Cozumel’s diving is so “rushed”

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Dogbowl

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I’ve been to Coz several times now, and I’ve been elsewhere as well. I’m starting to tire of the “rush rush rush” of the Cozumel diving experience.

I don’t mean the actual diving is rushed, although sometimes the currents are too fast for my liking and I can’t stop in one place and admire fish or creature behaviour.

What I mean is the rush from breakfast to the shop, rush to the marina, the captain’s rush to get to a reef down south, the rush of all divers trying to put on gear on a speeding bouncing boat, then the rush of divers back rolling off the boat, and descending like everyone’s overweighted. After the dive, and after you’re back on the boat, the captain’s rush to get your gear off so he can switch out your tank. Then the rush back to the marina after the 2 tank dive and everyone trying to remove and pack all their gear before the boat arrives back at the marina and dive bags are quickly unloaded and everyone’s driven back into town.

Why the rush? I guess I do get the reason why but it may not be for me anymore.

I dive to relax, to find my happy place, to feel zen under water. Rushing gets my stress levels up and it’s no fun. Now that I’ve experienced the easy unrushed feeling of diving off liveaboards and shore diving, I’m not sure I enjoy the rush rush rush of Cozumel anymore. I suppose it’s a symptom of most boat diving though, not just Cozumel.
 
Maybe it's your operator. Our op leaves the downtown pier at 7:30 am so if we don't have our own boat to ourselves, breakfast is a little hurried, but if we are diving with friends and have the boat to the four of us, we can usually leave at 7:45 which is about right.

Boat rides suck, I'm fine with hurrying through those going and coming back, especially if it's a little rough. As far as gearing up is concerned, there are usually only 4-6 divers on the boat so it just doesn't take that long...even when someone goes in without their fins, lol.

As far as the dives are concerned, we usually get 80-90 minute dives, with some over 100. I've never felt hurried to descend unless we dropped into current and had to do a negative entry.

With just a few divers to get back in the boat, it's never that big of a deal and I'm usually hanging at the end of the tag line finishing my "business" and have never been told to hurry up or felt like I was delaying the group.

I don't want to turn this into a "my op is better than your op" thread, but if your interested in who I dive with, message me and I'll let you know. I suspect there will be multiple responses along the same lines that dive with the more popular ops found on this site. Small groups and small fast boats make a huge difference. I've been on a cattle boat once that was as you described...never again as long as their are other options.

Good luck, safe travels,
Jay
 
I've never been to Cozumel, but always gave me the impression that's mostly the way it is unless you get customized packages. Is not different than those tours where you visit 258 cities in 4.5 days. When the main customer wants to "maximize" their diving $ that's what you get.

The part of your complaint I don't quite get? "I've been to Coz several times"
 
I’d change the patch of grass you’re standing personally - there’s so many fantastic dive ops here, like diving with family.

Jay - I think I remember you all, are you here this week?
 
Maybe it's your operator. Our op leaves the downtown pier at 7:30 am so if we don't have our own boat to ourselves, breakfast is a little hurried, but if we are diving with friends and have the boat to the four of us, we can usually leave at 7:45 which is about right.

Boat rides suck, I'm fine with hurrying through those going and coming back, especially if it's a little rough. As far as gearing up is concerned, there are usually only 4-6 divers on the boat so it just doesn't take that long...even when someone goes in without their fins, lol.

As far as the dives are concerned, we usually get 80-90 minute dives, with some over 100. I've never felt hurried to descend unless we dropped into current and had to do a negative entry.

With just a few divers to get back in the boat, it's never that big of a deal and I'm usually hanging at the end of the tag line finishing my "business" and have never been told to hurry up or felt like I was delaying the group.

I don't want to turn this into a "my op is better than your op" thread, but if your interested in who I dive with, message me and I'll let you know. I suspect there will be multiple responses along the same lines that dive with the more popular ops found on this site. Small groups and small fast boats make a huge difference. I've been on a cattle boat once that was as you described...never again as long as their are other options.

Good luck, safe travels,
Jay

I do dive with a popular dive op here on SB. And they’re definitely not a cattle boat op. Although their popularity has caused them to have more divers lately. While no one actually tells me to hurry up, it still feels too rushed for me.

@Ana , I guess it’s because I’ve experienced different types of diving now and can compare better. I did 2 LOBs in 2018 and some local shore diving, all without the rush. On LOBs no one is in a rush cause no one’s going anywhere except back on the mothership! And shore diving, you leisurely gear up and leisurely walk into the water.

Mine wasn’t a complaint really, more a testament that my diving tastes have changed I think.
 
Fascinating post. I know exactly what you're talking about. Putting Coz aside for the moment, it seems to me that the difference between a rushed dive vacation and a relaxed dive vacation is mainly whether you're diving with a day boat operator or diving with a dedicated dive resort (or liveaboard). My wife and I have simply come to grips with the fact that we can't expect Coz diving to be the same as if we were staying at a dedicated dive resort.

We do what we can to mitigate the rush, though. We like Aldora and staying at their villa because the pick-up, drop-off, and on-site gear storage help streamline things. I never felt their boats rushed us to get in the water or otherwise rushed us during the dive--at least that part has always felt relatively relaxed. Sure, if there is current the DM wants us down fast, but that's not unique to Coz, either. Also, unlike our trips to other places, in Coz we limit ourselves to a 2-tank day (except the one day of the trip that we reserve for an additional night dive). After Aldora's long 2-tank morning, we go back to our room and clean up, then go out for a LEISURELY late-ish lunch, Mexican style. Then we take a siesta, maybe a dip in the pool. We go out for a quick bite of tacos or something in the evening, but our main meal is mid-day.

I completely agree that Coz diving can feel rushed, but there are things that one can do to mitigate it. We love Coz. We love being in Mexico. To us, that's worth limiting our number of dives and avoiding the rushed feeling.
 
I dunno. There's a set number of things you have to accomplish in a set amount of time. Either you slow down and extend the morning later into the afternoon, or you cut back the diving.
Cozumel is kind of bad because the distances are relatively long. And part of the problem is there's so many people and so many boats you feel like you're on an assembly line.
 
Most of it is the dive ops delivering what they think the divers want. There are dozens of boats and some shops cater to the divers that want to get there first. But there are also ops that cater to those that prefer to start later so book an op that departs at 8:45am not 7:30am if you want to have a leisurely breakfast.

Currents drive the need to backroll everyone into the water within a narrow window else you risk getting the group dispersed from the get go. Not every gets off at the marina so you need to be ready if the boat stops at your hotel pier on the way home. Back at the marina, I'd rather get a move on it and get back to hotel so I can shower and crack a beer or something. I don't care if someone else wants to fart around getting off the boat and packing up so long as I don't have to wait for them. Take as long as you like, just grab your own taxi back.

Personally, I feel a better description for the process is "efficient" not "rushed".
 
@Lorenzoid , you’ve got some good pointers on how to enjoy Coz in a more leisurely way. Perhaps a more streamlined operation/dedicated dive resort is something we’re looking for. I’ll give the Aldora Villa and Scuba Club Cozumel, and similar, more consideration next time.

@ReefHound , I’m sure there are people who feel the way you feel. But I really don’t enjoy that process. I work in the trenches during my day job (figure of speech) and would really like to slow down on my vacations. I don’t want to have to be “efficient” LOL.
 
@ReefHound , I’m sure there are people who feel the way you feel. But I really don’t enjoy that process. I work in the trenches during my day job (figure of speech) and would really like to slow down on my vacations. I don’t want to have to be “efficient” LOL.

Then dive in a group of like-minded people or don't dive in a group. I don't like to drag out a two-minute task into ten minutes. I don't care if someone else does so long as I don't have to wait on them.
 
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