Cozumel
- Thread starter blureef1
- Start date
Papa Hog's is a very good dive outfit down there.
Wryknow
New member
Anwhere on the Palancar reef is pretty darn good. I like the area that the locals call Palancar gardens, nice drift diving and lots of coral, fish, and inverts (and sea turtles too.)
There's also some great diving right along the edge of the reef where the reef drops off into open water (I forget what the dive master called the area but it was palancar cliffs or some such thing.) I love it because you dive along the edge of the reef and it drops off into several hundred feet of water right underneth you. There's usually some tuna and yellow jack schools out there to watch swimming around in the open water (not good if you're afraid of open spaces I suppose.)
If you are an experienced diver and want to see sharks then take a trip over to Punta Sur. Punta Sur is exposed to the open ocean so the dive conditions are more variable there but that's where most of the sharks hang out during the day. In season you'll see big schools of hammerheads and other reef sharks.
I dove out of the dive shop next to The Reef Club and it was super cheap and fun. My family and I got two x 10 dive cards for like $42 USD per dive (including equipment rental) and we dove pretty much all week.
Just FYI - most of the Mexican dive operations are a lot more laid back than the typical American dive operations. I wouldn't say that they aren't safe, but they don't operate under the fear of constant lawsuits like Americans do and it kind of freaked my sister out when she went for the first time. (She ran out of air and told the dive master that she was low and he indicated OK and just kept swimming. She expected someone to follow her up to the surface and she was worried that she would lose everyone and was pretty freaked out about it. Can you say - just watched the movie Open Water??? The dive boat was following our bubbles and it was twenty yards away from where she surfaced so everything was just fine IMHO other than the fact her husband didn't follow his dive buddy to the surface.)
I kind of prefer the lack of hand holding myself but inexperienced divers may be a little less comfortable and prefer an outfit that is a lmore full service like Al Dora dive shop.
There's also some great diving right along the edge of the reef where the reef drops off into open water (I forget what the dive master called the area but it was palancar cliffs or some such thing.) I love it because you dive along the edge of the reef and it drops off into several hundred feet of water right underneth you. There's usually some tuna and yellow jack schools out there to watch swimming around in the open water (not good if you're afraid of open spaces I suppose.)
If you are an experienced diver and want to see sharks then take a trip over to Punta Sur. Punta Sur is exposed to the open ocean so the dive conditions are more variable there but that's where most of the sharks hang out during the day. In season you'll see big schools of hammerheads and other reef sharks.
I dove out of the dive shop next to The Reef Club and it was super cheap and fun. My family and I got two x 10 dive cards for like $42 USD per dive (including equipment rental) and we dove pretty much all week.
Just FYI - most of the Mexican dive operations are a lot more laid back than the typical American dive operations. I wouldn't say that they aren't safe, but they don't operate under the fear of constant lawsuits like Americans do and it kind of freaked my sister out when she went for the first time. (She ran out of air and told the dive master that she was low and he indicated OK and just kept swimming. She expected someone to follow her up to the surface and she was worried that she would lose everyone and was pretty freaked out about it. Can you say - just watched the movie Open Water??? The dive boat was following our bubbles and it was twenty yards away from where she surfaced so everything was just fine IMHO other than the fact her husband didn't follow his dive buddy to the surface.)
I kind of prefer the lack of hand holding myself but inexperienced divers may be a little less comfortable and prefer an outfit that is a lmore full service like Al Dora dive shop.
sasscuba
New member
I have been diving for 25 years and have been to Cozumel about 10 times. I have dove with just about every operator and I prefer to dive with DIVE WITH MARTIN. Very nice, inexpensive and free gear if you need it. Any more info. feel free to PM.
http://www.divewithmartin.com/
http://www.divewithmartin.com/
virginiadiver69
New member
Ditto Aldora and Dive with martin.
If you have never been to Cozumel, prepare yourself for the lack of hand holding. They let you dive your computer!
I would like to suggest a day trip across to Playa del Carmen. It is about a 20 min ferry trip but well worth it. Some great diving that will rival anything in Cozumel can be had at this uncrowded location.
If you have never been to Cozumel, prepare yourself for the lack of hand holding. They let you dive your computer!
I would like to suggest a day trip across to Playa del Carmen. It is about a 20 min ferry trip but well worth it. Some great diving that will rival anything in Cozumel can be had at this uncrowded location.
Thanks everyone for the ideas and comments. I actually decided to go with blue xt sea diving. Have heard good things. I will put a trip report together with pictures when I get back.
For those who have been recently (post hurricane) how has the diving been compared to before the hurricane?
For those who have been recently (post hurricane) how has the diving been compared to before the hurricane?
sasscuba
New member
More fish after hurricane. Reefs have some sand on them, some better than others. We did 14 dives 4 months ago and seen 40 turtles, 25 eagle rays, 4 nurse sharks and thousands of fish. Was the best Coz trip to date. Have fun. Tell Christi at Blue XT hi from WWW.SCUBABOARD.COM.
Go with Blue XT Sea Diving. If you search Scuba Board (the best diving forum) - you will see that Blue XT Sea Diving constantly get rave reviews. When I was in Cozumel - I dove with them. Excellent DM.
Whatever you do - avoid large cattle boat dive operation. They may be cheaper - but they are horrible.
Here is some more useful info.
http://bluextseadiving.com/ (There's a lot of great travel info here as well)
http://www.scubaboard.com/forumdisplay.php?f=208 (scuba board Cozumel forum)
Minh
Whatever you do - avoid large cattle boat dive operation. They may be cheaper - but they are horrible.
Here is some more useful info.
http://bluextseadiving.com/ (There's a lot of great travel info here as well)
http://www.scubaboard.com/forumdisplay.php?f=208 (scuba board Cozumel forum)
Minh
We're headed to Cozumel in March as well. This will be our 6th trip there...we love it. We are also booked to dive with Blue XT Sea, as my hubby frequents the scuba board and followed Christy when she was on the island during Hurricane Wilma. We're excited to dive with her operation.
If you can possibly fit it in, definitely schedule a trip to the mainland to do a Cenotes dive. We dove Dos Ojos last year, and it was absolutely spectacular!! The water in the caverns was so clear, I had to remind myself...and quite often...that I was actually in water!! No kidding, you actually feel like you're flying through these beautiful caverns/caves. We're going back again at the end of this trip as well.
Lisa :fish1:
If you can possibly fit it in, definitely schedule a trip to the mainland to do a Cenotes dive. We dove Dos Ojos last year, and it was absolutely spectacular!! The water in the caverns was so clear, I had to remind myself...and quite often...that I was actually in water!! No kidding, you actually feel like you're flying through these beautiful caverns/caves. We're going back again at the end of this trip as well.
Lisa :fish1:
