Where to go, what to wear?

[joewr]

Hotel Cozumel or Villablanca cater to divers and often have discounted dive packages. Nice enough rooms and pool, etc. that's not too far from town. Intro shore dives from the dock. There should be a mix of dive experience people on the boat to team up with. Last February I wore a 2mm hooded vest under a 3mm full suit. 79 degrees for 1 hour, I needed it. My wife wore 3.5mm with an added hoodie.

Good advise, indeed! In my youth I wore a 3mm suit when diving Cozumel in Jan. I have now "graduated" to a 5mm suit with a 3mm hood.

The thing to remember about Cozumel is that nearly all the diving is live boat drift diving. That is the boat drops you off and you drift with the current. The boat follows the bubbles and is, in theory, at the end of the dive in the right place to pick you up. Many of the dive ops use the "loose buddy" system in which you go up when your air says to. Thus, folks with good bottom times are not held back by those with less extensive bottom times. That said, the dive ops there are very used to novice divers and will keep a close watch on you. Nevertheless, your safety is always your own responsibility.

joewr

 

[sup]

Do all dive ops do their SI on a beach or do some of them make you bob around on the boat for an hour between dives? I think I'd be OK with a beach, but I consider a boat to be a mode of transportation, not an enjoyable pastime.

Blue Angel seemed pretty nice, but it looks like they're booked for when I want to go. I'd also like to be a little closer to town so as to have more dining options. I'm assuming it's safe enough for a female to walk around town in San Miguel alone until ~10pm, am I mistaken in that assumption?

 

[Christi]

Do all dive ops do their SI on a beach or do some of them make you bob around on the boat for an hour between dives? I think I'd be OK with a beach, but I consider a boat to be a mode of transportation, not an enjoyable pastime.

Blue Angel seemed pretty nice, but it looks like they're booked for when I want to go. I'd also like to be a little closer to town so as to have more dining options. I'm assuming it's safe enough for a female to walk around town in San Miguel alone until ~10pm, am I mistaken in that assumption?

Hi SUP,

I am a single female living here in Cozumel and I feel perfectly safe walking around by myself. Just as with anywhere, be aware of your surroundings and pay attention and you'll be fine.

If you want to be closer to town - you won't also be coming back to the hotel between surface intervals. It will make sense to you when you're here and you will see the logistics and locations of things - unfortunately, the way Cozumel is "laid out" you have to make some trade-offs.

I have sent you a private message and will be happy to see what I can put together for you!

Regardless, have a great time!

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Hi SUP,

I am a single female living here in Cozumel and I feel perfectly safe walking around by myself. Just as with anywhere, be aware of your surroundings and pay attention and you'll be fine.

Yeah, but you're a badass. We all know it.

But I've never heard anything about Cozumel having much of a crime problem. Not terribly surprising, given it's size, and the large number of machine gun wearing police officers I always see.

 

[sup]

So basically my options are close to town with long boat rides or far from town with shorter boat rides? Hmm, that's a tough call. Is there anything on the southern side of the island besides hotels, or is it just resort after resort? I'd like to be able to leave to get food and have a couple of items on my to-do list that will probably require me to go into town.

 

[cvchief]

So basically my options are close to town with long boat rides or far from town with shorter boat rides? Hmm, that's a tough call. Is there anything on the southern side of the island besides hotels, or is it just resort after resort? I'd like to be able to leave to get food and have a couple of items on my to-do list that will probably require me to go into town.

Well the boat rides are relative. We met the boat at Caleta and with our boat it is a relatively short commute at our speed.

 

[Mossman]

So basically my options are close to town with long boat rides or far from town with shorter boat rides? Hmm, that's a tough call. Is there anything on the southern side of the island besides hotels, or is it just resort after resort? I'd like to be able to leave to get food and have a couple of items on my to-do list that will probably require me to go into town.

Chankanaab, Punta Sur. A beach bar or two. But mainly just resorts. Cab ride into town can be pricey and the resorts are all-inclusive, so many/most people don't leave at all. But taxis are easily available for the drive into town if you want to go.

 

[nodakdive]

Sup,
From the sound of your postings, I think I'd suggest staying closer to town. When you talk with a dive op, ask about where/how the SI is done. I'm with you. I like to be on shore for the SI, even if the boat has a head. It's my beach time. Most boats that don't have a head onboard will take you to the shore, but there might not be an actual bathroom. (Conch beach/dock?)

The boat rides, when on small, fast boats, really aren't that bad. I have almost exclusively stayed at Casa del Mar, which is just north of the marine park. It was an 80 peso cab ride to town the last time I was there. I set up my own gear, and by the time I've set up my stuff and gotten weights, it's about 15 or maybe 20 minutes to get to the first, usually most southern dive. Don't know if CDM would fit your bill. I mention it based on the location and my experience getting to the dives sites from there. Depending on the southern AI, you might not go to more northern sites within the marine park. Staying north of the park basically ensures all the possibilities. On a first trip to Cozumel for one week, this probably isn't a deal breaker as even at a southern AIs there will be plenty to see.

One of the best investments I've made is a 24 dollar waterproof windbreaker from Walmart. I've been on boats in Cozumel whizzing back to the hotel in heavy rain, and it's a life saver. Other big tip on warmth, get dry. If you wear a full wetsuit, at least pull the top down and get your upper half dry. Makes all the difference. I've seen many, many divers wearing their full wetsuit after the dive, shivering. Underwater? Something on your head makes a big difference too, at least it does for me. I have a 1 mil hood. Just that one mil is a big difference.

You're going to have a blast!!

-Blair

 

[Christi]

So basically my options are close to town with long boat rides or far from town with shorter boat rides? Hmm, that's a tough call. Is there anything on the southern side of the island besides hotels, or is it just resort after resort? I'd like to be able to leave to get food and have a couple of items on my to-do list that will probably require me to go into town.

Only if you consider a 20 - 30 minute boat ride a long boat ride.

As a single, it wouldn't be a tough call at all for me. You definitely want to be closer to town if you are wanting to socialize and interact with others, goout for food, shop, or do anything but hang around at the resort. The southern resorts are expensive cab rides into town or anywhere, they are isolated so you can't walk to anywhere, and they are more family centered.

 

[MMM]

Sup, if you book an OP with a fast boat, the trips to the southern sites are not that long. As Christi says, maybe 20 minutes. Unless you get sea sick, they are, in my mind, an enjoyable to relax, chat with other divers on the boat, plan to have supper or drinks with the ones you like, and gradually get ready for your dive without feeling rushed. The guy I dive with has twin engines, very fast, and a smooth ride.