Drift diving in Cozumel

[Walt1957]

We are going on a Carribean cruise this fall that includes Cozumel. We are trying to schedule dive time in each port. I am unsure of the difficulty of doing drift diving. I know it is impossible to answer specifically for us, but by the time we go we will both have about 25 dives, half of those reef dives. We will both have Stess and Rescue and AOW cert. From what I have seen we both have better bouyancy control than average, though that is not saying much, I know.

Thanks

 

[Charlie59]

Drift diving is not very taxing, just different. Since you have the AOW textbook you should have information that describes drift diving and the things you need to watch for. The dives in Cozumel run from very easy to advanced, you should be able to work out something with a dive shop there.

Don't worry about drift diving, the water does most of the work. It is my favorite type of diving and Cozumel diving is not to be missed.

Just remember to stay with the Divemaster. I would recommend a safety sausage and maybe a audible device (whistle, DiveAlert).

 

[sasscuba]

Drift diving is Cozumel is awesome!!! You literally fly over the reefs. If you have your buoyancy down you should do just fine. It does not hurt to let the DM know you have never done drift diving and how many dives you have done. You will love it!!!

 

[alcina]

I would recommend a safety sausage and maybe a audible device (whistle, DiveAlert).

These two items shouldn't even be optional - make sure to get a "real" sausage that can be seen and a noisemaker that actually makes noise!

 

[Ron Brandt]

This is the VERY BEST in the world to drift dive.
You will be spoiled afer this vacation !

Ron

 

[huffman]

Been going to Cozumel for Labor Day for the last 15 years. Heard Intercontinental Hotel was damaged in the last hurricane and won't be open by Labor Day. Anyone been in the past month who can tell me the current status of the diving.

 

[Lkyman]

See me next week...... I'm outta here!!!!!!!!!

 

[ggunn]

Been going to Cozumel for Labor Day for the last 15 years. Heard Intercontinental Hotel was damaged in the last hurricane and won't be open by Labor Day. Anyone been in the past month who can tell me the current status of the diving.

I was there in May, and I'm sure it hasn't gotten worse. ;^)

The deeper and farther south sites are the least affected by Wilma. Colombia Deep and the Palancar sites were really good, as were Chun Chacab and Colombia Shallows. The more northern shallow sites were more affected, with some coral damage and sand on the reef. Most of the wall dives, once you get down on the wall itself, are fine.

I did not go to Punta Sur or Maracaibo, so I have no firsthand info on them post-Wilma. The same for the northern reefs, San Juan and Barracuda.

Overall, I'd have to say that on the one hand, damage is nearly ubiquitous, but on the other, in two weeks of diving, we had a great time and all our dives were from very good to excellent.

 

[creamofwheat]

The thing about drift diving...is just relax and let the current take you. Don't fight it. It's really fun to just, well, drif along in the current and watch the reefs go by. It's also pretty fun to drift on your back for a new view. Just let the DM know you're new, relax, and have fun.

As for damage...I was just in Cozumel and the deeper reefs were fine, like Palancar, Columbia. The one reef I noticed as quite damaged was Paso del Cedral, but even that is pretty interesting, because you can really see what the hurricane did, and you can also see that life survives and continues to grow and develop even after such natural disasters. Nature is pretty amazing like that.

 

[overandover]

The wife and I went to Cozumel for our first dive trip. Everything we had just learned in our certification classes was still fresh in our minds, and we had reviewed our textbooks befrore going. We paid close attention to the dive briefings and were under the care and supervision of the Scuba Club Cozumel dive masters. We seemed to do very well on our bouyancy control and didn't run into any problems with drift diving. We even got to do a few swim-thru's. I got so that I was so comfortable and relaxed that at one point during a dive, my regulator fell out of my mouth (this is possibly what you may consider to be as TOO comfortable and relaxed!). One of the other divers on the boat described drift diving the best, he called it Bark-O-Lounger diving.

Since then we have dove (dived, diven, doven, doved?) at CoCoView in Roatan and at the GOM Flower Gardens. So far I like Cozumel the best.