on board where itd be rinsed and guarded for them, I had to hump mine to lunch, then back. Whatever it takes ?
The afternoon boat pulled in on time, with a crew of two and one ready diver, one more to be picked up at the nearby Allegro. Now I was really impressed with PHs
, willing to send a boat out for three divers, the other two only planning on one dive. Finally, a good dive happened, and the DM promised take me on a private dive after dropping the others off, then send me back to my place with boss Mike in his pickup, but I was a little tired, and knew the last reef would be another newbie type, so I tipped him and humped my gear back to my room again.The dives improved the second day, but our young lady leader not a DM, but Rescue trained and had been in the ocean a couple of times seemed bothered, insulting my diving, but I just took care of business and let the evidence speak for itself. DM Gabriel and I were quickly becoming buds, so hed lead the first group, the rest would follow, Id bring up the rear, and as the others exhausted their air, he and I would finish the dives. I hoped the air divers with charts were following their training, but I heard comments about all the rules were breaking on our bottom times. Lordie. I later heard that the air diving leader and her girlfriend were violating their computers but kept on swimming, ending with standard safety stops. I always thought that computer instructions were more than suggestions, but no one got bent badly enough to notice.
We did a nice, uneventful night dive the second night, with Gabriel and I finishing up again, and went on to a couple of nice dives the last morning. Many were griping at the DM that they hadnt seen a seahorse yet, and he assured them, By the last dive. He and I were cruising along ahead of the rest around 50 feet down when he motioned me over to a reef, where he positioned a two inch tall toy seahorse toy, then started motioning for the others. I was ROSLTR Rolling On Sand Laughing Through Regulator as others tried to crowd in to see.
After that last dive, we all unloaded our gear, said our goodbyes, I tipped $5 per dive as I had each day as I like the DMs to know Im one to express gratitude appropriately, and the rest finally presented an envelope of money. I can only hope there was a reasonable amount therein.
I needed to settle with PHs for the extra dive and Nitrox, but our leader didnt offer to assist, so I just planned on a $13 cab ride to pay myself out after I rinsed all my gear to dry. I finally got to meet Margaret, learning that Id just missed our leader whod come to pay the standard charges. Amazement continued still. :shaking:
From there, I walked a few blocks to check out the Casa Del Mar motel where Id be joining a Singles Dive Group a couple of months later. Nice place for a lot less money, short sky bridge walk to the boat dock, available rinse tanks and lockers, short taxi ride to town, and no meal plan which means that there will be competition for my dinning dollars. Next time, itll be one airline, one connection, one day of travel, and so many other things will be better arranged for less. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me! Gomer Pyle. Dont even think about a third time, Dandy Don.
The Escape
No one told me what time to be ready to go or how wed get to the airport, but I found out anyway. Our local lime green shirted host demonstrated again how difficult boarding taxis can really be, no matter how simple it seems, and we were back to the airport two hours before flight time, as suggested. The line had already formed, and it was moving slow, as this airport uses people rather than x-rays and chemical testers to search bags, but my turn with my two huge bags finally came. One glance and they waved me to bypass security. Over packing is really a great way to discourage being checked by security or customs, Ive found.
The security people did search every carryon bag, though, twice at the security entrance, and again at boarding. Who knows? Finally a take off, another two hour nap and we were at the DFW gate by 2pm. From there, I made an impossible connection off the plane, through crowded Immigration, digging through a luggage avalanche, through Customs, down the terminal, boarding cab, across the largest airport in the world, and to my airline in one hour flat. Wish I had documentation for Gunnies. I was in Lubbock by 4:30, wondering if any of the others who drove had even managed to leave the metroplex yet?
Next time will be better, I know it will. Its gotta be
