Dive Op recommendations for the Cozumel Wreck?

[ClarkKent]

Hola!

My fiance and I will be in Cozumel Oct 16th-26th, staying at Iberostar down at the south end of the island. We're looking for recommendations of Dive Operators that will pick us up at the resort to dive the Cozumel Wreck. Unfortunately Dressel Divers at Iberostar doesn't offer this dive site so any suggestions would be great!

Cheers!

 

[Tunaman68]

We dive with Blue Angel and love them like crazy. They pick up at many of the other properties, and we did the c-53 wreck as an afternoon dive followed by a night dive on a shallow reef! Matt and Kari (who work for BA as DM's and instructors and are the web evangelists for the shop) post and read here often and will probably be able to PM you the specific procedure for arranging a trip like this.

Have Fun!

 

[DandyDon]

I don't care for the dive. I've done a lot of wrecks in the Florida Keys, North Carolina, and the St. Lawrence and I don't care if I ever see that one again.

If you want to tho, you may have to book with a diver in town and take a cab. Hard to guarantee that a boat load of divers will want to do it, but some like it ok.

I seriously doubt that BA or any shop would come down to pick you up, then turn around to do the wreck, then turn around to take you back - too far I think.

 

[Tunaman68]

I don't care for the dive. I've done a lot of wrecks in the Florida Keys, North Carolina, and the St. Lawrence and I don't care if I ever see that one again.

If you want to tho, you may have to book with a diver in town and take a cab. Hard to guarantee that a boat load of divers will want to do it, but some like it ok.

I seriously doubt that BA or any shop would come down to pick you up, then turn around to do the wreck, then turn around to take you back - too far I think.

You could be right, it's a loooong way down to Ibeorstar and back unless you can fill them up a boat!! As far as the wreck goes, it was nice for us to do a wreck in warm water with good vis just for a change (being from Vancouver you can probably relate). We're used to deep wrecks with no viz and cold water so as a one-off it was fun! Also, if you've never done a good size wreck with penetration, I think this would be an excellent starter!

 

[MMM]

Yes, the issue is the location of the wreck relative to the Iberstar. People sometimes say they like staying at the southern hotels because it is such a short boatride to the dive sites. It is a short ride to SOME of the dive sites. If an op has to come from caleta, and go to the far south to pick up divers, they are not going to turn around and dive at a mid-island (much less northern) site, turn around again and take you back to your southern hotel and then head back north to caleta. Gasoline is the issue.

Then there is the sticky problem of ensuring that everyone else on the boat wants to go there. It is possible that some ops dive the wreck on a schedule but I don't know who that would be. One idea would be to charter your own boat. You will likely need to make your way up island by taxi to depart from caleta.

 

[jlyle]

FWIW, if you do manage to dive the C-53, take gloves (yes, I know they don't "allow" gloves in the dive park). The wreck is covered with hydroids, as is the bouy line. Also, if you are nitrox certified, this is an excellent dive to use 36% EAN to extend your bottom time.

 

[Christi]

I concur with MMM - I was just abut to post the very same thing and then I saw her post! She hit the issues right on the head!!! Thank you Marg!

 

[Craig66]

I must say that I am with DD on this one. I understand each to their own but with the amazing diving in Coz I have always found the wreck to be most unimpressive and would rather sit the dive out then do the wreck again. As I say each to their own but personally I dont think the effort that will be required by you to get onto that wreck is worth it

---------- Post Merged at 12:51 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:47 PM ----------

Looking at your dates, you are in Coz for a while. Have you considered splitting your trip in two and staying south for half the trip and then closer to town for the remainder. Besides getting a different spectrum of dive ops and dive sites you would also get to experience the "livelier" half of the island after spending time on the more laid back part of the island - just a thought - Enjoy!!

 

[Pelagicsal]

Have your tetanus shot up to date. I gotta agree with Dandy Don on this one, too. Not an outstanding wreck and full of sharp, rusty metal.
I hear that Parque Nacional may send in divers with welding torches to cut away some of the worst of the sharp protrusions...

Did find pipefish and hordes of squat lobsters on the deck the last time I did it. And a beautiful young grouper resting on a platform above the deck hunting small silversides. Each time the school swooped upward, he'd charge in for a snack, circle back around, and resume his position to wait on the next school ascent.

C-53, for me, is a prompt to remember those amazing wreck dives... The Rhone, Witshoal, Castor, Hilma Hooker, Theo's, Sugar Wreck, even the Sapona....

 

[jlyle]