Should I even visit cozumel - beginner diver

[heehee62]

I'm a brand new freshly licensed diver. I'm going to isla mujeres for a couple days to snorkel with whale sharks and dive manchones reef/museum.

Should I go diving somewhere else too- like Cozumel?

I read Cozumel was mainly drift dives which scared me. Are there certain weeks of the month that would be easier for a beginner diver? I'm planning late June early July right now.

Would one day trip be enough time for Cozumel as a beginner?

Finally any recommendations on dive companies both for isla and Cozumel?

Thanks

 

[RonFrank]

Cozumel is great diving, but is deeper on average than many sites and the drift diving is a bit more difficult, but not much. The currents are generally mild and all dives are guided. Do not let the currents scare you off doing this wonderful location. Your biggest concern is how fast you will use your air.

Many new divers suck gas but no worries just keep an eye on your gauge. Stay with your buddy, maybe pay for a DM on day 1 as a private guide to make sure you are comfortable, and STAY WITH YOUR BUDDY. Buddy diving is what keeps divers safe. Plus it is more fun to share the experience!

I always recommend BlueXTSea but there are a lot of Ops on the island.

 

[ThisFishee]

I'm a brand new freshly licensed diver. I'm going to isla mujeres for a couple days to snorkel with whale sharks and dive manchones reef/museum.

Should I go diving somewhere else too- like Cozumel?

I read Cozumel was mainly drift dives which scared me. Are there certain weeks of the month that would be easier for a beginner diver? I'm planning late June early July right now.

Would one day trip be enough time for Cozumel as a beginner?

Finally any recommendations on dive companies both for isla and Cozumel?

Thanks

Cozumel is a beautiful destination. Yes the dives are typically deep and are drift... but don't be intimidated. The water is so clear and you drift with the current. Watch your bottom time and air consumption and stay with your divemaster. It's always good to have a serface signaling device. There are some more advanced dives such as Devils Throat and the wreck dive.. but other than that the majority of the dives are great. You might also want to think about getting your advanced. The more comfortable you are under the water the more enjoyable the experience. Good Luck. You are gonna love snorkeling with the whale sharks.. they are incredible.

 

[Sideways]

I know, after reading about this issue in recent threads, that some folks won't agree with me. I think it's fine, depending on your comfortability in the water. I was certified in Playa Del Carmen doing drift dives, and I had no problem. That being said, I've been a fish all my life. I realize others might not be and should evaluate there level of competency. Was that clear as mud???

 

[robint]

We have been to Cozumel 8 times over the past 12 years, in fact we did our OW cert dives there! In fact, our first 50+ ocean dives were in Cozumel. We all survived and did just fine without ever once having to be rescued or any injuries.

If you understand the concept of drift diving (go with the current, don't fight it), stay away from booking with the cheapest dive op to save money, and LET THEM KNOW you are a brand new diver, then you will be fine. Drift diving is easy, you have to go with the flow, your boat picks you up when you surface. The issues posted here as "dangerous" currents are unusual events, and sometimes just over-dramatized views from lack of experience with drift diving. Crazy currents do happen, but they are very very rare. We have approx 150 dives in Cozumel and have only once seen conditions that could have turned bad - the DM recognized the conditions immediately and called the dive. So, a good dive op, and knowing your skill level abilities, Cozumel is an awesome destination. Does that make sense?
The only problem with going to Cozumel as your first Ocean trip ---- it is going to ruin you for any other trip! Cozumel is awesome, that is why we keep returning.

robin

 

[TSandM]

The first dive off the Coz dive boats tends to be deep -- well below OW cert limits. You can talk to the dive op about putting you on a site that offers the possibility of a shallower profile, but you might need to pay for an additional guide. The second dive is generally made on a shallower site (and don't think less of them; one of my favorite things we did in Coz was night diving on Paradise Reef!)

I guess the most important thing is not to let anyone talk you into doing things you know you aren't supposed to be doing as a new diver, just because "everybody does it", or "I did it and it was fine". You were recommended to observe certain limits because it is wise to do so.

It's quite a distance from Isla Mujeres to Cozumel -- where are you going to be staying? You might prefer to book some more diving off the mainland, rather than go all the way to Coz, especially for one day.

 

[Reef Tank]

Here is different perspective. I don't think the currents are an issue and you will need to learn the basics somewhere anyway (buoyancy and mastery of the equipment).

I think the issue might be the pace on the boat. I often feel the race to get geared up and in the water is too fast. It is easy to succumb to pressure and overlook safety checks. Some destinations are more comfortable.

 

[islanddream]

Almost all of my dives have been drift dives and most in Coz. As you can see, I've been diving for a number of years but not a lot (why does work always get in the way???). I've been fortunate to only have positive experiences in Coz and I believe it's because of the shops and DM's we've used. Many of the dives have had slow currents but there have been a few where the currents were ripping! Staying very close to my buddy, relaxing and letting the current "do the driving," and continuously watching my gauge has been what's worked for me.

I agree with what other posters have said....don't dive beyond your limits! Always make sure the dive shop knows your experience level and don't be afraid to let the DM know you aren't going to go beyond your limits. Although it will cost more, hiring a DM just for you and your dive buddy will be money well spent. He/she will show you how to drift with the currents and will observe your diving skills....maybe even make some good recommendations for improvement. Everytime I go diving I learn something new that helps me be a safer and better diver. One thing I wouldn't suggest, however, is having a safety sausage that you've never deployed before. Being way out in the ocean isn't a good time to learn how to send up a sausage. The first time I tried mine I shot to the surface like a missle! I wished I would've had a DM who could've practiced with me in shallower water. Everything turned out OK, and I learned a valuable lesson. For you, ascending with your buddy and a DM and his/her sausage would be much wiser than what I did! Anyhow, do dive Coz....it's a magical place...just dive within your limits. Have fun!

 

[flots am]

I'm a brand new freshly licensed diver. I'm going to isla mujeres for a couple days to snorkel with whale sharks and dive manchones reef/museum.

Should I go diving somewhere else too- like Cozumel?

I read Cozumel was mainly drift dives which scared me. Are there certain weeks of the month that would be easier for a beginner diver? I'm planning late June early July right now.

Would one day trip be enough time for Cozumel as a beginner?

Finally any recommendations on dive companies both for isla and Cozumel?

Thanks

I think you would be happier with some easy shore dives in a place with a shallow sloping bottom that ends up on an easy low-current wall.

If you can pick your location, the house reef @ Buddy Dive on Bonaire would be a really nice choice. Also, because it's a shore dive, nobody cares if you take a while to put your gear together and get in the water.

The Cozumel dives are all boat dives, and you need to be able to get in the water when everybody else does, and follow the group. This isn't my favorite sort of diving, especially for a new diver. It's also not a great learning experience since you're not planning or executing your own dive. The only thing you'll learn, if the dive goes well, is how to "follow the DM"

flots.

 

[Mike]

I'm a brand new freshly licensed diver. I'm going to isla mujeres for a couple days to snorkel with whale sharks and dive manchones reef/museum.

Should I go diving somewhere else too- like Cozumel?

I read Cozumel was mainly drift dives which scared me. Are there certain weeks of the month that would be easier for a beginner diver? I'm planning late June early July right now.

Would one day trip be enough time for Cozumel as a beginner?

Finally any recommendations on dive companies both for isla and Cozumel?

Thanks

There are drift dives diving with your dive op in Isla Mujeres also.

We will be returning to Isla Mujeres over the week of July 4th so maybe we will run into you. I'd recommend you look into Aqua Adventures for your diving. They are a PADI shop and are pretty conservative in their diving, especially with new divers. We will probably be diving with Squolar Divers(the other PADI shop on the island), only because we are looking for something a little more advanced if possible. I've dived with Aqua Adventures and they would be a very good choice for you.

As far as Cozumel -- it's a wonderful place to dive and you'd probably have a great set of dives there and be perfectly safe. However, the amount of time invested in coming and going back and forth to dive there between Isla Mujeres and Cozumel to me wouldn't be worth it. As a new diver you will have plenty to do and see diving Isla Mujeres and you'll get a lot more bang for you buck planning a pure Cozumel trip later benefiting in being more experienced and economy of staying there while diving.

Keep in mind in regard to Isla Mujeres, you have access to more dive sites then just the ones around the island itself, Aqua Adventures goes to dive sites around Cancun also.