- Messages
- 53,645
- Reaction score
- 7,825
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
Id read the good and bad reports from the board, but figured it had to be a good for a weekend dive-trip getaway. It was good - far from great as one might expect with bad viz and sand blasted reefs, but good.
Getting there: Largely uneventful - altho several Watch for ice signs up on the Interstate seemed ominous as I drove thru the wee hours darkness to the Lubbock airport on a day forecast to hit 90 degrees? Who knows? The day before, the first bank I visited was out of Travelers checks and the A&W was out of root-beer. Things happen. I boarded the little plane at 5am, woke up in Houston, took a break in the club room, boarded another plane at 8.30, and woke up in Coz in time for lunch. Ive always been on the last of three planes to arrive about the same time there, but this time we were the first one in. A nice experience without an immigration line.
The Caribe Blu Hotel: It was nice to see that its been pretty much restored to its former no-frills comfort - water front property close to town, spacious rooms, all the basics I desire plus a few extras I can take or leave - all at $80 a night, $65 a night if you dive with their Blue Angel operation, no taxes if the bill is paid in Travelers Checks. The large coconut trees lost in the storm have been replaced with small, young ones, and all in all for having endured the strongest storm of last years season - looked pretty good. Ill certainly plan to be back, unless I try their sister property downtown which some divers on my boat really bragged about.
It was a bit noisy, but not nearly as bad as Id read on recent reports. Not much going on with the next door construction over the weekend, but a concrete building right on the main road is going to carry a hum - except my clunky air conditioner usually drowned that out. Ear plugs may be a nice idea for some.
Around town and along the channel-side shore that I saw, there is a lot of very obvious signs of recent and severe destruction. The locals have done an impressive comeback, tho - with a lot more rebuilt than I would have expected, in spite of possible resource and political challenges one might expect there. Its common to see construction workers wearing flip-flops, and I have to wonder of the injury rate, but they are getting things back up well. Hey, its that or the jungle will retake it, but one way or another - the war zone images are going away fast. I dont know the reasons of why some are being rebuilt before others, but for one - its an island, cant do them all at once.
Enjoying Renown Coz Dining: I think it may even better than before? Or at least I heard this about a few places - perhaps trying to lure the customers back with the lingering hurricane syndrome that often follows long after a storm has passed. It is grand, anyway.
Lunches were fun and tasty at the little open air café above the dive shop - whether I was in a hurry for a siesta or a quick-turn to more dives in the afternoon. Its also good for breakfasts, but not being a morning person - I really like to pick up speed slowly for an hour or two in the room before heading down to meet the boat, so I took a 12 cup coffee maker, supplies, and 2 large packages of sweet rolls in my luggage. Sounds excessive perhaps, but didnt weigh much, and packed inside cardboard boxes within my bags - it all made it fine. A cheap loss even if they hadnt.
Parrilla Mission on 30th Ave now has a new name to distinguish it from others with similar names and it was again an economical and enjoyable experience, but - I may have a new favorite in Mexican dining after La Chozas shrimp stuffed chile pepper, their yellow chili sauce, and their Tortilla soup. Funny thing about La Choza - they do take credit cards which many do not, but do not accept Travelers checks?!
I walked down to Villa Blanco one evening for a hamburger, but that café had closed for the evening. Tried their upscale restaurant in the courtyard, and the fish was nice. Perhaps the establishment is aimed at the bigger spenders, which seemed odd located at Hog town - first time in a long while for a waiter to lay the napkin in my lap. Met some ScubaBoard.com friends for dinner my last night at the French Quarter and another fine dining experience. Thought we had one more joining us from the invitation thread I posted when Mike came to the table shaking hands, but nope - hes the owner who moved down from New Orleans. I was not able to find their phone number in the book, no was the hotel desk, but if you want reservations: 872-6321.
You still have to watch those cabbies! Id always ask the hotel clerk what the fair should be before I left and usually ask the driver as well before getting in, but just didnt bother for a short trip to the square. He his me up for $5, while parked in full view of a traffic cop! I called him a liar, handed him $3 in correct change - always a good idea to have handy, and quietly walked away. Jeeze, and they have such a good union, kick-backs from the cafes, etc.
The cruise barges are certainly back, one day 7 at anchor with ferries shuttling tourists ashore since the piers are still in ruin. I shudder to think how much more damage theyll do with their big hooks, but Coz is not going to turn them away.
Diving With Blue Angel: This is really a good, no-frills Op at reasonable prices, several 8-diver boats with overhead shades, plenty of room, helpful DMs & Skippers, good safety protocols - everything I like to have in a Op - at $53 for a 2 tank trip, cheaper with a discounted hotel package. I dived 7 different reefs in 3 days plus a quick trip across to PDC for a high speed drift with a herd of big turtles, one being pestered by the largest remora Ive ever seen - had to be a good 5 feet long.
I dont know what the connection may be, but while the reefs all seem to be imbedded with white sand, and the water has a milky white haze, there does seem to be more other sea life than before. And such a wide variety, like more Ocean triggers than Ive seen in 200+ dives before, turtles, several different types of rays - including the ever popular eagle, a couple divers got checked out by dolphins on a late afternoon dive while a French fellow and I got buzzed by a Marlin as we drifted slowly up from our safety stop, and I didnt know that Coz had pipefish until I found one hiding with some twigs. The professional video photographer on that dive noticed me shooting into a small trash pile, came over, and we both got shots of the little pouched fish.
If youre a fumbling amateur shooter like me, read up on adjusting White Balance until you understand it well, as youll be shooting thru white hazy water into bright white sand everywhere. Id thought Id tried everything, but missed that obvious adjustment, thinking of it only after my dives were over.
And watch for those tricky down currents. The one I got caught in wasnt bad, but it spooked me as Id be swimming into an up current along the 65 ft deep edge of a wall when suddenly I noticed I was at 100 ft - my pony bottle sitting on the boat as I usually dont bother with it for a dive planned above 70 ft. I started bothering again.
And wear long suits or skins, as I saw what those thimble jellies can do to uncovered knees on one lady who got hit the day before I arrived. Lots of ugly welts.
Getting there: Largely uneventful - altho several Watch for ice signs up on the Interstate seemed ominous as I drove thru the wee hours darkness to the Lubbock airport on a day forecast to hit 90 degrees? Who knows? The day before, the first bank I visited was out of Travelers checks and the A&W was out of root-beer. Things happen. I boarded the little plane at 5am, woke up in Houston, took a break in the club room, boarded another plane at 8.30, and woke up in Coz in time for lunch. Ive always been on the last of three planes to arrive about the same time there, but this time we were the first one in. A nice experience without an immigration line.
The Caribe Blu Hotel: It was nice to see that its been pretty much restored to its former no-frills comfort - water front property close to town, spacious rooms, all the basics I desire plus a few extras I can take or leave - all at $80 a night, $65 a night if you dive with their Blue Angel operation, no taxes if the bill is paid in Travelers Checks. The large coconut trees lost in the storm have been replaced with small, young ones, and all in all for having endured the strongest storm of last years season - looked pretty good. Ill certainly plan to be back, unless I try their sister property downtown which some divers on my boat really bragged about.
It was a bit noisy, but not nearly as bad as Id read on recent reports. Not much going on with the next door construction over the weekend, but a concrete building right on the main road is going to carry a hum - except my clunky air conditioner usually drowned that out. Ear plugs may be a nice idea for some.
Around town and along the channel-side shore that I saw, there is a lot of very obvious signs of recent and severe destruction. The locals have done an impressive comeback, tho - with a lot more rebuilt than I would have expected, in spite of possible resource and political challenges one might expect there. Its common to see construction workers wearing flip-flops, and I have to wonder of the injury rate, but they are getting things back up well. Hey, its that or the jungle will retake it, but one way or another - the war zone images are going away fast. I dont know the reasons of why some are being rebuilt before others, but for one - its an island, cant do them all at once.
Enjoying Renown Coz Dining: I think it may even better than before? Or at least I heard this about a few places - perhaps trying to lure the customers back with the lingering hurricane syndrome that often follows long after a storm has passed. It is grand, anyway.
Lunches were fun and tasty at the little open air café above the dive shop - whether I was in a hurry for a siesta or a quick-turn to more dives in the afternoon. Its also good for breakfasts, but not being a morning person - I really like to pick up speed slowly for an hour or two in the room before heading down to meet the boat, so I took a 12 cup coffee maker, supplies, and 2 large packages of sweet rolls in my luggage. Sounds excessive perhaps, but didnt weigh much, and packed inside cardboard boxes within my bags - it all made it fine. A cheap loss even if they hadnt.
Parrilla Mission on 30th Ave now has a new name to distinguish it from others with similar names and it was again an economical and enjoyable experience, but - I may have a new favorite in Mexican dining after La Chozas shrimp stuffed chile pepper, their yellow chili sauce, and their Tortilla soup. Funny thing about La Choza - they do take credit cards which many do not, but do not accept Travelers checks?!
I walked down to Villa Blanco one evening for a hamburger, but that café had closed for the evening. Tried their upscale restaurant in the courtyard, and the fish was nice. Perhaps the establishment is aimed at the bigger spenders, which seemed odd located at Hog town - first time in a long while for a waiter to lay the napkin in my lap. Met some ScubaBoard.com friends for dinner my last night at the French Quarter and another fine dining experience. Thought we had one more joining us from the invitation thread I posted when Mike came to the table shaking hands, but nope - hes the owner who moved down from New Orleans. I was not able to find their phone number in the book, no was the hotel desk, but if you want reservations: 872-6321.
You still have to watch those cabbies! Id always ask the hotel clerk what the fair should be before I left and usually ask the driver as well before getting in, but just didnt bother for a short trip to the square. He his me up for $5, while parked in full view of a traffic cop! I called him a liar, handed him $3 in correct change - always a good idea to have handy, and quietly walked away. Jeeze, and they have such a good union, kick-backs from the cafes, etc.
The cruise barges are certainly back, one day 7 at anchor with ferries shuttling tourists ashore since the piers are still in ruin. I shudder to think how much more damage theyll do with their big hooks, but Coz is not going to turn them away.
Diving With Blue Angel: This is really a good, no-frills Op at reasonable prices, several 8-diver boats with overhead shades, plenty of room, helpful DMs & Skippers, good safety protocols - everything I like to have in a Op - at $53 for a 2 tank trip, cheaper with a discounted hotel package. I dived 7 different reefs in 3 days plus a quick trip across to PDC for a high speed drift with a herd of big turtles, one being pestered by the largest remora Ive ever seen - had to be a good 5 feet long.
I dont know what the connection may be, but while the reefs all seem to be imbedded with white sand, and the water has a milky white haze, there does seem to be more other sea life than before. And such a wide variety, like more Ocean triggers than Ive seen in 200+ dives before, turtles, several different types of rays - including the ever popular eagle, a couple divers got checked out by dolphins on a late afternoon dive while a French fellow and I got buzzed by a Marlin as we drifted slowly up from our safety stop, and I didnt know that Coz had pipefish until I found one hiding with some twigs. The professional video photographer on that dive noticed me shooting into a small trash pile, came over, and we both got shots of the little pouched fish.
If youre a fumbling amateur shooter like me, read up on adjusting White Balance until you understand it well, as youll be shooting thru white hazy water into bright white sand everywhere. Id thought Id tried everything, but missed that obvious adjustment, thinking of it only after my dives were over.
And watch for those tricky down currents. The one I got caught in wasnt bad, but it spooked me as Id be swimming into an up current along the 65 ft deep edge of a wall when suddenly I noticed I was at 100 ft - my pony bottle sitting on the boat as I usually dont bother with it for a dive planned above 70 ft. I started bothering again.
And wear long suits or skins, as I saw what those thimble jellies can do to uncovered knees on one lady who got hit the day before I arrived. Lots of ugly welts.
