Booked first trip to Coz... what to expect?

[ggunn]

unregistered19... When I think back to our first 10-12 dives that were in the FL Keys where my wife and I did our 4 check-out dives 14 or 15 years ago we remember being absolutely blown away by what we saw in 25'-35' of water. You've racked up quite a few dives now in all kinds of places so you may be a bit jaded but with regard to the 2 newbies you'll be diving with... Think back to how fantastic your first few dives were. I personally see no reason to dive the cenotes as your newer divers (who you will be working with on boyancy in a pool) are going to be blown away by what they see in Coz. The cenotes may seem very cool to you but aside from structure and such would they really impress newer divers who are looking forward to fish, lobsters, rays, turtles, eels, sharks, etc? Your new divers are going to be viewing diving like you may have viewed Christmas a little kid. A dive of Palancar Caves and others or will give them all the swim-throughs they could imagine and will build their confidence. Between swim-throughs they will see lots and lots of the stuff that may be old hat to you but they've never seen before. Before I would think about cenote dives with them, I'd start with some of the more calm, easier dives in Coz and then work up from there. Others may disagree with me but Palancar Horseshoe is the best dive to be had in COZ and 3P's does it right. That is a dive you can do day-after-day as it is so great and offers everything. If you decide to dive with 3P's, let them know that you have 2 new divers and want to show them a great, safe time. They'll pick the best sites every day based on conditions with your newbie divers experience level taken into consideration. You can have a fantastic, clear and calm dive at 50' max or a lousy current ridden and low-vis dive to 80'+. It is all about the current conditions... Let the DM's and captain dictate what sites you dive with your 2 newbies. Worst thing that could happen is to get someone spooked and start saying "This isn't for me" before the wrong location was chosen that day for the skill level of your fellow divers.

Just a friendly tip: Your posts would be a lot more readable if you posted in paragraphs rather than in a big block of undifferentiated text. When I see something like the above, I usually just skip to the next post. Hit the return key a couple of times every once in a while.

 

[sharky60]

Casa Mexicana is located right in the thick of it downtown & I'm pretty sure there is no shore diving in that area, mostly because of boat traffic.

Yes!! the shore dive at Blue Angel is one of the best on the island. you can spend your entire dive just poking around the "stingray enclosure" right next door. or venture out beyond the cage to the "flats" and explore the many small coral heads and debris scattered about.

I don't think Edgar is with TP any longer, but you will be VERY good hands with Jorge. He's one of my favorite DM's to dive with and a great guy, I don't know the new DM, but if Steve hired him, he must be good.

Photo ops abound, sea horses, pipefish, nudies, blennies, slender file fish, Harlequin shrimp, Banded Coral shrimp and tons of coral and sponge species for the macro.

3 types of sea turtles (Greens, Hawksbills & Loggerheads) can be found, large green morays, various spotted morays, our very own Sharptail eel, mostly nurse sharks, but occasionally bulls & Caribbean reef sharks & rarely hammerheads; several varieties of parrot fish and file fish, our very own Bearded Toadfish, octopus (found a lot on night dives, but can be found during the day), Eagle rays, Southern stingrays, Electric rays & Yellow Spotted stingrays make up our ray collections, and again some spectacular coral and sponge formations for the wide angles. ... short list.

I'm not a cenote diver, so can't help you there. I'd check with TP and see who they recommend.

my bad, I think Edgar IS still at TP. I was reading a FB post by Steve and saw Edgar's nickname and thought it was someone else ... BOTH Edgar & Jorge are great, you will be in very good hands.

 

[deepsea21]

Just a friendly tip: Your posts would be a lot more readable if you posted in paragraphs rather than in a big block of undifferentiated text. When I see something like the above, I usually just skip to the next post. Hit the return key a couple of times every once in a while.

Yeah, I guess you are right. I was always better in math than english or writing. I figure whoever posted a question will spend the time to read my bulk response and if not, so be it. I'm too old to re-live proper english and writing.