Trip report - Cozumel --Better late than never!

[Prop Joe]

I can only comment on Aldora as that is the only op I have dove with (150+ dives) on the island. They will supply a bucket if requested. If going on their Big Boat (Felicity) they have a really huge bucket for cameras. All you have to do is ask.
Mario used to be with them. I've dove with Vollrath years ago on a night dive. Good guy's. I really miss Mario though. Was he singing to you underwater? I Like that he wears different colored fins so you can pick him out as the DM.

I do not use a bucket for my camera. I usually have a lens cover that I flush with a splash of fresh water between dives, then keep the camera under a seat or away from areas where a tank can fall on it. I don't let the lens/dome dry out and give a good rinse at the end of the day. My dome has a neoprene cover that stays moist to avoid water spots. I had a bad experience with a bucket in Kauai it involved a broken camera, not mine but lesson learned. You can cover the camera with a damp towel also. I've also seen many people apply de-fog to the mask then rinse the mask in the camera rinse tank and in the process pollute the bucket and its contents with body oils, sunscreen, sweat and de-fog solution. Most are ignorant that I do not want all of that stuff making an oily, slimy, film on my lens/dome. It can be hard to remove the oily residue from a lens. I'm sure its not on purpose but will give you something to do at the surface interval... Lens cleaning with what ever they have for a towel/cloth at the beach club on shore. Sorry, rant over...

Who ever you choose to dive with, there will be a bunch of scubaboard people down in March. We had some rather large, fun dinner outings with everyone last year. Come on down and join us.
Thanks again for the report.

 

[DonnaC]

I do not use a bucket for my camera. I usually have a lens cover that I flush with a splash of fresh water between dives, then keep the camera under a seat or away from areas where a tank can fall on it. I don't let the lens/dome dry out and give a good rinse at the end of the day. My dome has a neoprene cover that stays moist to avoid water spots. I had a bad experience with a bucket in Kauai it involved a broken camera, not mine but lesson learned. You can cover the camera with a damp towel also. I've also seen many people apply de-fog to the mask then rinse the mask in the camera rinse tank and in the process pollute the bucket and its contents with body oils, sunscreen, sweat and de-fog solution. Most are ignorant that I do not want all of that stuff making an oily, slimy, film on my lens/dome. It can be hard to remove the oily residue from a lens. I'm sure its not on purpose but will give you something to do at the surface interval... Lens cleaning with what ever they have for a towel/cloth at the beach club on shore. Sorry, rant over...

Food for thought on the whole rinse bucket issue, I think if I had a dome port on my housing I would feel the same way, those things are so expensive, I'm still saving up!!!

Who ever you choose to dive with, there will be a bunch of scubaboard people down in March. We had some rather large, fun dinner outings with everyone last year. Come on down and join us.
Thanks again for the report

.

Ha! Would love to go back to Cozumel in March but it's Bonaire this year in Jan/Feb., I'm so excited, (it's 39 degrees here right now) we'll be looking for Bonaire Scubaboard friends in the near future:blinking:....

 

[Ms. Ann Thrope]

Donna C, I'm with you on the lobster thing. I think we went to that place back in about 1993. I think it's the same place...someone on our boat said it had closed for a few years and reopened. We went on people's highest recommendations; we knew it was a by-weight deal but and were somewhat dumbstruck when the $80 bill came. On top of it, I found the lobster seriously tough--they gave us steak knives, and we needed them. This was back when it seems there was a lobster under every ledge on every dive. I think these days I'd much rather see lobsters underwater than on my plate.

 

[Mawg]

Donna C, I'm with you on the lobster thing. I think we went to that place back in about 1993. I think it's the same place...someone on our boat said it had closed for a few years and reopened. We went on people's highest recommendations; we knew it was a by-weight deal but and were somewhat dumbstruck when the $80 bill came. On top of it, I found the lobster seriously tough--they gave us steak knives, and we needed them. This was back when it seems there was a lobster under every ledge on every dive. I think these days I'd much rather see lobsters underwater than on my plate.

Did you choose one of the larger lobsters? At $80.00 dollars, it sounds like at least a 3 pounder or bigger. A DM buddy of mine who lives on Coz. told me that the one to one and a half pound lobster is what you should pick because they are the tenderest and have the best flavor. The bigger ones are tougher.

 

[DonnaC]

Donna C, I'm with you on the lobster thing. I think we went to that place back in about 1993. I think it's the same place...someone on our boat said it had closed for a few years and reopened. We went on people's highest recommendations; we knew it was a by-weight deal but and were somewhat dumbstruck when the $80 bill came. On top of it, I found the lobster seriously tough--they gave us steak knives, and we needed them. This was back when it seems there was a lobster under every ledge on every dive. I think these days I'd much rather see lobsters underwater than on my plate.

Hi Ms. Ann - Interesting.....sounds like very mixed feedback on that restaurant, I was trying to be careful not to completely blame the restaurant for our strange evening but to let others know about our experience so that they can avoid the same problems. I had heard some other rumors that I didn't pass on because I wasn't sure of my recollection or the veracity of the rumors. I have a feeling that you haven't been back and I definitely wouldn't return. Too many other more "tourist" friendly great restaurants in Cozumel!!!

 

[Ms. Ann Thrope]

Rumors? Wonder if they're the same ones we heard years ago. Mawg, it's been nearly 20 years, so I don't remember exactly, but I'm sure my husband did choose a somewhat larger tail, and I ordered one that was smaller because I was afraid of the "by the gram" thing even before the check came and made me feel like a chump. Donna, no, we never did go back. I hesitated to share a restaurant recollection that was so old, but it sounds like the dining experience hasn't changed much. Donna didn't say anything about the lobster itself--they may have liked it. I know many people do, and have really enjoyed their meals there. We just weren't among them.

 

[zihuatcat]

We thought it was one of the best lobster meals we've ever had. There were no surprises because we asked about the process. The prices of the tails were discussed while we were picking them out. They even asked if we wanted to split a larger tail in 1/2. I can't imagine ordering lobster in any country without asking how much it costs and if I did, I certainly wouldn't blame the restaurant when the bill arrived.

 

[zihuatcat]

By the way, awesome trip report! I love reading all the details. It makes it so much more helpful when planning my own trips.