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Dive Review of Emerald Dolphin Dive Services/Hotel Cozumel -use to be Las Brisas in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan

Emerald Dolphin Dive Services/Hotel Cozumel -use to be Las Brisas, Jan, 2004,

by Timothy Smith, TX, USA . Report 921.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 3 stars Food 1 stars
Service and Attitude 2 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments Cozumel is the type of trip to make to get in the blue water, care free drift diving, and some land based activities to boot. High Viz, and fun were on my agenda for this return trip. This was the first time I have been back to Cozumel since my first trip as a new diver many years ago. I was quite disappointed to see how the island now caters to the Cruise Operators, and have really ruined the great diver's destination that this place use to be. The locals are now realizing this, and are trying to ensure that the divers stay happy, and come back. The night life is there if the cruise ships are in town on the strip. Carlos and Charlie’s has lost most of its old fun feel. The shops tend to focus around the port calls, and it was hard to find many open once the ships pulled out. Note: it is easier to negotiate with the locals if they know you are a diver, and have more than a few hours on the island to barter. The Hotel Cozumel (use to be Las Brisas) was clean, and the A/C worked great!! The convenience to downtown, and the spacious pool area make it a nice place to relax. The nightlife was horrible at this location, as was the food. This is an all-inclusive place, and your best bet is to go out and explore the local establishments for meals other than breakfast. We had an incredible experience eating at the Casa La Mission (not their location downtown, but one that is about 8 blocks inland). Great food, and service, along with a nicely landscaped and interesting grounds to explore. Go early, and sit out under the trees by the fountain. Wild animals are there for the viewing, as well as the old history of the Mission. The Dive Operators broke our group onto two boats after the first day that was a positive. The owner Tony is very nice, and the divemaster on the second boat Carlos was great. They make fresh Guacamole on the trip out, and provide a simple lunch, muffins, and plenty of drinks to quench your thirst. The daily stop to get additional tanks should be eliminated from the itinerary, and done up front. These were larger boats that did increase the time to the dive sites, but allowed our group to be social. I wish we were able to do some of the lower end sites, but Palancar's multiple sites and Yucab still have plenty to swim through, and see fish wise. The relatively new C-57 wreck that had been sunk was fun, and had the most current. It is laid out nicely for divers to access, and was easy for even new divers in our group to enjoy. This is still a great quick getaway, and a good bang for the buck for us Texas Divers.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Bahamas, Roatan, Belize, Palau, Fiji
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas choppy, currents
Water Temp 77-79°F / 25-26°C Wetsuit Thickness 1
Water Visibility 70-100 Ft/ 21-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Depth Limits, Time Limits, Air Consumption
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish 2 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 3 stars Boat Facilities 1 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 2 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments The Dive Operator was not set up nicely for Photographers. One or two buckets were available with fresh water at the beginning of the day, but after the dive group would use this water for their mask cleanings, I chose to keep my camera out of the nasty buckets, and brought along my own water to rinse both of my cameras.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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