Places in Cozumel for a newbie

[Dive 'N' Dolphin]

Hey Don,

I have a question for you since you been to Fiesta before. Do they have a pier that you can use for shore diving? We thought it would be nice to get some of those in for practice when we got there.

Thanks
Stacy

 

[divingjd]

Stacy:

There is a pier right by the dive shop and you can get tanks for shore diving any time. Just be careful about the current. It can change from day to day, or even during a day, but there is usually a pretty healthy current running from south to north (left to right as you are standing on shore looking out to the water). It can be kind of challenging to swim back to the pier, because you will have to swim against the current. We do it all the time. I did open water certification dives with a student and it was fine. When our shop does a group trip there, we usually have somebody doing open water certification dives from shore. Like I said, it's manageable, but if you are not expecting it, it can make you pretty nervous. If you stay within a foot or two of the bottom, the current is slower and it is easier to swim.

 

[Wristshot]

. . . . where did you get that Horn hood? I so need to get that for my fiancé. He is about obnoxious as they come

Hmm.. . . trying to decide whether I should be offended by the "obnoxious" comment here. . . . .

I had the hood made as part of my custom wetsuit at Otter Bay Wetsuits in Monterey CA. I originally wanted an all red wetsuit with horns. They talked me into the "Captain America" blue and red version. (beter visibility underwater etc - still regretted)

I told Jeff that I wanted horns. I showed him about 1.5 inches long. He said that he would try. When I came to pick up the wetsuit the horns were at least twice as long as requested. So much for "subtle". They do make me very recognizable and I get my picture taken a lot. They are rolled Neoprene, so they are very flexible. They sometimes make it a little harder to get my mask on, but not bad.

http://www.otterbaysuits.com/

By the way, I have heard that after they made my horns, they have had a number of requests for more horns. So much for uniqueness!

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To the people that were taken on dives that were more advanced than expected / requested. Sorry to hear about that. I hope that you made your displeasure known.

For all others, this echoes the reasons for being up front with the dive shop AND with the boat operators. Sometimes things don't get communicated. Sometimes they lump people of dissimilar skill levels just to fill boats. That is unfortunate, but a part of doing business. If you don't speak up, then you get what they give you.

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Note for all relative newbies: remember that when you make your first dive(s) at a new location, or your first dives after a long dry spell, there is a tendency to be nervous. It happens to almost everyone. You are going underwater and that is not natural for humans. Nervousness and anxiety is normal. The problem is that it manifests itself as stress or tension etc. We tend to hold in more air and therefore be more bouyant. It often takes a little more weight to get down for the first dive(s) under stressful circumstances. Don't sweat it!

Remember, It's Not A Competition. As long as you have fun safely, then you are a winner!

I often use a couple pounds more on the first dive(s) at a new location. Once I have those under my belt I can drop back down to the "normal" weight.

Remember also that when you are stressed and when you are a newbie diver, it is normal to inhale more deeply at the surface before descending. It is instinctive. I realized this a few years ago and I have shared this with many people. Before I was a diver, whenever I was swimming, it was always natural to take a big deep breath before I descended. Whether I was trying to swim the length of the pool underwater, or sneaking up on someone or free-diving down to pick up a penny or to snap a picture, I always filled my lungs to capacity before submerging.

Well, when you are ready to descend on Scuba, you want to do the exact opposite. You want to exhale deeply, then slip beneath the water. This is so totally against every instinct and everything you ever learned. It takes some time to get used to it.

So next time, try to relax, both on the boat and on the surface. Exhale deeply and drop down. Don't breathe back in deeply, but inhale slowly and gently. Otherwise you will bounce right back up.

Relax and enjoy your flight!

Hope this helps.


Wristshot

 

[Dive 'N' Dolphin]

Thanks for the reply, I love the suit. I bet you do get your picture taken all the time. Its not every day you see someone walking around or swimming with devil horns on

Thanks for all the great advice. I am kind of nervous about the dives but I have read enough on here that I feel very comfortable making sure they know our experience and what we want from our dive. I already contacted the dive outfit we will be using and talked with them and he said before we head out they divide the divers into the boats according to their level then the boats will decide what their dive will be. I was happy about that. So I can breath easy now. Now I just need to decide on a wet suit and I will be all set. Of course I am a bit of a cold wimp so I will probably go a little warmer so I don’t get cold. The shorties I think I would freeze my butt off. So full body 2/3 some thing like that would probably do the trick. Now only if I could talk my fiancé into a dry suit for the California cold water diving.

Thanks again
Stacy

 

[LeFlaneur]

None of the operators are going to take you anwhere that tough. (unless you ask them to) All my dives were above 90' and the current was moderate at worst.

Palancar is a large area with many newbie sites with minimal current. You could spend a whole week in that one area. Santa Rosa is generally calm too. Shallower reefs that have minimal current include Paradise reef iand Chankanaab.

Other "newbie" reefs that are a bit more challenging in terms of current are San Francisco, Yucab and Tormentos. When I say challenging I just mean that if you are still working on your buoyancy you have to be extra careful not to bump into the reefs or other divers and it can be a bit frustrating. It's not going to carry you away.

Water temps were 80+ degrees and I'm sure they'll be much the same in September.
On any give day I saw everything from a 5mm to just a bathing suit. To each his own. After many repetitive dives I think I'd have been cold without a 3/2.

 

[ggunn]

None of the operators are going to take you anwhere that tough. (unless you ask them to) All my dives were above 90' and the current was moderate at worst.

Palancar is a large area with many newbie sites with minimal current. You could spend a whole week in that one area. Santa Rosa is generally calm too. Shallower reefs that have minimal current include Paradise reef iand Chankanaab.

The current is very changeable on most sites; I have experienced quite brisk current on Paradise Reef. The one location that has always shown me consistent current conditions is Punta Tuniche; it's always been an E ticket ride every time I have been there.

 

[divingjd]

By the way, if the group is going through a swim-through, the DM won't "make" you do it. You always have the option to swim over or around the coral formation.

 

[ggunn]

By the way, if the group is going through a swim-through, the DM won't "make" you do it. You always have the option to swim over or around the coral formation.

True, although on some sites, like Santa Rosa Wall, where there is current and the entrances and exits are sometimes both on the same side of the reef, it may be a challenge not to get swept on past the group if you don't do the swimthroughs.

 

[diveborg]

None of the operators are going to take you anwhere that tough. (unless you ask them to) .

And even then, probably not on your first dive with them. Usually they will want to see you dive first before they will take you to advanced sites.

 

[scubasherry]

I dont know.... 80 feet and swimthroughs sounds pretty challenging to me as a new diver just fresh out of open water. I realize some people take to diving like a fish in water but its not always the case with everyone. (me for example) I have struggled with every dive I have made. It's hard for me. But, where is the chance in that to get comfortable in the ocean, on a drift dive when I am not sure on my weighting, bouancy control and just over all nervous? :280: I understand that I did not have to go through them and could have went over with my buddy as the rest of the group went through. But then again I would have prefered to stay close to the DM on that first dive. our guide, the one who knows the area, knows the currents, and has further advanced skills to assist me and my newbie buddy it anything was to go wrong.
I can only say I wish I would have spoke up on the boat. But can't change the past and I look at all things as a learning experience.
Anyways... working on issues over the summer and hope to be a little more comfy in November when we will be back down there.:blinking:

Thanks for the advise Wristshot.