good spots to dive in Cozumel?

[oldmedic]

What are some good spots to dive in Cozumel for realitively inexperienced divers? Not sure I want to dive a wall that is 400 ft. any spots with the hard bottom @80 ft? we would like to book a private provider, and have some idea of places to go to. any suggestions?

[tkd]

Try Blue Angel Divers.


As for easy, shallow dives, Columbia Shallow, Panlancar, French Reef, and Paradise. Paradise is very easy to dive. About 40ft, sandy bottom.

Good Luck.

[bruce-r]

Las Palmas is a good site, usually done as the second dive. I've been told that it is a good site for seahorses, but I didn't see any in March. Maybe I'll have better luck in December.

Also, if you are doing a private charter, the dive op will be happy to accommodate your requests for shallower dive sites.

[tkd]

If you are a newer diver and have never done drift diving, you will be spoiled. Just remember not to try to fight the current as it will only wear you out. Go with the flow, stay with the buddy and have a great time!

[Woodsmaster]

Blue Angel is a great operator.

Columbia wall/reef is a good dive for any level. Columbia Shallows is about 20-27 feet ane an easy drift dive.

We also went to Starfish flats to snorkel.....a lot of fun.

[cen822]

Both my husband and I are newbies at diving. We are going to cozumel as one of our ports of call. Looking forward to diving there but I am stressing out as this will be our first boat dive and now I am reading it is a drift dive as well. How strong is the current? Would you advise newbies to be doing a dive here?
Thanks for any info you could provide!

[bruce-r]

[quote name='cen822']I am stressing out as this will be our first boat dive and now I am reading it is a drift dive as well. How strong is the current? Would you advise newbies to be doing a dive here?
Thanks for any info you could provide![/QUOTE]

I would advise that diving in Coz can be super easy. Be sure to let whoever you dive with know that you are beginners. The currents do vary, but I seriously doubt that any dive OP will take you to any of the advanced sites, and drift diving is pretty easy if you just go with the flow. You just drift along looking at all the pretty fish and coral, but don't forget to occasionally to look at your gauges ;) Stay with the DM and when the dive is over, the boat will have followed the DM's float and be there to pick you up. No navigating required. You might want to look for a dive OP that uses a larger boat for your first boat dives. It is just a bit easier getting geared up on a larger boat than on the usual Coz 6 pack, but boat diving in general is easier than shore diving, and because of the live boat pickup, Coz is even easier.

[cen822]

Thanks for the info bruce-r. I have contacted eagle ray divers and am waiting a reply from them. Would you recommend us bringing any type of signalling gear (whistle, mirror, signal sausage/tube)? Don't think we would have a problem staying near DM as we have no desire to be left behind....lol!

[bruce-r]

Safety sausage is a good idea. I have a dive alert, but a whistle is also not a bad idea and fairly inexpensive. A mirror can also be fun underwater. Some fish react to seeing themselves in unusual ways.

[oldmedic]

Brucejr,
I read an article in Roadales scuba dive magazine (i think) that a cd (like the ones that aol sends out in the mail) makes a good reflective mirrow and they are free.

[cen822]

Bruce-r and oldmedic.......thank you for the info.....nice to know there are divers out there willing to help out us newbies....lol. Thanks again

[Perrys100]

I will always suggest Aldora Divers in Cozumel. Thay are great. They have a web site [url="http://www.aldora.com/"]www.aldora.com[/url] They use steel tanks REALLY BIG tanks. Alot of bottom time. Great boats, great gear and great dive masters. I have over 100 logged dives in Cozumel with 80 or more with aldora they have been great with aldora.

If aldora is booked or you perfer a slow boat experience and small tanks try Scuba shack. I dove with them on my first few trips to the island. One trip aldora was unable to accomodate us and we dove with PAUL he is next to the aqurio restaurant and they were very good to us too.