Afternoon Cenote

[divebag]

I'm looking for recommendations on diving a cenote after doing 2 tank am dives in Cozumel. We are travelling with a group organized by our LDS which will be diving and staying in Cozumel. It may make a long day, but 3-4 of us want to go the mainland for the cenote experience after the morning dives. I'm looking for operators and cenote sites that can accomodate us arriving by ferry to PDC mid/late afternoon. We will have our own gear and would prefer something relatively close because we will return to Cozumel by ferry afterward.
Any tips or ideas?

 

[scubawife]

You would really be better off planning a day to do a 2 tank cenote trip to the mainland instead of trying to dive Cozumel in the morning and doing cenotes in the afternoon. If you hire a private guide (Dennis at Diablo Divers is great and will meet you at the ferry in PDC) they will meet you around 9am at the ferry in PDC. To do 2 good cenote dives and have lunch in between, you'll be back in PDC around 3pm, maybe a bit later. I don't know of anyone who will take you on afternoon trips. You would be starting out too late in the day to get in 2 cenote dives if you plan to do AM dives in Cozumel. You could email Dennis and ask. Since you would be the group for the day there may be a possibility.

I really enjoy the cenotes but it takes more attention and effort for me to do the cavern dives then open water dives, especially compared to drift diving. If you're already a bit tired from 2 AM dives you might not enjoy the cenotes as much and you might find that you're getting chilled quicker as well. (Water temps are around 76-78)

 

[Christi]

I agree with Scuba Wife. A cenote tour to the mainland is not something you do after a two-tank morning dive in Cozumel...it is something you have to want to do instead of a day of boat diving.

I don't know anyone that would even offer an afternoon cenote tour even if you did have the time to get over there etc. after a morning of diving Cozumel. It's just not practical.

 

[bluewatertoy]

Definately give Dennis from Diablo Divers a call. I did 2 cenote dives with him last year and he was awesome. Looking at possibly doing the cavern course with him this January. My wife and I will be in Coz for 2 weeks and I think it might be perfect timing for the course.
Kelly

 

[divebag]

Thanks for the tips. I'll probably give Dennis a call, but it sounds like the plan may be a little ambitious. Thats the kind of information I was looking for. I've done 2 morning dives, an afternoon dive and then a night dive numerous time (within NDL's), but I guess the travel time to and from the mainland and finding an operator to do a single late cenote dive make this plan a little complicated. Thanks again for the tips.