cwhitpan
Contributor
- Messages
- 117
- Reaction score
- 3
- # of dives
- 25 - 49
Greetings all!
After getting certified last year, and a few dives in our local "quaribbean" as we call it, we finally got to do the diving we signed up for! We are not advanced yet, so our dives were averaging 30-40 feet which still provided abundant sea life. On this trip there were 6 of us, (2 who just passed 4 days underwater, and 4 noobs with about 13 dives each)
We arrived on Sunday, and had planned to dive on Tuesday, but it was pretty blown out Monday and the past weekend, so it looked like Viz might be an issue. We decided to hold off and start on Wednesday which proved to be a great idea.
Tuesday - we went snorkeling in Akumal, which is about 15min south of Playa del Carmen, and was pretty happy with the conditions. Saw a few large Sea Turtles, and a pretty healthy reef. Best of all its a public beach and free! (If you go, go to the right of the marina for the best reef action)
Wednesday - Friday - we dove 2 tank dives with the resort's dive shop which we found was great. The boat was there at 10am, so it wasn't too early, but the light was great underwater. (If you go, ask for Steve the Brit, quite a character!, Ismael was our dive guide most of the time and was very helpful, and interactive with our group)
Viz increased everyday from about 40' on Wed to 75' on Fri. The sea life was pretty great, and varied, as well as the coral life. We had a drift dive, a wall-style dive as well as a swim over the reef style.
Sea life included - Moray, Spotted Moray, Barracuda, Turtles, Many varieties of fish, some Scorpion fish, 2 large Puffer fish! (~15" long) and in one area in Acuario called Italian Market where we swam through a school of 200+ Snapper and Grunts. A very cool feeling.
The staff at the resort was overly helpful. When a group on the first boat started to get sick, and caused us to stay out of the water for 50+ Min, they called in a boat to get them off, and two in our party now got sick and had to go too, they did only charge us for a half dive (which they didn't have too, it wasn't their fault this guy was chumming!) They also read our skill level, and provided a good mix of conditions so the more experienced divers didn't get bored, and we could hone out skills.
If you stay at the Grand Mayan/Mayan Palace, there is no need to look beyond the in house operation, IMHO. They also offered Cenotes, a full Padi school, a Wreck dive onto a WW1 or 2 (can't remember) ship. Rates were $80 for a 2 tank, but being a large group, we got them to $75.
After getting certified last year, and a few dives in our local "quaribbean" as we call it, we finally got to do the diving we signed up for! We are not advanced yet, so our dives were averaging 30-40 feet which still provided abundant sea life. On this trip there were 6 of us, (2 who just passed 4 days underwater, and 4 noobs with about 13 dives each)
We arrived on Sunday, and had planned to dive on Tuesday, but it was pretty blown out Monday and the past weekend, so it looked like Viz might be an issue. We decided to hold off and start on Wednesday which proved to be a great idea.
Tuesday - we went snorkeling in Akumal, which is about 15min south of Playa del Carmen, and was pretty happy with the conditions. Saw a few large Sea Turtles, and a pretty healthy reef. Best of all its a public beach and free! (If you go, go to the right of the marina for the best reef action)
Wednesday - Friday - we dove 2 tank dives with the resort's dive shop which we found was great. The boat was there at 10am, so it wasn't too early, but the light was great underwater. (If you go, ask for Steve the Brit, quite a character!, Ismael was our dive guide most of the time and was very helpful, and interactive with our group)
Viz increased everyday from about 40' on Wed to 75' on Fri. The sea life was pretty great, and varied, as well as the coral life. We had a drift dive, a wall-style dive as well as a swim over the reef style.
Sea life included - Moray, Spotted Moray, Barracuda, Turtles, Many varieties of fish, some Scorpion fish, 2 large Puffer fish! (~15" long) and in one area in Acuario called Italian Market where we swam through a school of 200+ Snapper and Grunts. A very cool feeling.
The staff at the resort was overly helpful. When a group on the first boat started to get sick, and caused us to stay out of the water for 50+ Min, they called in a boat to get them off, and two in our party now got sick and had to go too, they did only charge us for a half dive (which they didn't have too, it wasn't their fault this guy was chumming!) They also read our skill level, and provided a good mix of conditions so the more experienced divers didn't get bored, and we could hone out skills.
If you stay at the Grand Mayan/Mayan Palace, there is no need to look beyond the in house operation, IMHO. They also offered Cenotes, a full Padi school, a Wreck dive onto a WW1 or 2 (can't remember) ship. Rates were $80 for a 2 tank, but being a large group, we got them to $75.
