This trip started in Norway on April the 12th. and was including a 4 day stay in Florida. As you may guess, I went with Aldora divers again.
Aldora Divers has got 4 boats now, or maybe one should say 4 1/2? David also bought an old boat for other purposes. He plans on fitting it with twin engines and maybe using it for fishing, divetrips to Barracuda etc..
The new boats have ladders and a small cabin up front. Aldora II has been rebuilt with a different opening in the side of the boat like Aldora III and IV. The purpose of this replacement for the old platform, is to take equipment onboard when the divers are getting out of the water. It has also been equipped with a cabin up front. Aldora I is still as it used to be, but the platform is not used to get out of the water anymore, a ladder was built for this purpose during my visit in November 1996.
So all those of you who did not like to use the platform to get out of the water, you should be OK now by using a ladder. The entry into the water is the same backroll which should be no problem. If you have lots of camera gear, that will be handed to you after getting into the water.
I met some of you when in Cozumel. It is nice to know that some of you appreciate the diving info i put on my WEB. I know that not everybody likes all the good things I put there about Aldora Divers. Basically what I write is based on my own good experience with Aldora Divers and also things I hear from fellow divers when I am in Cozumel. I also hear some negative things, but when you get to hear both sides in the end, it very often turns out that the complaints are made on faults of their own or on events that are not controlled by Aldora Divers, like bad weather, currents that are a little on the strong side one day and even complaints by divers about the currents that did not even know that Cozumel is a place for drift diving!
I also got to meet Liz Hanks that I have been commuting with on e-mail. Nice meeting you and Mike. It was also nice diving with both of you.
I arrived in the evening after an extra hours stay in Cancun due to a delayed arriving flight (so they said at the check-in (?)).
I was met by David (yes they are again allowed to meet you there) at the airport and after unpacking, I went to town for a meal at Pepe's. I had Beef Tenderloin with champion sauce, DELICIOUS! Price USD 14,-. Of course, I had a couple of XX. WHat a way to start a week in Paradise. One thing pulled it down a little; The heavy rain outside, fortunately it finished before I had finished my dinner.
As usual when staying in Cozumel, I got up early in the morning and met the Aldora crew in the port at 0730, far to early for the 8 am departure I know, but I was eager to meet the crew again. Nice to be back home in Paradise.
Aldora I and II left almost on time, while the Aldora III and IV were a little delayed, but who cares this is vacation (and Mexico), so do not expect everything to be on time like at home. However, that is not the fault of Aldora Divers (as someone believes), that is just the way of life in Mexico.
About 15 minutes "late", Aldora IV headed with six divers for Mareceibo shallows with Memo as DM and Diego as captain. There were a lot of jelly fish in the water, but fortunately only a few were we went into the water (I do not use a wet suit which of course will give protection against the small "beasts" that are plentiful this time of year).
We descended quickly and had a wonderful dive. The bare figures were: Max. depth 25.9 m, time in water 44 minutes, lowest temperature of 27 C, air temp 26 C and cloudy weather.
When getting to the bottom, we were met by two large barracudas that apparaently did not take much notice of us. There were also loads of different fish and as a top of "friends" down there, we saw a turtle in a small cave that we got very close to. A large lobster was sitting close by watching the scene. After a short while, the turtle starting peddeling off in the fairly heavy current. A short while later, we met another turtle.
I did not feel the surge like I did the last time diving here, but I certainly felt the current. It was a nice experience floating round that way. Could this be the way that skydivers feel it when jumping from an airplane?
During the surface interval at Playa Sol, all divers from all the 4 boats met at the beach for relaxing, some food/drinks and chating about the dives. As a good owner, David went around meeting his customers, asking how everything was, if anything needed looked after and so on. Apparently he his not only thinking of getting his money in the pocket without really caring about his customers.
I wonder why some divers does not like him doing this? I have always believed that meeting other divers chating about the recent great experiencies while preparing for the next dive. So why not let the Aldora crew and owner take part in the experience you have just been through? I think that if he did not mingle with the divers, then he was really only thinking about getting the money in.
After a total surface interval of 2 hours and 9 minutes, we went to El Paso del Cedral. Again the bare figures: Max. depth 17.3 m, time in water 51 minutes, lowest temperature of 27 C.
We soon met the usual bunch of spotted morrays and a green one. Due to the strong current, we had to hold on to the buttom to keep in place watching, why fighting the current swimming while watching? A short while later, we went into a swimthrough with lots of glassy sweepers. When searching around with the flash light, we also spotted a large crab.
As mentioned earlier, the current was rather strong and we used a lot of air. The dive was supposed to end at the wall, but it passed rather quickly. So did the air (no real air-hog, only the strong current) and we had to think of surfacing. On the way up, we made a wheel and could spin round like skydivers. A new and different experience.
Due to the currrent, the second dive was a lot shorter than what you can expect when diving with Aldora, but still it was 2 very nice experencies. And again another lousy and boring day in Paradise came to an end, at least for the water part of it.
The evening was spent relaxing with a few beers at one of the places, looking at people passing by and just plain relaxing. I am not the kind of guy who like to hang out at the noisy places, nothing wrong with those places, but it is not "my cup of tea".
NOTE: Why not try to move your mouse towards the fish, but be careful and DO NOT CLICK on the fish!!!
Nice weather and the boats were ready to depart on time. Today, I met Liz Hanks. With Daniel as DM and Diego as captain. The boat sped to Columbia for the first dive of the day. We were in the water at 9. The bare figures were: Max. depth 29.2 m, time in water 63 minutes, lowest temperature of 27 C, air temp 25 C.
Excellent visibillity due to less current and bright sunshine. Very nice corral heads and swim through. What a relaxing dive just drifting along with almost no currrent at all when comparing with yesterday.
The bare figures for the afternoon dive at Palancar Caves were: Max. depth 23.7 m, time in water 56 minutes, lowest temperature of 27 C, air temp 28 C.
Saw three turtles, lobster and had a very nice time with all the corals.
Nigthdive at Yucab with Memo and Julian as captain. We arrived just as the very red sun settled in the west. We prepared and waited a short while to get it a little darker, but it was still a little light as we got into the water. However, that soon disappeared and we were left to investigate the beautiful "night-life" of Cozumel.
Again bare facts: Max depth 16.1 m, time in water 60 minutes and lowest temperature of 26 C. A very nice dive as it usually is here in Cozumel. Saw several crabs, one extra large, lobsters and a large scorpion fish near the end of the dive. Also octopus. During the dive, we very often heard characteristic sound of the Toadfish.
Upon surfacing after the nice dive, we were met by nice moonlight with an almost full moon on the Eastern sky and the Bopp-Hale comet about 10-15 degrees above the horizon on the Western side.
Another nice morning in Cozumel with sunshine and hardly any wind. This time we actually left the marina with Thomas as captain before 8 and were in the water at Columbia deep with Daniel as DM at 8.41 for the usual nice water temperature of 27 C. We reached a maximum depth of 32.6 meters and were 55 minutes in the water.
We spotted a nurse shark in the beginning of the dive. We entered the "Big Cathedral" for the first swimthrough and had a lot of other nice swimthroughs on as well. Some of them were very narrow and it was very important with good bouancy control so as not to stir up to much sand for the fellow diver behind you!
For the afternoon dive, we went to De Laila. The water was even warmer here with a minimum of 28 C. We reached a max. depth of 20.4 meters and were in the water for 62 minutes. It was a nice drift along the reef with lots of beautiful fauna as we passed along.
I usually do not wear a wetsuit when diving here in Cozumel, only bathing trunks and a T-shirt as a small protection, mainly for the sun. This time I had borrowed a Polartec for protection against jellyfish and was glad I had it on as there were quite a number around when we surfaced. Daniel tried to avoid the worst crowd before surfacing, but there is not much one can do between surfacing and getting into the boat. Fortunately, we all managed to keep them away.
Twilight dive with Antonio as DM and Julian as captain. We went to Columbia shallows. The dive was to a maximum of 9.7 meters and time in water of 67 minutes. Water temp. 28 C. Lots schools of fish at the start of the dive. Then some big crabs, lobsters, pufferfish. Again an almost full moon was waiting for us when we ascended. On the way back to the marina, it was dark enough to see the comet again.
Started a little late, Dave as DM and Orlando as captain. The initial chosen site was to crowded for comfort, so we headed for Columbia. There were some heavy currents on this dive, causing a short dive of 49 minutes to a max depth of 28.6 m. Water temp the normal of 27 C. The current made need of some hard kicks and few possibilities for the photographers in the group. Even in the swim-throughs, the current was fairly heavy, but no problem. However, it is highly recommended that the divers stay together under such circumstances as the currents can vary considerably from one place to another and at different levels. This was shown at the end of the dive when two divers from anotther Aldora boat did not follow that rule. They "missed" their boat, but where taken care of by David untill the rest of their party were brought into the boat and could go and pick up the remaining two.
For the afternoon we went to Paso del Cedral. The dive lasted for 82 minutes to a max depth of 17.9 m, still the same temperature. Of the more uncommen things, I spotted a tiny spotted Morray, only about 10 cm. (4 inches) long. It was hiding in a tiny whole, just suitable for its size. Lots of critters at this site and a lot to do for the photographers in the group. Hope you got some nice shots Liz!
On ascending, we had to find a place where there were not too many jellyfish so that we could get safely out of the water. Nice to have the Polartech for protection against the small devils.
With today being Sunday, it was nice and quiet in San Miguel, at daytime that is. The locals had their day of and used the time at the beaches that are normally crowded by tourists from the cruiseships. On Sundays there are no cruiseships, so the town is nice and quiet, at daytime that is.
Started on schedule with David as DM and Julian as captain. We went to Punta Sur, sur, and were in the water just after 9. Swam through some beautiful "landscape" and swim-throughs. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, everything under control as usual. Maximum depth 32.9 m, dive lasted 46 minutes and the temperature was as usuall 27 C. When we got out of the water, it had started to rain.
The afternoon dive took us to Palancar Caves for a 69 minute dive down to 22.8 m. Lots of nice swimthroughs, some very narrow. In one of them, David got stuck and had to take his tank off. We also went into some caves having to use the esame entry and exit. Very nice with all the caves, but of course it requires the diver to swim. It is not only drift diving in Cozumel. We also saw lots of fish around, ray, turtle and a blue toadfish trying to hide in a small opening.
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