2000 Chapbook

On one trip to Cozumel, John Q. did a pirouette on the deck of the dive boat and counted 28 other dive boats.... Once visited mainly by divers, cruise ships now regularly disgorge great packs of shoppers who descend on the flashy night clubs, restaurants and bars galore, and sidewalk hustlers hawking condos, serapes that are questionable bargains, and little plaster statues of guys wearing big hats leaning on saguaro cactuses.... Spectacular dives do exist, but many operators are reluctant to visit these sites, especially if the divers aboard have mixed experience levels, and rightfully so, because much of Cozumel's diving (especially the advanced sites like Punta Sur Two, Tunich, and Barracuda) is deep or fast-current drift dives. Beginning divers should select other destinations.... Carry surface-signaling devices for both day and night (strobe, safety sausage, etc.) and stay with your dive guide or group.... Dive operators vary widely in quality and safety.... The best diving is in spring and summer; it can be rainy during the fall (hurricane season) and winter. There's better diving on the western side toward the southern end of Cozumel, with the eastern side generally unsafe to dive. Best dives include Palancar, Santa Rosa, Maracaibo, Punta Sur, and Colombia reefs.... Expect water temperatures in low- to mid-80s. Visibility is consistently the best in Caribbean.... Cozumel is one of the biggest travel bargains, with accommodations ranging from the inexpensive downtown hotel Bahia, to diver hangouts La Ceiba and the Galapago Inn, to higher-dollar hotels like El Presidente or Sol Caribe.... Almost like having a new Caribbean dive destination, the immense unexplored reef structure of Chinchorro Banks off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula has become accessible to divers this year, with two new resorts opening up south of the Sian Ka'an biosphere along the coast road down to Xcalak. The high-end, all-inclusive Costa Maya is slated to open by January 2000, while the smaller Maya Ha Resort is already open. Both resorts offer myriad adventure tours and activities in addition to diving, making this region an excellent choice for serious divers looking for reefs where few divers have finned as well as divers who travel with non-divers.

For full reviews of the following Mexico destinations, see:

Cenote Diving - Yucatan, Undercurrent- July 1999

Aldora Divers Cozumel, In Depth- October 1996

Chinchorro Banks, In Depth- October 1996

Yucatan Peninsula, In Depth- February 1996

Akumal

Akumal Divers, October 1998, Ellen Moran, Hancock, NH. Vis: 50-80 ft. The village of Akumal is friendly, laid back. Rented a small house we found on the Internet with all amenities including 2 bikes for wandering around town. Walking distance to good restaurants, snorkeling and dive shop. Shop staff friendly but not in any hurry. Could dive the reefs off Akumal or the Cenotes. Taj Mahal Cenote a highlight. (72 degree temp). Ocean dives were drift dives in strong current, hard on novices. Turtles abundant! Coral beat up in 30' and less water. (Akumal Dive Shop, Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico; Phone 52 987 590 32, Fax 52 987 590 33; e-mail akumal@cancun.com.mx; website http://www.akumal.com)

Akumal Divers/Playa Blanca, July 1999, Joe Minton, Hixson, TN. Water: 82-B4 degrees, Vis: 90-100 ft. Small, quiet, family-oriented resort with lovely, reasonably priced condos and rental houses and quaint thatch roofed bar-restaurants on the beach. Try La Buena Vida. Large shallow bays offer superb snorkeling in 3-15 feet, plentiful sea turtles. Dive operation simple but efficient with small wooden boats with outboards. Shore diving is great when the seas are calm. Not many pelagics or large reef fish.

Aquatech/Villas De Rosa, March 1999, Harry L. Cure, Jr., Fort Worth, TX. Water: 76-78 degrees. The best cavern/cave diving in the world. Beautiful decorations, wonderful facilities for cave/cavern diver.

Aquatech, Villas De Rosa, March 1999, Ron & Nancy Fraga (fraga@us.ibm.com), Byron, MN. My wife completed Cavern and Intro to Cave with Steve Gerrard Enjoyed the one-on-on training. Diving fabulous! Christopher was my guide for excellent cave diving. Nancy got to dive PonDerosa, Temple of Doom, Grand Cenote and Taj Mahal as part of training. Most cave dives were within Sistema Sac Aktun (via Grand Cenote and Temple of Doom). Enjoyed the scenery of this decorated cave system. Cenote Angelita: several pristine intact pieces of ancient Mayan pottery. Food and rooms nice, friendly staff: diving, culinary and maids etc. Marcelino and Antonio excellent chefs and friendly. Tony, Nancy, Steve, Pablo, Christopher, Fred, Marcelino and Antonio are like friends, which enhances the experience! DeRosas run an excellent operation catering to technical/cave divers but also offer good open water diving along the Yucatan reefs. They treat customers well and with respect. Families stay at Villa's DeRosa for non-diving vacation just enjoying the serenity, views and the beach/sea..... From Akumal, we returned our rental car at Playa Del Carmen and took the ferry to Cozumel for five more days . . . .. June 1999: Steve Gerrard pulled together a team of sixteen cave divers from four countries to help re-survey "Sistema PonDerosa" and run line to expand the system. Steve would enter daily survey results into a computer to produce a "stick map." Everyone earned two cave specialties: Stage diving and Underwater cave survey and mapping. Steve manages the Aquatech dive center at Villa's DeRosa; outstanding cave, technical and OW instructor. We dived where few people have been before! Cave System is beautiful with stalactites, stalagmites, columns, soda straws, fossils, campfire remains. Humbling experience to be there! Food great, rooms comfortable and clean with A/C and ceiling fans along with bottled drinking water provided. Steve did a great job of paring divers up for buddy teams. (Ph: 011-52-987-59020, e-mail: 105107.2445@.compuserve.com, Website: www.cenotes.com)

Maya Ha, November 1998, Alan M. Parizo, Thousand Oaks, CA. Vis: 65-80 ft. Water: 80-84 degrees. Windy. Water: choppy. Maya Ha is owned and operated by a friend, Wes Boughton (formerly Xcalak Divers). He has been developing this facility on the tip of the Yucatan near the Sian Ka'an rainforest preserve for four years. He is close to completion with the restaurant, bar and several comfortable residential units are completed. The nearest airport for small planes is Mahahual. Guests are picked up in Cancun for a four-hour drive. Some good diving offshore, but the feature is the series of Coral Archipelagos 24 miles offshore Chinchorro reef. (Telephone: 011-52-987-30912; e-mail: info@mayaharesort.com; website: www.mayaharesort.com)

Cancun

Blue Peace, January 1999, David Jackson, Chattanooga, TN. Eva was great divemaster. I was surprised at the great shape of reefs. Corals, fans, morays abound. Lots of tropicals, frog fish. (Website: http://seafari.web.com.mx)

Blue Peace/Club Las Vegas, February 1999, Bill Rath, Bronx, NY. Water: 80-82 degrees, Vis: 50-75 ft. veab02rd. All inclusive 5 star Club Las Vegas. Blue Peace small personal operation. After divemasters saw experienced, left you to dive profiles. Excellent for beginners.

Ocean Sport/Grand Oasis, July 1999, Craig Mathews, Mobile, AL. Vis: 150-200 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Cancun's not Cozumel. Lots of topside fun for family; Ocean Sport is a good small dive operation. Many times it was only me and dive buddy with divemaster. Lacsa Airlines is well run with decent planes. Dive camera stolen from hotel room. (Telephone +52 529-884-6034)

Scuba Cancun/Omni, January 1999, Eugene 'Gino' Dubay, Pigeon Forge, TN. Water: 78-80 degrees. 5 star PADI operation at the north end of island; 5 min bus ride. Laid back, personable staff gives great attention to small groups (one DM per 7 divers) headed by a great gal Edith Hurtado. Martin, Fidel, and Daniel good DM's and fun. 7 boats: 2 small, 2 large for diving and 3 for fishing. Diving a real surprise. After a 45 min. ride we were 2 miles off the north end 4-6 ft swells and strong currents, like Palau. Went to Noname, Grampin, Arestos, Horseshoe Reefs in the protected preserve. (Everyone entering the ocean by boat pays a fee of $1 and the officers check). A mini Cozumel: chutes, tunnels, current (drift), rays, nurse sharks, morays, bugs, turtles, huge schools of jacks, grunts, silversides and angels, barracuda, and a good size sail fish. At Noname was a 6' green moray like a big dog to pet. Same with 4-5 ft nurse sharks who hang around. Omni Cancun Hotel is wonderful. Small by most standards on the south end of the island, away from the hassle. Beaches in Cancun are receding badly; south end is best. Food, service, and staff, and pools are perfect. Not to be missed is La Distilleria and Mango Tango restaurants and the Captain Hook lobster dinner cruise. You guys are cool ... keep up the good work you do in the newsletter. (Ph: 011-529-8831011)

Scuba Cancun/Continental Villa Plaza, February 1999, Gary Johnson, Albert Lea, MN. Water: 78-82 degrees, Vis: 40-60 ft. Best part; large green eels.

Playa Del Carmen

Dos Ojos Dive Center, July 1999, Ed Morrow, Middletown, OH. Vis: 150-200 ft. Water: 70 degrees. Guided supervised trip. Excellent rental equipment; lights available. Cenote dive operation, truly outstanding experience, owner Buddy Quattlebaum provides one guide with every 2-4 divers; more divers, more guides. Dives (2 tank) leave at 9, 11, 1. Taken in truck to Cenote; gear passed down to entry. Typical dive 15-30', but outstanding being in mammoth cave underwater. Guides Greg & Kevin knowledgeable and helpful.

Dresskl Divers/Iberoster Tucan, October 1998, Harry L. Cure Jr., Fort Worth, TX. Vis: 50-60 ft. Water: 82-84 degrees. Iberoster is a 5-star all inclusive. Excellent facilities, staff, and food. Diving is so-so, but operation very good.

Paamul Yucatan, July 1998, Prudy and Bob Bowers (RBOWERS@MSN.COM), West Linn, OR. Vis: 60-80 ft. Water: 87-89 degrees. Restrictions: few, 60-70 min. Dive time. Good: Turtles, eagle ray, Grey, queen, French and blue angelfish. Healthy reef (unlike Akumal), Balloon fish. When leading dives, Les (the owner, retired doctor from Texas) kept up a marathon pace. He covered lots of territory, no stopping to explore. He seemed more interested in seeing big fish (none really) and covering a lot of area. He encourages spearfishing and it made me uncomfortable for people to be spearing/collecting lobsters and groupers in front of us. We stopped diving here after the spearfishing began.

Scuba-Mex, Paamul, March 1999, Tom Todd, Lexington, MA. No shore diving. Run by Texan expats. One of the few undeveloped areas amid the massive Yucatan Building Boom. Helpful, enthusiastic, and accommodating. Fantastic with beginners and "laissez-faire" to the extent desired with experienced divers, but always ready to help. I enjoyed John's hearty welcome. I had 3 beginners and they did a fantastic job getting them to love diving. The 4 duplex pastel bungalows on the beach are fantastic. (Scuba Mex Diving, Paamul, Mexico; e-mail scubamex@playadelcarmen.com; Telephone and Fax 987 30667 (dial 011 52 before the number from the US or Canada), A.P. #80, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico)

Cozumel

Aldora Divers/Fiesta Inn, November 1998, Mark Walden, Garland, TX. Vis: 60-65 ft. Water 80-82 degrees. Great operator. They have the biggest tanks and fastest boats (if you don't believe that just try to pass one and the race is on). Divemasters work hard to let everyone have a good time. Office personnel responded quickly to questions and setting up dives. Fiesta Inn is a middle of the road hotel; dock is convenient for dive boats. Close to town for dinner, but would not eat breakfast there after seeing the gruel on their breakfast bar. Current light. (Ph: 713-334-3003, e-mail: 102142.3237@compuserve.com)

Aldora Divers/La Ceiba, November 1998, Guy Johnson, Coal Valley, IL. Vis: 100-150 ft. Water: 85-88 degrees. Windy, rainy La Ceiba was a bit run down, A/c either made such terrible noise you could not sleep in the same room with it or it did not work at all. TV in both rooms did not work no matter how often staff "fixed" it. Female staff very nice whereas the male staff mostly blew us off. Food good, not great. Only four days was the breakfast buffet Breakfast buffet great, but not available every day; good quality, quantity and variety. Aldora used small fast boats that held 6 divers max plus divemaster. Informal but good. Gave us steel 120s and computers so dives of over one hour and 25 minutes were the norm. Dived as we pleased as long as we stayed at or above the divemaster. Most dives are drifts so little energy is needed. No big fish, but lots of lobsters and large crabs. Let you take your time to take photos. to sleep. Coral so-so. Reefs at Coz a bit bare. Several night dives off La Ceiba to the airplane wreck. One night great, the next night devoid of life.

Aldora Divers, December 1998, Mickey Fivenson, Traverse City, MI. They failed to meet me at the airport and created a complicated hotel lobby meeting to turn over my regulator for DIN conversion; bad weather canceled 3 days of Aldora diving. I requested my regs back so I could do some shore diving. Aldora lent me a tank and weights. But they reassembled my regs wrong resulting in an air leak. Nice people at Del Mar Aquatics reassembled my reg at no charge. Two days of Aldora were OK but not exceptional. Guide took us to a shallow dive where I saw not my first but my first eight toad fish. Guide also showed me a new dive technique using a small magnifying glass to observe the teeny blennies, and nudibranchs and other mini wonders that I had missed for my first 27 years of diving. I have added a magnifying glass to my dive tux. The same guide took us to Maracaibo Reef and dropped us at a boring spot where we saw nothing of interest and raced across a couple of hundred yards of boring flats in search of?

Aldora Divers/Reef Club, February 1999, David and Nancy Smith (DavidAlexanderSmith@compuserve.com), Cambridge, MA. Reef Club 12 km south of town ($7 cab ride), isolated and quiet. Resort attractive (excellent beach, two pools), staff friendly and attentive. Rooms spacious, airy, good bathrooms. All-you-can-eat food mediocre (breakfast very good, lunch okay to good, dinner usually bland). Aldora promised no more than 6 divers/boat, but three of six days we had 7 (crowded). Fills 3400 psi. Computers mandatory (free) and useful. Backroll entry, awkward when boat crowded. Despite advertisements, no effort to pair us with similarly skilled experienced divers, so we often dove with klutzes who kicked up sand in swimthroughs, occupied the divemaster's time, and made the group stay together in follow-the-leader sequence. Dive profiles sketchy but unimportant when diving FTL. Typical dive 65 minutes, including 3-7 minute safety stops. First dive 80-120 feet, then 75-90 minute surface interval at Playa del Sol (sun, snacks, sports), then second dive 50-70 feet. Water 80 degrees (3mm wet suit works), currents light to strong. Visibility 60-80 feet. Big coral heads in good condition, many fine sites along Palancar Reef. Devils Throat fun deep swimthrough but long safety stops afterwards. Usual aquarium fish, lots of big crabs, lobster, moray eels. Occasional spotted eagle ray, two nurse sharks, one hawksbill turtle.

Aldora Divers, March 1999, Andrew Eggleston, Newark, NY. Vis: 80-120 ft. Water: 76-79 degrees. Efficient and professional dive operation. Put me with experienced divers and after checking our proficiency the first day they let us dive as we wanted. 120' steel tanks give over an hour of bottom time even on deeper dives. Boat always on time at hotel dock for morning pickup. Gear all setup and ready to go; they change talks between dives.

Aldora Divers/El Presidente, March 1999, Samuel Refalin, M.D., New York, NY. Vis: 70-150 ft. Water: 78-80 degrees. Best operation I've been with. Knowledgeable divemasters; once they know your level, they tailor diving and groups to skill levels. Super swim throughs. Excellent deep dives. Best night dives vibrant colors, many octopi, some shallow dives spent searching for sea horses. Found four.

Aldora Divers, March 1999, Cheryl McCauley (cherylmc@navellier.com), Incline Village, NV. Viz: 75-100 ft. Water 78-80 degrees. Didn't seem to be as many fish as 3 years ago. I love the swim throughs. Aldora Divers a good company. Only had 6 people, able to dive spots we requested. I was surprised they didn't offer any water or fruit, especially for the price.

Aldora Divers/The Barracuda, March 1999, Jerry Smith. Got blown out one day due to high winds. Harbor was closed, and no boats could run. Went to the other side of the island to find calm water. Vis 70-100+ feet. Diving with Aldora a pleasure. After 4 trips Cozumel, Aldora is my pick of the operators I have used which include Papa Hog's (very good) and Dive Paradise (cattle boats). Steel 120s, Nitrox, computer diving, fast boats, 60 minute bottom times, surface intervals on the beach, more challenging sites, and good customer service make Aldora worth the extra money. Night dives good. I did not like the way Aldora handled gear, throwing dive bags around and piling bags on top of one another, so I took care of my own. One diver missed a dive at Maracaibo because they did not put his fins on the boat. Barracuda is a diver's hotel, not fancy but adequate, clean, and priced right. Good shore dives off the dock, easy pick up and delivery for the boats. Short walk to town. Fiesta Americana Cozumel Reef and The Fiesta Inn are nice hotels, but the Barracuda is the best value and most convenient to town. Allegro Air charged extra on our departure trip ($1 per pound) for baggage weighing over 40 pounds. Wall dives and swim thrus beautiful, but I prefer more marine life, especially more big animals. I have been spoiled from diving in the Gulf Stream near West Palm where I see schools of fish, sharks, stingrays, big turtles, etc.

Aldora Divers/Fiesta Inn, April 1999, Daniel Spitzer (DESMDPC@mail.creativeonline.com), Piermont, NY. Vis: 80-120 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Restrictions: computer limits. Fiesta Inn is relatively inexpensive, a good value, great pool. Aldora is great small fast boats and early pickup to get on the reef before the crowds. Steel 100 or 120 cu foot tanks allow long dives, outgassing on a nearby beach, rather than a rocking boat, leisurely, while many other operators rush to a second dive. Second dive 12-12:30 again nice and long. Add an afternoon and evening dive and you spend 3-4 hours underwater. 19 long dives in just over 5 days, excellent service and divemasters who have real interest in pointing out less routine flora and fauna. Arturo deserves delights in uncovering the fascinating inhabitants of the sand beds all too many divers cruise over at high speed. Camera buckets are lacking. There is a safe area near the bow, in the cuddy cabin, where cameras can safely be stowed. Try diving with a steel 80 and no lead for a sense of what diving could be like if the industry ever entered the modern era with high-pressure low-volume lightweight ceramic tanks! Cozumel can be as crowded as Times Square at rush hour. The upside is that it's crowded for a reason - good diving on a readily accessible island, and great values. You can't do better than Aldora.

Aldora Divers/Fiesta Inn, May 1999, Harry L. Cure, Jr., Fort Worth, TX. Vis: 80-100 ft. Water: 82 degrees. Aldora continually gives great service and good flexibility. Divemasters find small creatures we would have missed. Fiesta Inn has pegs on balcony to dry gear, diver friendly, a good place for money.

Aldora Divers/Fiesta Inn, April 1999, Lorraine Hartley (tim-rainy@mail.msn.com), Roosevelt, NJ. Vis: 100 ft. Water: 80 degrees. Three days into a six-day vacation, Dave (the owner of Aldora) stopped by the beach at our lunch break to see if we were satisfied. My husband found it frustrating that our very nice divemaster spoke fluent Italian and Spanish but only broken English, so reassigned us to Daniel (a Mexican marine biologist who spoke excellent English). Best divemaster we've ever had! He not only took us through neat swim-throughs, he identified all sorts of critters, including tiny blennies and gobies. Used an underwater "Etch-a-sketch" slate to keep us informed. Though I'm only 5'2", the large tanks Aldora supplied were comfortable because of the way their "neck" bent away from my head. First experience drift diving; glad to have steel tanks that made the safety stops easier than if we had used aluminum tanks. Aldora had us hand up our fins, weight belts and BCs so reboarding in choppy water was easy. Surface jellyfish and Aldora was careful to avoid the areas with higher concentrations. Lent me a 3 mil wetsuit at no charge because I was freezing in my Polartec (though similarly dressed, my husband wasn't cold). The women were cold, except one who had a 7 mil wetsuit. They lent me a fleece windbreaker for the boat ride one day. Unlimited bottled water, bring your own mask defogger. Two-four other divers on our fast boat. We asked them to slow down one day because with the chop, we were getting thrown around a lot (as were the tanks, whose brackets didn't hold them securely enough). Glad we paid the extra money to dive with Aldora. Stayed close enough to San Miguel to walk to town for dinner; we really liked San Miguel. Two days took a cab to Chankanaab Park (total of about $30 a day for entrance fees and cab). Took the ferry to Playa del Carmen to explore some ruins on the mainland a few days before it was boarded by pirates!

Aldora Divers/Fiesta Inn, July 1999, Janis & Steve Gorelick, Farmington Hills, MI. Vis: 60-80 ft, Drift diving; must stay with divemaster. We took our kids, 19 and 24 to get certified and we got our Advanced. Aldora the best. Our divemaster, Daniel Martinex, is a marine biologist and showed us everything. He certified our kids; they felt safe, comfortable. Fiesta Inn Was bright and clean, but damp! Staff was wonderful, but the food was so-so. Great pool, great service, can't beat it for the $$$.

Aldora Divers/Plaza las Glorias, August 1999, Bill McGrath (zippy@bikerider.com), Scottsdale, AZ. Vis: 75-150 ft. Water: 83-85 degrees. weather: sunny, rainy. Water: calm, currents. Must stay with divemaster, must use a computer, 130 ft max depth. Fast boats. I would have liked a rinse tank, but not feasible on smaller, fast boats. Plaza Las Glorias more than adequate, but showing its age. They charge you $3/day for the room safe, whether you use it. I refused to pay that and they deducted it. Aldora great. Boats limited to 6-7 divers. Steel 120's for men and steel 100's for women. Got over an hour on each dive. One divemaster was a molester of the creatures, but another, Alexandra, was wonderful. Did a great job finding interesting things. My only gripe, Town and Country Tours, a division of Adventure Tours. After we paid for the trip they told us about restrictive weight allowances for baggage: 44 lbs/person. When we arrived for check-in, they gave us a waiver to sign, a condition for boarding, that limited their liability for losses. Charter from Phoenix to Cancun on Allegro Airlines, with a connection with AeroCaribe to Cozumel. First leg arrived on time, but the layover was too short and we missed the connection to Cozumel, partly due to the slow-moving Mexican immigration officials. Tour operator's local help gave us wrong directions about where to go to catch the next flight. They did manage to get us on the last flight of the day from Cancun to Cozumel. Mexican flight attendants on Allegro were as friendly as corpses. They never smiled and treated the passengers as though they were a big inconvenience. On the return, Allegro offloaded baggage from 20 passengers and sent it to Mexico City instead of Phoenix. Three days later I still don't know the whereabouts of my dive bag.

Aqua Safari/Plaza las Glorias, February 1999, Ron & Sherry Smith, Levittown, PA. Vis: 100-150 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Suite nice with ocean view balcony. At dive shop Angel friendly and helpful. Dive instructor Ricardo helpful. Hotel within walking distance to town. Great restaurants - El Capi Navigante, La Chosa, La Mission. (Ph: 011-52987-20101, Fax: 011-52987-20661)

Aqua Safari/Plaza las Glorias, February 1999, Ernie Karalis, Algonac, MI. Vis: 70-150 ft. Water: 80-83 degrees. Restrictions: 85' depth, 500 psi. on board. Fantastic trip. Aqua Safari first class. 4 boats, though it took 45 minutes to get to prime reefs. Hour surface interval spent laying on the top deck sunning. Miguel, great divemaster. Pointed out morays, lobsters, puffers. Safety conscious. Drift diving the best. One divemaster in front, one in rear. If you were low on air they sent you up with your buddy and continued dive. Boat there to pick you up.

Aqua Safari/Plaza las Glorias, March 1999, Carl Vik (CVik@ix.netcom.com), Palos Heights, IL. Vis: 75-100 ft. Water: 75-79 degrees. Sunny. Restrictions: Told to stay at or above divemasters. Big boats for all 10 dives including 2 night dives. Being new to Cozumel, Aqua Safari started us at Pariso Reef. We dove this site once during the day, our first night dive was repeated over the same 2 ridges. Our 2nd night dive was over the 3rd ridge. Dove Palancar (Gardens) Yoca, Chankanaab, Santa Rosa Reef. Only twice had full boat load of divers. Snorkelers on board. Boat ride got long by the end of the week, but it did give us a chance to work on our tans.

Aqua Safari/Aquatic Sports/Hotel Flamingo, April 1999, Beth Carey (bcarey@interport.net), NYC. Vis: 60-150 ft. Water: 80's. Sunny, no currents. Coz is overdeveloped. Being on the reefs any time of day is like rush hour. Great for an inexpensive place to get certified and start diving. Hotel Flamingo is great. American owned and run, ($60/night for a room with a/c and two double beds) and pretty and clean, on a quiet side-street in town. Nice staff. Did OW certification with Aqua Safari thorough and safety conscious. First dive with them was a "cattle boat." Being crowded and rushed is not optimal for a first dive, but divemaster was attentive. Manager, Desiree, at Flamingo recommended Aquatic Sports, owned and run by a friendly customer-pleasing family. $45 for a 2 tank boat dive and lunch onboard! They pick you up at your hotel. Have a small boat that they put 8 divers on. The first day it was 4 divers, the 2nd day two of us. They work hard, rig your gear and organize your stuff. After lunch we relaxed for an hour. Divemasters, Sergio Sr. and Jr. wanted us to see the best sites. Palancar Horseshoe and drop-off amazing. Sergio led us through amazing humongous coral swim-throughs. I love Aquatic Sports. http://www.scubacozumel.com Hotel Flamingo http://www.hotelflamingo.com/

Aqua Safari/Plaza Las Glorias, September 1999, The Morten's, Fremont, CA. Vis: 100-200 ft. Water: 85 degrees. Dive restrictions: Depth 80 ft. but it was casual. Took the fast boat. Chelengo, Antonio, Cheno were great. Dove wherever the boat wanted to go. Soft coral is healthy, much better than two years ago. Eels seem to have split since no one is feeding them anymore. Saw lots of large fish, tuna, bonita. Plaza Las Glorias could use new beds/furniture. We've been going for 10 years, same stuff. Staff is friendly and helpful. Avoid town when the cruise ships are in. Know what to pay taxis, they've gotten greedy with all the cruise ships.

AquaWorld/Crown Paradise, November 1998, Gloria Davis, St. James, MO. Vis: 80-100+ ft. Water: 84 degrees. Crown Princess (SolCaribe) had beautiful grounds and had food most of the day. Food in main restaurants was buffet and boring! Food downtown much better. AquaWorld not for experienced divers. They told us they had a fast boat that left at 7:30 A.M.; had the fast boat the first day then we were on a slow boat for 3 days before getting our fast boat back. They had a large group that needed the good boat. On days we had slow boat we had to stop at the closer reefs and saw the damage from the beginning divers. The reefs further south and deeper were in much better shape. (Ph: 888-266-9888, e-mail: aqwssc@cozumel.com.mx)

AquaWorld/Crown Paradise Club, July 1999, Hector Hernandez, Orlando, FL. Vis: 70-90 ft. Water: 75-85 degrees. Restrictions: 80' or 45 minutes. Hotel: Beds were uncomfortable and the air conditioning was not good enough to cool the room. Rest of hotel, amenities, service and attitude were good. All-inclusive. Food and drinks OK. Aquaworld excellent. They go to the places they show on their schedules and on time.

Black Shark Dive, January 1999, David Jackson, Chattanooga, TN. Vis: 80-100 ft. Water: 80 degrees, Restrictions: 80 ft, 800 psi. Shop helpful and knowledgeable. Divemaster showed swim throughs - pointed out fish. Reef in beautiful shape, fish everywhere. (Rangel Espana Ph: 011-52-987-2-03-96)

Blue Bubble Divers, February 1999, Tom Appleton, Sylvania, Ohio. Totally professional, yet fun to be with. They cared for our every need, were always on time, and considerate to a fault! (Ph: 405-878-8853, e-mail: blubub@aol.com)

Blue Bubble Divers, March 1999, Jim Brice, Tampa, Florida. Wonderful group. Staff (Hi, Leo!) was most accommodating, the divemasters attentive and the boats and skippers were just right. 4 to 8 divers.

Blue Bubble Divers/Hotel Bahia, March 1999, Sami Laine, Sunnyvale, CA. Vis: 75-100 ft. Water: 79-80 degrees. Sunny, water: calm, currents. Set a depth limit and max time depending on level of divers, generally liberal (160 ft limit at Maracaibo Deep). Arranged for a cooler of fresh water for camera rinse. Small, fast boats (max 8 divers), no frills and all essentials (O2, radio, full canopy, sodas/water). Experienced and fun DM's (Raul and Jorge), and one less experienced and more serious DM. Arranged boats to accommodate experienced divers. Multiple trips to Punta Sur and Maracaibo. Bottom times limited by air (700 psi) or time (40-60 min), time limit short on many dives. Sites up to the group; when we had experienced group we dived deeper, more remote sites (130'+). DMs did not understand photographers needs (rigged for 15mm wide angle, DM tries to get me shoot a 1 inch subject). Did accommodate shooting well otherwise: slowed non-photographers down, provided cooler for camera rinse. Gear storage/rinse/deliver option where they rinse everything. Hotel Bahia: clean, inexpensive, AC, at the waterfront at main dive boat pier.

Blue Bubble Divers, June 1999, Greg Andrews, Lee's Summit, MO. I called in advance to reserve a 2-tank afternoon dive. They spoke English well. Small fast boats in good condition. 8 people plus divemaster who pointed out good stuff; lobsters, crabs, nurse sharks, beautiful corals. Excellent!

Blue Bubble Divers/Presidente Resort, July 1999, Barry L. Cure, Jr. (cure@onramp.net), Fort Worth, TX. Sunny, windy. Vis: 70-90 ft. Water: 82-83. Water: choppy, currents. Restrictions: 100' loosely kept, time limits on dives, but no problem with reasonable additions. Good dive operator. Divemasters show marine life to divers and give good briefings. The service is good and boats, although not state of art, are fast and sufficient.

Blue Bubble Divers/Hotel Bahia, August 1999, Steven Kovacs (NGFL2@hotmail.com), Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. Vis: 40-80 ft. Water: 78-82 degrees. Rainy. water: calm, choppy, currents. Restrictions: depth and time. Good small fast boats with maximum of 6; except for Punta Sur the boat went wherever the group wanted; if you were a beginner the divemaster would watch you. Competent divers could do own thing Currents mild to strong generally with stronger currents on the shallower dives. Bad: Divemaster set depth limit for deeper dive at 80 feet though everyone had a computer. If you exceeded that he became annoyed and mildly show his displeasure by mentioning it. Time limit set for every dive (e.g. 45 min for 80 ft) no matter how much air in your tank or how much time allowed by the computer. Blue bubble is great for beginners and possibly intermediate divers but more advanced divers may find the restrictions annoying.

Caribbean Divers/Fiesta Inn, May 1999, Barbara, Miami, FL. Depth limits not obsessively enforced. Fourth trip to Cozumel: not spectacular. When we visited sites we had been to previously we did not seem to be on the best parts of the reef. After complaints, Caribbean provide 2 good dives. Cedral Pass a good dive with large grouper and fish and flying along Punta Tunich was exhilarating. Fiesta Inn: comfortable, mid-priced. Rooms small but clean, beds hard. Food and service average, problem with extra room keys and towels. Check bills for errors, Pool is huge and a perfect place to hang out after diving. (Ph: 011-52-987-21080, Fax: 011-52-987-21426)

Del Mar Aquatics/Casa del Mar, May 1999, Keven Withers, Ann Arbor, MI. Vis: 100-200 ft, Water: 83 degrees. Restrictions 8O ft. (Ph: 800-621-6830)

Del Mar Aquatics/Casa Del Mar, August 1999, Jim Virgil, Coeur d'Alene, ID. Vis: 100-200 ft., Water: 80's. Older hotel three miles from town. Cab 30 pesos one way: (exchange 9.3:1). Rooms clean, small balcony where you could dry your gear. Staff reasonably friendly. Food was only OK. The breakfast buffet style a good buy. Del Mar Aquatics has four boats. Largest could fit 30 divers, the second 20 divers, the third 12 divers, the little one six. Morning dives were a zoo. Reefs were very crowded as were boats. Afternoon dives great only 8-10 and once just my wife and me. Ride to the reefs about 30 minutes. Morning dives: 8.30 to between 12:00 and 1:OOPM; afternoon 2:30 to between 5:00 and 6:00. Limited each dive master to no more than six divers. Depth was limited to 80'. First dive was about 30 minutes with a deepest point at 80'. Second dive was 40-50, for 40 minutes. Divemasters polite and safe. Not adequate rinse tanks for cameras. Cold water provided between dives. Lockers at the shop to store items overnight, but provide your own locks. Reefs and animals healthy. Clarity outstanding.

Dive Palancar/Aldora Divers/Allegro Diamond, April 1999, Susan Whiteman, Bethesda, MD. Vis: 50-100 ft. Water: 80 degrees. Dive restrictions: depth limits OK, but had to stay with group. Had to stay with group so I felt ripped off on bottom time a number of times. Dove with Aldora and could maximize bottom time. They pick up at the Allegro and many other resorts. (Ph: 011-52-987-23433, Fax: 011-52-987-25094, e-mail: divepal@cozumel.finred.com.mx, Website: www.dsi.divetours.com)

Dive Palancar/Allegro Diamond, May 1999, Fred Botti (fbotti@napanet.net), Napa, CA. Vis: 70-90 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Sunny. Restrictions: 1st dive 30 minutes, 2nd dive 35-40 minutes, regardless of depth. Been to Cozumel twice. Resort very enjoyable. Rooms clean and nice, own balcony with hammock. Three restaurants, two large pools, lots of activities during the day, and entertainment each evening, but didn't begin until 9:30 p.m. Resort caters to families, offering many children's activities and babysitters. Dive Palancar another story. Short boat rides, but restrictive dive times were frustrating and unnecessary. First dive scheduled for 30 minutes despite depth, computer profile, or remaining air. Second dive 35-40 minutes, no more despite situation. Many divemasters did not seem to enjoy what they were doing; gave the impression they wanted the dive to be finished so they could do something else. One divemaster scolded us for not keeping up with the group. We explained we dive slowly, looking for small creatures. She moved the group in the moderate current at a pace that made it impossible to enjoy the underwater beauty. One deep dive at Punta Sur was a planned decompression dive, though we were not briefed on that before we entered the water! Of the eight divers on that dive, none had ever needed a 60 foot, 5 minute decompression stop before. Surprised that a decompression dive was planned without asking the participants beforehand, nor checking their experience. On another dive, we brought up trash that we found on the dive, only to have the divemaster toss it back into the ocean!

Dive Palancar/Allegro Diamond, June 1999, Richard Powers, Lansing, MI. Vis: 50-100 ft. Water: 84 degrees. Restrictions: Depth, time, follow the divemaster. Resort has improved over last visit. Food better (more Mexican dishes) and pads on the beach chairs. Staff friendly and helpful. Second story rooms are more private and nicer. Great place for kids. Nice beach. Added a juice bar. Dive Palancar a great dive operation. Four single tank dives/day plus twilight and night dives Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 10-15 minutes to most sites. Trips on request (minimum 7 divers) to Punta Sur. Divemasters good (especially Juan, Roberto and Gustavo). Ask what sites you have seen and where you would like to go. Lot of hawksbills. Fish life great, many lobsters, coral and sponges fantastic. Palancar caves was a great deep dive. A few nurse sharks, morays, and sting rays. One eagle ray.

Dive Palancar/Allegro Diamond, July 1999, Tim Exline (texline@pacbell.net), Penngrove, CA. Dived Cozumel often. Resort of choice is Allegro on the south side, close to the best diving, all inclusive and well managed. Signs of wear and tear but generally in good condition. No problems with rooms, they were attended each day. Meals had better variety, staff made stay enjoyable. Activities, nightly shows and events and facilities offer something for everyone. Sad part is the on-site dive operation, Dive Palancar, which is going downhill fast. Only one ProDive remains, the Plexiglas kicked out, the railings broken, the motor stalling on each trip. Other boats an assortment of open boats and cattleboats. Each has problems and are largely held together by "bubble gum and bailing wire." Climbing onto the open boat with the outboards running next to your body is certainly a thrill. Being stuck in a drift offers a chance to really study the shoreline. Staff has changed but the chief players are still there. They will not let you use computers, each dive was to the same location each day; Santa Rosa Wall and Cedral Pass. The same nurse shark sleeps under the same coral, the same giant groupers come to the divemaster for food. The divemaster pulls out the giant eel. They mix beginners to advance and huddle everyone together for a routine dive. The divemasters vary from good practice, pulling regulators out of mouth, disappearing to the surface and back, and bad advice. One pair of new divers ask if they could go on a deep then a shallow, then another deep, then another shallow and a night dive to top it off. I couldn't believe the divemaster telling these folks it wasn't a bad practice. Watched a diver go for his first dive. A deep dive on Santa Rosa Wall. Watched him hit bottom, smash off chunks of coral and bump into other divers; he did not stop for the mandatory safety stop, and once he broke surface, removed his fins! He starts to drift, his mask on his forehead, he is bobbing up and down and this guy is going under. The crew thought it was funny and did nothing. When we threw on our fins and started yelling to the guy to inflate his BC, the crew backed up to him and threw a line. The other surprise: the involuntary "voluntary" contribution. There is a charge associated with the park. Most dive ops build that into the price. Not Dive Palancar. They try to collect it per dive. Made clear that tipping is standard practice. Don't tip and you end up on the bad boats. They overbook a boat and then bump divers. Doesn't matter if you have prepaid dives or not. If someone offers more cash, they go. If the instructors need to take out students, they go. A variety of independent operators showing up at the dock. There are two dive shops nearby with better boats, the park fee included in the dive and $10-$15 cheaper. A good travel agent can set you up with a more reliable dive operation. Allegro makes it very clear that it has no connection to Dive Palancar. They don't care who you use. In Cozumel hustlers hit on you the minute your off the property. Allegro keeps these people out of your face and off the property. People are getting ripped off in town (and not by vendors! We're talking robbery by weapon).

Dive Palancar/Diamond Allegro Resort, July 1999, Jim N. Parkhill (Scuba7056@aol.com), McAllen, TX. Vis: 100-125 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Sunny, dry. Water: calm, currents. Max depth limit of 85 feet strictly enforced, stay with group. As a regular visitor to Cozumel, my preference is Dive Palancar which operates out of the Diamond Allegro. Advantage is the proximity to sites....most are 10 minute ride. Since the dive boat returns to the dock between dives, there is more flexibility for scheduling dives and SIT can be spent around the pool, on the beach, sailing. One of the best fleet of boats on the island. Divemasters Gustavo, Oyster, Anna and Allison have been with the operation for years and are as good as any I've found in Cozumel. Allison handled a referral certification for my 12-year-old son and was wonderful. The only complaint is 0-45 minute bottom times. (Wish I could take all that left over air home in a doggy bag). Expensive taxi ride into town. Food is excellent, beach better than most and the Club Med atmosphere, though sometimes hokey, keeps things lively.

Dive Palancar/Allegro Diamond Resort, July 1999. James Fritch, Citrus Heights, CA. Water in low 80s, You could not dive your profile. Eighty foot depth restriction enforced. Saw one shark, one turtle. I went to Allegro Diamond Resort because we had a positive experience five years earlier. Things have changed. They have developed the grounds, landscaping and shared facilities and are first-rate. But our room was in desperate need of maintenance. It became obvious when the porter delivering our luggage opened the rusty door to our room. Odor of mildew in the room and a puddle of water on the clay tile floor from the air conditioner condensate. Color TV had a fuzzy picture with a reddish tint. Bathroom fixtures were heavily corroded and the silver backing on the bathroom mirror had been etched away. Resort features attractive palapa-style thatched roofs, but ours leaked in three places during heavy rains, forcing us to move the beds in the middle of the night. Food at this all-inclusive resort was substandard, featuring lots of hamburgers, French-fries and hot dogs, but rarely he authentic Mexican and Mayan cuisine we've come to enjoy from prior visits. Dive Palancar sports an assortment of dive and specialty boats, many new and in great condition. But they impose an 80-foot depth limit and time limit on dives. I surfaced with 1300-1500 psi nearly every dive. My son's dive instructor, Roberto, was professional, making his open water certification pleasurable. He was able to quickly join me in boat diving the week. Rental equipment in good condition; 50 cubic foot tanks for smaller divers. Not the best operation for high-impact dives like "devils throat," but an ideal introduction to diving for my twelve-year-old. Cab fare has risen faster than my paycheck; $30 downtown and back to the Allegro. Chankanaab, a nearby beach and water park, now costs $7/ person. (A far cry from the $3 per carload a few years ago.) They overcharged me at the airport for a transfer to my hotel. I questioned the clerk about the difference between the posted price and what I was being charged and after pressing a few keys on her calculator, she insisted that I pay $5 more than the posted price. Airport now imposes a "tarife" of $17/person in cash. Talk about leaving a bad taste in your mouth!

Dive Palancar/Allegro Resort, August 1999, Richard Powes, Haslett, MI. Vis: 75-100 ft. Water: 86 degrees. Restrictions: Depth, time. Great dive operation. Divemasters very good, not intrusive. Ask where you want to go. Will arrange special dives. Punta Sur, Maracaibo Deep, Twilight/night dives. Juan a great divemaster, found a lot of stuff. Great night dive at Columbia Shallows: 2 turtles, many octopi, stingray, yellow ray, many lobster, crabs, fish. Resort close to good sites. Four one tank dives each day. Resort nice. Rooms small, comfortable, clean. Service good, help friendly. Difficulty with food service: could not decide if it was buffet or a la carte. Did not keep people informed. Good for families. Too many inexperienced and poorly trained divers. They should be limited to shallow dives. Two injured divers from other operations brought to resort to meet ambulance.

Dive Paradise/Barracuda Hotel, September 1998, Julie Martin, M.D., Eagar, AZ. Vis: 40-60 ft. Water 80-82 degrees. Good operation. They started everyone on a "lets size 'em up" state. Day two we "graduated" to serious diving. Skipper asked for request of sites and accommodated us if the water and currents were good. Beginners should stay on the first boat as dive leaders move fast and expect divers to keep up and take care of their own problems as you go up the scale of boats. Dive Paradise great for experienced divers. Possibly better choices for beginners. Reefs are healthy, with lots of variety. AM is a 2-dive format. PM (around 3) you can go again. Scheduled night dives off the pier at the Barracuda. (dive shop on premises and dive boats pick you up at the hotel dock.) Town square a few blocks from the hotel; luxury hotels are way out of town. Lots to do in town at night! Rent motor scooter and visit Mayan Ruins around the island, but remember your DEET! (Ph: 011-52-987-21007, Fax: 011-52-987-25161, e-mail: appledp@cozumel.czm.com.mx, Website: www.dparadise.com)

Dive Paradise/Barracuda Hotel, February 1999, Watt Hinson, Bay City, TX. Sunny. Water: Calm. On standard trips - 80 feet for 40 min. On the experienced diver trips greater freedom to dive computer profiles. Fifth trip with Dive Paradise. I like their Experienced Diver Program (EDP) limited to six divers/boat and all must be familiar with computer diving. If the divemaster is comfortable, they do not hesitate to allow greater freedom, i.e. 170' on Maracaibo. First two days were I chose the standard two tank morning dive package. In the past this has not been a problem, because they separated the divers by experience. However, this time they included brand-new divers. When the more experienced divers asked to dive together, the divemaster still followed a conservative profile (75' for 30 min). On the first day they assigned me (but not informed) to a boat that did not have a permit for the marine park. We did dive Columbia Deep, but was forced to dive Villa Blanca (normally an afternoon shallow dive) for our second dive. The dive shop indicated they were unaware the boat was without a permit, but they ought to check before using the boat. Dive Paradise excellent for new diver. I will only book their EDP dives. Hotel Barracuda is a typical diver's hotel, but is clean, comfortable and an easy walk to town.

Dive Paradise/Fiesta Inn, March 1999, Michael Homiak, Minneapolis, MN. Vis: 75-150 ft. Water: 74-78 degrees. Restrictions: Nothing below 100 feet (deepest we dove was 95 feet). Fiesta Inn great for the money. Inexpensive, clean, and accommodates divers. Restaurant is average. Dive Paradise safety oriented and ensures your satisfaction. Weather caused some cancellations and delays in diving, and they could use improvement in their communication. Divemasters knowledgeable, and let you do your own thing. They occasionally point out interesting critters, but don't go out of their way to do so. Palancar Reef incredible with enormous coral formations (the size of school buses) and great fish life. Only saw one manta, but small marine life made up for it. Night dive: saw squid, octopus, morays, and lobsters as long as your arm.

Dive Paradise/Plaza las Glorias, April 1999, Adrianne Keffeler, Issaquah, WA. Vis: 50-100 ft. Water: 80-85 degrees. Restrictions: 80 ft! Seahorses, red and a yellow, on "Las Palmas." Diving great, but I would dive with another op. Not given opportunity to choose small vs. large boat (experienced vs. novice). Though we have over 100 dives, we were forced to dive on the large boat at easier sites, and couldn't buy an upgrade (too full). Restrictive on bottom time. Thirty minutes maximum. I frequently ascended with 1700 lbs of air! Plaza Las Glorias was nice, but the food could be improved.

Dive Paradise/Barracuda Hotel, April 1999, James Hansen, Great Falls, VA. Water: 80-82 degrees, Fifth Cozumel dive trip, the magic has not worn off! 19 cruise ships per week (most on Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Hotel Barracuda is Spartan, affordable. Dive Paradise is good, safe, professional operation. Santa Rosa Wall; great swim-throughs. Columbia for tunnels. God protect Cozumel for the next 10 years! (Few others are).

Dive Paradise/Fiesta Inn, May 1999, Mark A. Gatte, Bristol, PA. Vis: 80-100 ft. Water: 75-78 degrees, Restrictions: Depth limits. Dive Paradise is outstanding. Don't be afraid to suggest the better dive site, they will accommodate.

Dive Paradise/Barracuda Hotel, July 1999, Mike Palshis, Vancouver, WA. Vis: 100-150 ft. Water: 80 degrees. Hospitable at hotel and at local restaurants in town. Stay away from places frequented by cruise ship tourists. Diving won't last much longer because of the number of cruise ships.

Dive Paradise/Fiesta Inn, July 1999, Mike Szathmary (SzathmaryM@aol.com), Greer, SC. Vis: 100-150 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Sunny, dry. Currents. Depth limited to 80 feet. Cozumel has sold out to the cruise industry. More crowds, more expensive food, more touristy. I hope it doesn't become the Myrtle Beach of Mexico. Underwater scenery great, a divers' paradise. Fiesta Inn: nothing fancy but all the amenities above average quality. Dive Paradise: 6 in our group had a fast boat entire week with the same divemaster: Martin Matu. The best I ever dived with. Matu watched the novices like a hawk and gave the more advanced divers the freedom their skills warranted.

Dive with Martin/Sea Princess (Cruise Lines), December 1998, Kim Stahler & Chad Deshazo, Reading, PA. Prearranged via e-mail to meet Martin Aguilar's boat at the International Pier between 9:30 and 10:00. Selected him because of great reviews and because he agreed to our 3 tank itinerary of Punta Sur, Palancar Caves, and Paradise. The plan was confirmed before we left by e-mail again. We arrived at the dock with our gear at 9:29 to be told that the boat had left 5-minutes prior! We were shocked. The man told us nothing could be done when we asked if they could radio the boat to return. Martin claimed that the 6 dives already on the boat complained at having to wait for us and insisted upon leaving. But the man at the dock told us the boat had left with only two divers. Martin stated that "often Internet reservations don't show" and that there are often problems with the Internet bookings. Our Cozumel diving was ruined. (Mr. Martin Aguilar, Splash Tours, 1209 Northwest Hwy #288, Garland, Texas 75041; Toll Free 800-518-0932 (800-4WE-DIVE), Fax 972-288-2122, located at P.O. Box 134, Cozumel, Cozumel, Mexico 77600; Ph: +52 522-2610 or 281-859-0700, Fax: +52 522-2610 or 281-859-7720)

Dive with Martin/Jordan Apartments, January 1999, Thomas Daly (oilertom@aol.com), Hudson, NH. Vis: 60-100+ ft. Water: 82-84 degrees. Windy, rainy. Water: calm, currents. Computer divers dive own profile, back on boat with 500 psi, plan 40 minutes. No rinse tanks for camera equipment on boats. Crew will hand equipment to you, and take it after you surface. Martin includes a video of your group diving in some packages, make sure he does the filming as his dive masters are still in training. Martin gladly takes reservations and is ready for you when you arrive. C-card check and waiver signing. Martin is a stickler with his staff and expects high performance. They ask where you want to dive and how deep, they try to group according to ability and interest. Do not count on Nitrox. You reserve tanks the day before, but half the time you couldn't get Nitrox, the other half you only got one tank. Surface intervals are spent on beaches where you can get food and refreshments, bring money if you want a rental beach chair. Staff is knowledgeable and do their best to find photographers the subjects they want. Photographed the Cozumel frogfish and octopi. Martin guaranteed that our group would dive with him personally, however this did not happen though he went out every morning. A surcharge is added to your bill if you use a credit card. Jordan apartments are 5 blocks inland and share a common courtyard and swimming pool with two other apartments. Accommodations are immaculate and worth the money. Owned and booked by Cozumel Dive Getaways in Houston.

Dive With Martin, March 1999, Ron & Nancy Fraga (fraga@us.ibm.com), Byron, MN. Martin and Scott were fabulous hosts. A busy time and they did a great job matching divers with similar skills and experience to appropriate dives planned for each of the three boats. (Usually not where the cattle boats go). Went to Punta Sur (my favorite), Maracaibo, San Francisco Wall, Punta Tuniche and Cedral. Saw an enormous nurse shark, many rays, barracuda, groupers, "your namesake" the Queen Trigger, octopus, crabs, lobsters and rays on two night dives one on the airplane near La Ceiba hotel, next door to Martin's dive shop. Saw the delight in the eyes of a few children who were recipients of the "Share with Martin" program where divers bring clothing to share with people who aren't as fortunate as most of us. They don't advertise...they don't need to....they get a lot of repeat and referral business. Sergio does a great job running the shop, ensuring safety/security of everyone's equipment. Jesus (a/k/a Chu Cho) and Dario are outstanding attentive divemasters. If you are diving with a computer, you have reasonable freedom; Cozumel Park people (independent of the dive shops), strictly enforce a 130' depth limit. Violators, who receive heavy fines, are usually caught because they have to visit the chamber. You don't hear constant tank banging, occasional bang to get everyone's attention for a neat view of something. When you purchase a 3 day dive pkg, you get a free night dive and a videotape of 1 or 2 dives to take home! Fun safe dives, respect for divers of all levels and experience and reasonable prices! They also warmly greet return customers - as if you are part of the family! PS: "I can't understand why people are frightened by new ideas, I'm frightened of old ones." John Cage.

Dive with Martin/El Presidente, September 1999, G. Stock, Lighthouse Pt., FL. Vis: 100+ ft. Water: 80+ degrees. Several times to Cozumel. Went with 9 friends. Arranged schedule with Martin before arrival. Hit all the high spots. Barracuda, Maracaibo, Devil's Throat. Let us do our thing. Had our own boat every day picked our spots, dove our own profile. NP very accommodating. Walls awesome! Currents a breeze.

Dive With Martin/Casa del Mar, September 1999, Richard Long, Basalt, CO. Vis: 100-140 ft. Water: 82-86 degrees. Casa Del Mar was good overall, hard beds, good security, good restaurant, close to cruise ship pier and Dive with Martin: small groups, fast boats, knowledgeable divemasters and captains, Our group chose the site with advice from the divemasters, several dives with 60 minute bottom times, free rental gear and computers, shore tanks, gear rinse and storage. Free night dive, free underwater video with multi day packages Divemasters with long hoses so air eaters don't affect the group bottom times. They picked up from any hotel pier. Attentive, caring service oriented operation.

Emerald Dolphin Divers/La Ceiba Hotel, May 1999, Tom Rain, Irving, TX. Vis: 75-100 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Restrictions: follow divemaster and his profile, i.e. 80' for 35 minutes. One of my many trips to Cozumel, my first with Emerald Dolphin Divers, run by Tony Costello. Best operation I've used. Nice size boat, safety equipment and plenty of shade. Tony led divers and treated us as "adults" with our safety in mind. (Myriam O'Neill, Owner, 24 Bolduc Rd., Montpelier, Vermont 05602; Emerald Divers, Cozumel,, Mexico; Toll Free 800-828-9057 (USA only); Tel/Fax +52 802-223-7299;Website http://www.emeralddivers.com)

Flash's Adventure, May 1999, Francis Manzella (FranMan@fmdesign.com) Yorktown Heights, NY. Vis: 100+. Water: 85 degrees (even at 100ft). Depth limited by group but you could stay down with D/M until 800 psi. Booked with Flash through the Internet. He was recommended by "At Home in Cozumel" and had good write ups in the Chapbook. Rental house nice, on the water, small pool. Opted for meal plan and food was excellent. Rosie outdid herself on every meal. Even the kids liked the food. House a little run-down, but Javier (house boy) was attentive and service was good. Flash picked me up at the house dock. Twenty minute ride to South Side reefs and walls. Took an advanced class with Christina Romano (freelance D/M) and she was great. School of Squid in 30ft of water at Yucab, huge crab, baby Hawksbill also! Great teacher. Been diving 22 years, and been wearing my mask too tight the whole time; she cured 90% of my mask leakage, even around my mustache, by getting me to loosen it! Flash and his captain helpful and fun. Santa Rosa awesome, more dramatic than North side of Cayman. Allowed to dive my computer as long as I didn't' exceed 80 to 100 ft. Tormentos fantastic shallow dive. Flash found Splendid Toadfish. Palancar Caves great swim throughs, lobster, turtles, nurse sharks. Dove with Victor Brito (another freelance DM) and he was great. Staying at the house and being picked up and dropped off by Flash couldn't be beat! Two of six got sick for a couple of days, and we were being careful. Ice cubes? Food at home was always good and prepared with purified water. I enjoy the reports in Undercurrentand I use the chapbook faithfully, so I thought it was time I contributed. (e-mail: flashadv@xaac.com, Website: www.xaac.com/flashadv)

Pep Scuba/Coral Princess Hotel, January 1999, Henry Pattridge, Rochester, MN. Water: 78-80 degrees. Sunny. Restrictions on deep dives, time was enforced, but not strictly and on second dives we were allowed our judgment. Pep's was great; cared about keeping everyone safe and still allowed people to have a good dive. Divemaster, Domingio, was great; kept an eye on divers but did not restrict much. Hotel nice, clean, service good and polite; $2 cab to town or pleasant walk. Food at hotel good but high priced; better deals in town. If you want goodies go either to Zerrmat or the Supermarket. Great time. (Nohemi Lomas Claudio, Zona Hotelera Norte, Km 2.5, Cozumel, Cozumel, Mexico; Telephone 800-253-3702 or +52 987-2-3200; Fax +52 987-2-2800)

Pep Scuba/Coral Princess Hotel, May 1999, Joseph & Sandra Walzer, Prescott, AZ. Vis: 50-100 ft. Water: 80-85 degrees. Had been diving with the Galapago (now the Scuba Club) four times previously. Pep's did not compare in service or variety of dive spots. Accommodations nice, some staff to be unresponsive and rude.

Pep Scuba/Coral Princess Hotel, July 1999, Gerry McAtavey, Roanoke, VA. Vis: 100-150 ft. Water: 80-84 degrees. Restrictions: 100 ft. Hotel clean, comfortable, friendly staff, good food, reasonably priced. Swim up bar, large beach area. Pep Scuba very good. Fast boats, excellent divemasters. Never more than six divers. Choice of 8:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. 2 tank dives. Afternoon dives are good, fewer boats at sites. Good operation, our 5th trip to Cozumel and one of the best.

Roberta's Eco-zumel/Hotel Bahia, December 1998, Dane Juneau, San Antonio, TX. Vis: 75-150 ft. Water: 82-84 degrees. Underwater photography is difficult particularly for macro because of the current not because of the subject matter. Roberta's is the only operator I will dive with in Cozumel. We are allowed to dive our own profiles as long as we adhere to recreational limits.

Sand Dollar/Paradesus Cozumel, June 1999, Reed Nescher (nescher@discover.net), Beaumont, CA. Vis: 150-200 ft. Water: 82-83 degrees. Sunny. Water: calm. Restrictions: drift diving in a group with divemaster. Stayed in eye sight of each other. Some of the best diving I have done in thirty years. Eagle Ray, Shark, Lobster, Turtle, mucho fish, pod of Dolphin! 100' ft limit and bottom time set by divemaster. No touching the reef, no knives, no gloves! Fee to dive the park, no rinse tanks, just a bucket until you get back. Hotel food, service, accommodations, and staff were the best. Sand Dollar Sports: Andreas the best deck hand I have ever had. Service is the word. Divemasters very good. Well-run operation, good value. Dives not for independent divers; go with the flow, you will have a great time. Excellent dive repair facility in town. Pack your Leatherman tools and Swiss Army knife in your checked luggage. Security at Cancun Airport had a fit with these in my carry on. Don't over pack so you have room to bring back souvenirs. Nightlife both below and above is great. (Phone/Fax from the USA 1-888-SDS-MEXX or 1-888-737-6399; Phone in Cozumel only (2-14-64 or 2-07-93); e-mail: sds@sanddollarsports.com or usa@sanddollarsports.com; website http://www.sanddollarsports.com/Welcome.html)

Sand Dollar/Reef Club Cozumel, Summer 1999, Keith Hilton, Decatur, TX. Vis: 100-150 ft. Water 83-85 degrees. Resort was more interested in trying to sell time shares than taking care of the people. Food poor and the drinks bad. Diving with Sand Dollar was good. Divemasters were concerned about divers and made sure you got the most out of your dive. Made you watch your bottom time; according to dive tables we're on the outer limits of decompression. Took 12 divers on larger boats, but dove in groups of 6. Small boats took 7 divers. Divemasters let the more experienced divers basically do their own investigation.

Scuba Club Cozumel, October 1998, Bill Knoblauch, Rancho Cordova, CA. Vis: 100-150 ft. Water: 82-84 degrees. Sunny. Restrictions: requested that we not go below 110', we always do safety stops. Rinse tanks on board for cameras and request that no masks be rinsed in those tanks, but of course there were always a few people who can't take directions. Eighth trip to the former "Galapago Inn," but my first time as a co-leader of a group (18 divers). Pleased with our treatment. Diving exciting. On two dives, at Paradise Reef, we experienced down currents at the edge of the reef; we were all advanced divers and escaped the situation. At Paradise Reef we were doing a nice drift dive, when the current stopped then started going southerly, so strong it was like water-skiing underwater! Scuba Cozumel did a thorough orientation in their classroom. Split into two groups, newer divers, and "old-timer" divers. After the check-out, the divemasters let the old-timers do our thing, but was always nearby, looking for critters for the photographers. Divemaster with the new people was great, giving them special attention. The new International Pier, south of the original cruise pier, is completed; another is being built north of the Naval Station. Gawd, how I hate seeing all those cruise ships! This is still one of the best dive bargains in the world! (Ph: 800-847-5708 or 011-52-987-21800, Website: www.scubaclubcozumel.com)

Scuba Club Cozumel, January 1999, Carolyn & David Sanders, Northville, MI. Vis: 100-250. Weather: sunny. Group of experienced, long time divers, so we were allowed to dive our computers. Divemaster, Francisco, was accommodating; went through the rules then as long as we told him our intentions, he went along. Great drift dives along the major walls and wonderful drifts on the tops of reefs for second dives. Snorkeled during surface interval. Photography hard due to the swift current; be quick to snap when you see an opportunity. Scuba Club Cozumel is a divers paradise. They make diving a true pleasure. Staff of the dive shop are accommodating. Francisco told us what to look for, what the currents did. Boat crew of the Observer was wonderful. Captain knew his dive sites and put us right on top of the reefs. Buddha was personable and helpful with gear and anything else. They make you feel like family.

Scuba Club Cozumel, March 1999, Bob & Betty Barada (bbarada@pacbell.net), Walnut Creek, CA. Vis: 100-150 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Sunny, dry. Water: calm, currents. Dive Restrictions: depth, stay with divemaster. Excellent service. Terrific boats. Excellent divemasters. Good variety of sites.

Scuba Club Cozumel, April 1999, Doug Boren, Kenova, WV. Vis: 30-60 ft. Water: 78-80 degrees. Resort is the best suited for divers I've seen. Great accommodations, dive service, food, and friendly staff. Best overall value for the dollar I've found.

Scuba Club Cozumel, April 1999, Rick Falkensten, Joplin, MO. Vis: 100-110 ft. Water: 80-84 degrees. Restrictions: 80/500#. Champion Air and Travel and voucher system was adequate, but if you go through Cancun don't let the bell boys transfer you to their new terminal, you just have to go back to the private carrier terminal. Air Caribe travel transit was good. Resort accommodations good and personnel helpful and cheerful. Dive boat operators efficient and non-pushy. Profiles limited for depth but adequate for what the reefs had. The water was unhurried allowing each person in our group of six to enjoy each dive. Our boat driver was superb. He was there for p/u on the spot each time. Our mate lacked any knowledge to be helpful, so, we cared for our own bottle changes etc. but we each carry advanced diving cards and didn't need him anyway. Reef system beautiful. Our divemaster preferred three areas for the wall dives, but there was always something of interest. Coral and sponges outstanding. When I moved up to the fifty feet there was a plethora of coral in the light. Fantastic ID advantages, especially that the group stayed down following the master, no overcrowding where I was. Food and service provided was profound. Check out and tip system is convenient and expeditious providing for a simple exit. Allowed full use of time up to departure without waiting around in that dead-end of the trip void. Very efficient.

Scuba Du/Presidente Intercontinental, September 1998, Mike Vallario, Albany, NY. Vis: 75-100 ft. Water: 80-85 degrees. I wish I could dive Cozumel and go where I want to go, not on a pre-planned tour following a dive master. (Ph: 011-52-987-21379)

Scuba Shack/La Ceiba, September 1999, Allen Garrison, Liberty, TX. Vis: 70-150 ft. Water: 84-86 degrees. Restrictions 45-50. Good divers' hotel. I stay in old section because it is more convenient to the dock. Rooms in new section are nicer. Scuba Shack very good. Boats are slow but our group goes wherever we want. We set own restrictions. Divemaster Jorge good. Night boat dive at Paradise Reef: 30+ eels, lobsters, octopi, 12 or more crabs, 10-15 toadfish swimming. Nurse shark at Paso Del Cedral. Nurse shark at Columbia Shallows, turtles at Columbia Deep, also lots of Queen Angels. (Ph: 011-52-987-20145)

Scuba Shack/Casa del Mar, May 1999, Roger Clark, Midland, TX. Vis: 80-120 ft., Water. 80-84 degrees. After first dive let you dive computer and own profile. Small slow boats. Enjoy the small number of divers and relaxed attitude. Great divemasters.

Staff Divers, March 1999, Donald & Trish Roth, E. Setauket, NY. My wife and I used Staff Divers for 12 dives and found them accommodating. Less expensive and used 200 HP covered boats. Never needed to touch our equipment that was cleaned and stored every night. Used 100's and Nitrox. Dove only the best sites with a good divemaster. No rules except 130 limit and dove our Nitrox computers and ascended only when ready, not as a group. When calling ask for the Manager "Jorge." (Calle 1 Sur, Cozumel, Cozumel, Mexico; Telephone 888-270-3483 or +52 52-9872-0755 or +52 52-9872-0440)

TTC Divers/Club Cozumel Caribe, July 1999, Ray Pettigrew, Napa, CA. Vis: 100+ ft. Water: 80-83 degrees. Stuck us in a Garden View not in good repair. After a complaint they moved us to the tower, where we were supposed to be in the first place. Room nicer. All inclusive - generally weak drinks. Bar and restaurant employees friendly and overworked. Food satisfactory and plentiful (buffet). Captain and guides were good. Land-based part of dive operation not as good. Drift diving; they let us pick the sites. Stay as a group and dive conservative profile. I came up with 1100# too many times. When I asked about computer diving they told me it was too hard to pick us up two at a time! I could have sworn that's what I was paying for. Barracuda, grouper, triggers, bar jack, parrotfish, filefish and huge angels. Moray over 28" circumference. Sometimes the current was too strong for a close look. (TTC Dive Shop/Club Cozumel Caribe, Carretera a San Juan Km 4.5, Cozumel, Cozumel, Mexico; Telephone +52 9872-4476; Fax +52 9872-0288)

Yucatech, December 1998, Mickey Fivenson, Traverse City, MI. Along a little road that leads to the harbor (a mile south of La Ceiba) is a cenote (pond) that I dived with Yucatech certified cave diver and divemaster Rual (987-25659, fax 987-21417, yucatech@cozumel.com). $50 for the dive. Rual picked me up at my hotel and took me on one of my top ten favorite dives of my 27-year diving experience. Parking on the edge of the pond, you enter about 12' depth, and swim through the 12' opening into the first room of several that you explore during the 40-minute, 40' dive. You will encounter a stop sign warning that only certified cave divers may continue. I was told that the end of the cave has not been found. The dive led me to request more cenote diving from Yucatech on the mainland. The heavily visited cenotes, Taj Mahal and Ponderosa were no match for the Cozumel cenote experience. They seemed too commercial and too accessible. . . . (P.O. Box 553, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico 77600; Telephone +52 987-2-5659; Fax +52 987-2-1417; located 15 Av. #144 - A between 1a and Rosado Salas, in front of the Hotel Pepita, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico)