Cozumel Wish List

Hi folks:

Single diver here wanting to go down to cozumel for a week in
January. I've dived many places in the world, but have never been to
Cozumel. I understand it's primarily wall drift diving.

My ideal location: a smaller hotel or "pension" -type, quiet, either
with a bar or near one (for those post-dive postmortems), which caters
to divers, and which would ideally serve a good breakfast but be
reasonably close (15-min walk?) to other good cafes and restaurants
for lunches & dinners.

Ideal dive operator: Close to my hotel. Fast boats carrying 6 or
fewer divers, allowing divers to dive their own profile with
experienced, safe, knowledgeable dive guides whom I would tip very
well. I do carry a camera with me and would like at least a nice big
basin aboard with fresh water for my camera in between dives. My
diving and photography style differs with the dive environment, but
I'm not anal about the photography--i.e., I don't let it get in the
way of just enjoying my dive. (But hey, it's so fun to look at the pix
in the post-mortems!)

I enjoy visiting the bigger hotels, but prefer to actually stay in the
smaller ones, which I find more friendly and personal. This
prereference saved my life in Ecuador once, when I was so sick I
passed out, and the "kitchen ladies" noticed I had not come down for
dinner and checked on my room and found me and got me to medical
help.

Anyhoo, thanks in advance for any recommendations and also comments
on going to Cozumel in the winter. (Water temps, exposure protection,
dive conditions, etc.).

On Oct 30, 4:44 am, Metr...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi folks:
>
> Single diver here wanting to go down to cozumel for a week in
> January. I've dived many places in the world, but have never been to
> Cozumel. I understand it's primarily wall drift diving.

Other than you, just about every other diver in the U.S. and much of
the world has been to Cozumel. It's sort of a mecca, and priced
right. That means that there is a wealth of information already
posted here and on other sources such as scubaboard (Cozumel seems to
be a real favorite with scubaboarders).

So do the homework. You can review thousands of opinions without
having to make thousands of people respond to this one thread.

> My ideal location: a smaller hotel or "pension" -type, quiet, either
> with a bar or near one (for those post-dive postmortems), which caters
> to divers, and which would ideally serve a good breakfast but be
> reasonably close (15-min walk?) to other good cafes and restaurants
> for lunches & dinners.

It sounds like you might want to be downtown, with a multitude of
small hotels and cafes and restaurants, but quiet it ain't. Pretty
much any hotel in Cozumel will cater to divers.

> Ideal dive operator: Close to my hotel. Fast boats carrying 6 or
> fewer divers, allowing divers to dive their own profile with
> experienced, safe, knowledgeable dive guides whom I would tip very
> well. I do carry a camera with me and would like at least a nice big
> basin aboard with fresh water for my camera in between dives. My
> diving and photography style differs with the dive environment, but
> I'm not anal about the photography--i.e., I don't let it get in the
> way of just enjoying my dive. (But hey, it's so fun to look at the pix
> in the post-mortems!)

There are some 60 or so dive ops to choose from, about 40 or 50 that
purportedly offer what you seek. Again, do the homework. Many of the
dive ops will pick up from a pier downtown and/or from the docks of
some of the larger hotels.

> I enjoy visiting the bigger hotels, but prefer to actually stay in the
> smaller ones, which I find more friendly and personal. This
> prereference saved my life in Ecuador once, when I was so sick I
> passed out, and the "kitchen ladies" noticed I had not come down for
> dinner and checked on my room and found me and got me to medical
> help.

I don't know that the smaller hotels in Cozumel are that personal,
unless you're talking B & B size. I've passed out and missed dinner
in plenty of places around the world, small and large hotels alike,
and never had anyone care as long as the bill was paid.

> Anyhoo, thanks in advance for any recommendations and also comments
> on going to Cozumel in the winter. (Water temps, exposure protection,
> dive conditions, etc.).

Water temps: 78-79. Exposure protection: whatever makes you
comfortable in 78-79 degree water. Dive conditions: winter storms can
sometimes bring winds and choppy waters, currents can be very strong
at times, sometimes with strong downcurrents.

<MetriRN@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1193699398.787500.105190@t8g2000prg.googlegro ups.com...
> Hi folks:
>
> Single diver here wanting to go down to cozumel for a week in
> January. I've dived many places in the world, but have never been to
> Cozumel. I understand it's primarily wall drift diving.
>
> My ideal location: a smaller hotel or "pension" -type, quiet, either
> with a bar or near one (for those post-dive postmortems), which caters
> to divers, and which would ideally serve a good breakfast but be
> reasonably close (15-min walk?) to other good cafes and restaurants
> for lunches & dinners.
>
(snip)

Maybe you'd be happy at Baldwin's Guest House. http://www.moosepages.com/

It's a tad off the beaten path, but our group never had a bit of trouble
walking to all the restaurants and bars that we wanted.

Dale and Kathy can give you the best recommendations for a dive op that will
fit your pistol. They've got a variety of accommodation styles but their
service and establishment receives consistently high reviews.

Their place is lovely and it is probably even better than they represent
themselves to be on the website.

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:wXTVi.161654$Da.14133@pd7urf1no...
>
> <MetriRN@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1193699398.787500.105190@t8g2000prg.googlegro ups.com...
> > Hi folks:
> >
> > Single diver here wanting to go down to cozumel for a week in
> > January. I've dived many places in the world, but have never been to
> > Cozumel. I understand it's primarily wall drift diving.
> >
> > My ideal location: a smaller hotel or "pension" -type, quiet, either
> > with a bar or near one (for those post-dive postmortems), which caters
> > to divers, and which would ideally serve a good breakfast but be
> > reasonably close (15-min walk?) to other good cafes and restaurants
> > for lunches & dinners.
> >
> (snip)
>
> Maybe you'd be happy at Baldwin's Guest House. http://www.moosepages.com/
>
> It's a tad off the beaten path, but our group never had a bit of trouble
> walking to all the restaurants and bars that we wanted.
>
> Dale and Kathy can give you the best recommendations for a dive op that
will
> fit your pistol. They've got a variety of accommodation styles but their
> service and establishment receives consistently high reviews.
>
> Their place is lovely and it is probably even better than they represent
> themselves to be on the website.

OMG, I was reading over the TripAdvisor reviews and I thought to myself "I
HAVE to get back there and stay with Dale and Kathy again!" So, it's on my
list for this year.

<MetriRN@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1193699398.787500.105190@t8g2000prg.googlegro ups.com...
> Hi folks:
>
> Single diver here wanting to go down to cozumel for a week in
> January. I've dived many places in the world, but have never been to
> Cozumel. I understand it's primarily wall drift diving.
>
> My ideal location: a smaller hotel or "pension" -type, quiet, either
> with a bar or near one (for those post-dive postmortems), which caters
> to divers, and which would ideally serve a good breakfast but be
> reasonably close (15-min walk?) to other good cafes and restaurants
> for lunches & dinners.
>
> Ideal dive operator: Close to my hotel. Fast boats carrying 6 or
> fewer divers, allowing divers to dive their own profile with
> experienced, safe, knowledgeable dive guides whom I would tip very
> well. I do carry a camera with me and would like at least a nice big
> basin aboard with fresh water for my camera in between dives. My
> diving and photography style differs with the dive environment, but
> I'm not anal about the photography--i.e., I don't let it get in the
> way of just enjoying my dive. (But hey, it's so fun to look at the pix
> in the post-mortems!)
>
> I enjoy visiting the bigger hotels, but prefer to actually stay in the
> smaller ones, which I find more friendly and personal. This
> prereference saved my life in Ecuador once, when I was so sick I
> passed out, and the "kitchen ladies" noticed I had not come down for
> dinner and checked on my room and found me and got me to medical
> help.
>
> Anyhoo, thanks in advance for any recommendations and also comments
> on going to Cozumel in the winter. (Water temps, exposure protection,
> dive conditions, etc.).

I went on my own to Scuba Club Cozumel last January and can highly recommend this.
The weather was almost perfect with just brief showers. I got the all inclusive
package with meals included through
http://www.islandream.com/

Adam

Adam Helberg wrote:
> <MetriRN@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1193699398.787500.105190@t8g2000prg.googlegro ups.com...
>
>>Hi folks:
>>
>>Single diver here wanting to go down to cozumel for a week in
>>January. I've dived many places in the world, but have never been to
>>Cozumel. I understand it's primarily wall drift diving.
>>
>>My ideal location: a smaller hotel or "pension" -type, quiet, either
>>with a bar or near one (for those post-dive postmortems), which caters
>>to divers, and which would ideally serve a good breakfast but be
>>reasonably close (15-min walk?) to other good cafes and restaurants
>>for lunches & dinners.
>>
>>Ideal dive operator: Close to my hotel. Fast boats carrying 6 or
>>fewer divers, allowing divers to dive their own profile with
>>experienced, safe, knowledgeable dive guides whom I would tip very
>>well. I do carry a camera with me and would like at least a nice big
>>basin aboard with fresh water for my camera in between dives. My
>>diving and photography style differs with the dive environment, but
>>I'm not anal about the photography--i.e., I don't let it get in the
>>way of just enjoying my dive. (But hey, it's so fun to look at the pix
>>in the post-mortems!)
>>
>>I enjoy visiting the bigger hotels, but prefer to actually stay in the
>>smaller ones, which I find more friendly and personal. This
>>prereference saved my life in Ecuador once, when I was so sick I
>>passed out, and the "kitchen ladies" noticed I had not come down for
>>dinner and checked on my room and found me and got me to medical
>>help.
>>
>>Anyhoo, thanks in advance for any recommendations and also comments
>>on going to Cozumel in the winter. (Water temps, exposure protection,
>>dive conditions, etc.).
>
>
> I went on my own to Scuba Club Cozumel last January and can highly recommend this.
> The weather was almost perfect with just brief showers. I got the all inclusive
> package with meals included through
> http://www.islandream.com/
>
> Adam
>
>
I too can recommend Scuba Club.

Decent people, decent accommodations, decent food.

--
“TANSTAAFL”

__________________________________________________ __________________________

America: Ironically, the safest place to be anti-American.

"Dan Bracuk" <NOTbracuk@pathcom.com> wrote in message
news:umgii351rnkf7fs21637rhlk9bluc36r5c@4ax.com...
> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> pounded away at his keyboard resulting
> in:
>
> :OMG, I was reading over the TripAdvisor reviews and I thought to myself
"I
> :HAVE to get back there and stay with Dale and Kathy again!" So, it's on
my
> :list for this year.
>
> This year as in mid December?

Sorry, no. 12 months.

I would not call the majority of dives wall diving.

Look into dive ops like www.aldora.com, www.living-underwater.com and
www.liquidbluedivers.com.

Consider downtown places like Casa Mexicana, the Bahia, or even Vista
del Mar. If you stay at places like this, you are close to bars,
restuarants and the dive pier for Aldora is within a block.

3 mil wetsuit. Possibly a hooded Polartec vest would be nice.

Aldora stops at a beach club between dives so they don't have a rinse
bucket. Use a bottle of water to make your initial rinsing on the
boat and you will be on shore soon.

Ron Lee

Ron Lee wrote:
>
> Aldora stops at a beach club between dives so they don't have a rinse
> bucket. Use a bottle of water to make your initial rinsing on the
> boat and you will be on shore soon.

I had an interesting experience with / without a camera rinse tank
last month: Week#1 was with an operator who did provide, and Week#2
was with an operator who merely did a "hose off" after each dive and
had no rinse tank back at the dock.

Camera system is a Nikonos V. Over the past 15+ years of using it,
I've learned where I can cut corners in daily maintenance.

In any event, I generally take apart the system for servicing all user-
replaceable o-rings every ~3 dive-days or so. What I found this trip
was that due to good post-dive rinse tank utilization on Week#1, my
midweek inspections on o-rings (in particular, synch cords) was that
they were generally all still 'squeaky clean': no salt buildup
residue worthy of needing to redo the o-ring.

However, on Week#2's "wash down", I found a huge pile of accumulated
salt residue on a couple of locations: the Nikonos V's strobe port is
generally the earliest-to-start (most prone) buildup location and it
was gunked up pretty amazingly after just 6 dives. The camera was
then given a thorough overnight freshwater soak, to dilute the
problems in the non-servicable nooks and crannies.

If its a small UW camera, I'd recommend a ziplock bag to keep it from
drying between dives, even if the bag's going to have saltwater in
it. Perhaps a pint of freshwater to slosh around inside the bag
(evacuate the air) would be the way to go for when a good freshwater
dunking station isn't available.


-hh

-hh <recscuba_google@huntzinger.com> wrote:

>If its a small UW camera, I'd recommend a ziplock bag to keep it from
>drying between dives, even if the bag's going to have saltwater in
>it. Perhaps a pint of freshwater to slosh around inside the bag
>(evacuate the air) would be the way to go for when a good freshwater
>dunking station isn't available.

Hugh, if you get the camera to shore withn 10 minutes or so is a quick
rinse adequate?

I guess you could get a gallon size plastic container and rinse it
with half a gallon after each dive.

Ron Lee