Time to find a new port

[fishpicturesbybob]

I have been diving in Cozumel for many years. Over the past few years Cozumel has decided that divers are no longer valued customers. Cozumel closed the port today, which abandoned all of the divers ashore due to a bike race. This has happened to me twice now and it is time to find another port. Grand Cayman and the Bahamas would never treat the diving community like this and it is time for divers to stand up and abandon Cozumel for other destinations until Cozumel understands where the bulk of the revenue other than Cruise ships come from. There is not reason for the Island to close the port to divers because of any other activity.
There are millions of diver days with money spent on the dive boats, hotels and restaurants but Cozumel tourism will close diving down for a couple hundred bike riders (Go Figure).
This is the second time this has happened to me this year and when you are here for a week diving 6 days you loose 17% of the value of the trip. Some of the prepaid folks loose more. The way i see it now is that I can spend 17% more and go to other destinations and quit having the crap that Couzmel is putting up in front of the diving population.
I will take my business elsewhere and take my friends and family with me. It is time to leave Cozumel alone.
Bob

 

[gopbroek]

I spoke with my LDS in Cozumel and they were told yesterday that the port would be open only to find the access to it blocked this morning. The week before last when they did the half Ironman (70.4) it was a very large event and the main road was blocked but the cycle road was used for one way coordinated back and forth traffic between Pemex and the Caleta/ marina. I suspect this was a lack of coordination between the authority's and the event sponsor as opposed to an evil plan.
If the southern OP's had known the access was going to be blocked they could have put contingency plans in effect.

PS. It is the low season and the week before last on most days I saw minimal boats out due to lack of divers. It was better than a few years back but the island economy real needs the extra revenue brought in by the dual IronMan competitions and associated triathlons and bike runs from late September thru November. Hopefully future events will handle traffic re-routing better. I suspect the Dive OP's using the southern port will make their frustration known to the local authorities.

 

[ggunn]

I have been diving in Cozumel for many years. Over the past few years Cozumel has decided that divers are no longer valued customers. Cozumel closed the port today, which abandoned all of the divers ashore due to a bike race. This has happened to me twice now and it is time to find another port. Grand Cayman and the Bahamas would never treat the diving community like this and it is time for divers to stand up and abandon Cozumel for other destinations until Cozumel understands where the bulk of the revenue other than Cruise ships come from. There is not reason for the Island to close the port to divers because of any other activity.
There are millions of diver days with money spent on the dive boats, hotels and restaurants but Cozumel tourism will close diving down for a couple hundred bike riders (Go Figure).
This is the second time this has happened to me this year and when you are here for a week diving 6 days you loose 17% of the value of the trip. Some of the prepaid folks loose more. The way i see it now is that I can spend 17% more and go to other destinations and quit having the crap that Couzmel is putting up in front of the diving population.
I will take my business elsewhere and take my friends and family with me. It is time to leave Cozumel alone.
Bob

I am not going to stop going to Cozumel just because the port closes a couple of days a year for stuff like this. At least you can plan for it, once you know, not like nortes. I understand that you are ticked off, and I would be as well if it unexpectedly cut me out of a dive day I had planned, but stuff happens. Do some shore diving.

I'm not boycotting Cozumel over this. DSFDF and YMMV.

 

[manta_man]

The port was closed today for the swim part of the race. The swimmers were to swim through the Caleta down to the cruise ship pier and back. Captainea de Puerto closed the port for safety reasons. Good idea to not have boats running with hundreds of swimmers in the water. Although I am not certain, I believe that the port was to reopen around 10. Although it can be irritating-- as you suggest-- losing a dive day, we must look at the big picture. The dynamic of Cozumel has been evolving from a dive mecca, to a cruise ship mecca and now a world class Triathlon race. Cozumel is very lax in getting the word out when it comes to closing roads or in this case the port. However the races are scheduled during October and November--notorious slow periods for tourism on the Island. We do know when the races are to commence and we cancel morning diving when they start as to avoid the road closures. Afternoon trips are usually completed with no problems. Because of the Triathlons, new and imporved roads are in place now all around the Island. A benefit of having the races here. It is much better for a community to have many different resources supporting the local economies. Look at the US cities that were locked into the auto industry. Bet they wish a triathlon would be scheduled in their cities. Although you lost four dives, you are still in a wonderful relaxing place. Try next time to schedule an afternoon or night dive on race days. Kick back and enjoy another cerveza.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

For the record, all of our divers got to dive today, no matter where they were staying. Nobody had to be taxied to Caleta, or anywhere else.

PS And on scheduled time!

Dave Dillehay

Aldora Divers

ALDORA DIVERS

 

[Wookie]

Cayman is saying to hell with their divers in favor of cruise shippers. Our industry is in a sad state indeed if we can't beat out bicyclists or cruise shippers.

 

[drrich2]

For the record, all of our divers got to dive today, no matter where they were staying. Nobody had to be taxied to Caleta, or anywhere else.

PS And on scheduled time!

Glad to hear it. If crap like this keeps happening & you get a rep. for being the op. that puts divers in the ocean regardless, whereas others can't, I imagine that will make for a competitive advantage!

Richard.

 

[Chugwhump]

Does Cozumel ever have bad weather that precludes diving?

Chug
Loves west wind.

 

[cb5150]

Vaya con Dios, Bob. I hope you find happiness at your new port. As for me and my buddies, we loves us some Coz!

 

[Ron Lee]

Does Cozumel ever have bad weather that precludes diving? Chug Loves west wind.

Yes, they are called nortes and depending upon the wind direction and speed can shut down diving.