Just got back from Cozumel...

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BradMM

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Messages
271
Reaction score
33
Location
Texas
# of dives
200 - 499
... and it was pretty devastated by Hurricane Wilma. Still lots of fish but hardly any coral. I was wondering if what I saw was possibly transplanted...?

800px-Wilma1315z-051019-1kg12.jpg
 
Hardly any coral?????? Did you dive with your eyes closed?
 
We were down there in December, and some sites were a bit sandy. Others, you could hardly tell anything had happened.
 
stangscuba98a:
Hardly any coral?????? Did you dive with your eyes closed?
:confused:
No, in fact, I didn't dive at all, at least not SCUBA! This is the snorkeling/freediving area of this website so I was referring to snorkeling/freediving. We went out behind our hotel, Fiesta Americana, and it was very different from last summer when we stayed in the very same place! We even went down to Chankanaab, which is very close, and it, too, looked pretty devastated to me... at least as compared to the last time I was there.

In talking to the locals, they all agreed. The guy on the ride from the parking lot to the shore at Chankanaab even warned us about the damage from the hurricane. So, either you are talking about SCUBA diving or a very different part of the island than where I've been the past two years. In previous years, behind the resorts were always pretty barren but Fiesta Americana was the best we'd found for snorkeling, especially between Dzul Ha (a short walk) and the pier at the resort.

I know the people who went out on dive boats saw coral but we quit SCUBA diving several years ago in favor of traveling light and just seeing stuff within 30 feet of the surface, which is most of what we want to see anyway.
 
Sorry to hear what you have reported. I have been waiting to hear a report from a real snorkeler about Cozumel conditions post-Wilma. I too am a snorkeler-only, and I really enjoyed Cozumel in March 2005. I was just making plans to return when Wilma hit, so I didn't go. Dzulha was in my opinion the best spot, but most of the coralheads were comprised of lettuce coral, which appeared to be quite fragile. So I am not surprised that spot was wrecked. Are there any remnant coralheads left there? Just piles of rubble? Or is some of the coral starting to re-grow? You say that the fish abundance was pretty good, so there must be some cover or structure to attract the fish.
 
Dave C:
Are there any remnant coralheads left there? Just piles of rubble? Or is some of the coral starting to re-grow? You say that the fish abundance was pretty good, so there must be some cover or structure to attract the fish.

The bottom was littered with dead coral, sorry to say. However, there was some regrowth which is why I was asking if anyyone knew if this could be transplanted. I didn't know if this was just natural regrowth or if it had help. I don't know how fast it grows to know if what I was seeing was reasonable regrowth since October's hurricane.

There was a nice large piece of debris - maybe part of a pier? - that was shelter for a bunch of fish and a nice free diving spot in about 15 - 20 ft of water. I don't think the diversity was as good as last summer, however.
 
Sorry, did not see it was the snorkeling forum. I would not go to Cozumel to snorkel, there are much better places to go for that. Cozumel has never been known for great snorkeling....diving on the other hand..yes.
 
stangscuba98a:
I would not go to Cozumel to snorkel, there are much better places to go for that. Cozumel has never been known for great snorkeling....diving on the other hand..yes.

Perhaps but, when you can get four days and three nights, air fare, all you can eat and drink for $350/person and still be in the Carribbean, I'll take it! Like I said, we used to dive and have been to other destinations (Belize, St. Croix, up and down the Florida coast, etc) so I think I have a decent feel for that there is to see and, in the past, snorkeling in Cozumel was just fine for us. Doesn't seem much different to me if it's above 30 feet whether you are diving or snorkeling since we don't stay on the surface anyway.
 
Should have posted this here but I instinctively posted in the thread that my email alerted me to which was the sticky above. Too quick on the draw.

Don't know if this was there the last time I went but here's a snorkeling pic from Chankaanaab.

Christstatue_Cozumel06_sm.jpg


I'm guessing that it was close to 30' to the bottom of the statue where I took the picture from. The bubbles make it look like I was SCUBA diving.
 
BradMM, how did you get that deal?

we stayed at the fiesta americana (i don't recommend it) and paid $700 for 7 days (that included 5 - 2tank boat dives) but i still had to pay for my airfare.

sounds like you got a much better deal.

unless i can find a great deal like that the next time i go to cozumel i plan on staying at a (wish i could remember the name) cheap hotel i found downtown ($20/night) it was clean, had AC, two queen beds and a little single bed to the side.

or for $40/night you can stay in a similar room that is right above the dive shop!

either option would allow me to eat more of the excellent food that you find downtown. (the all inclusive buffett was the worst of both american and mexican food) as well as allow me to enjoy carlos and charles, & senor frogs more!
 
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