I'll be in Cozumel this coming February when I go on a cruise, and have
the opportunity to take a short excursion cooking class one morning. Has
anyone done this in Cozumel before? I'm a tad leery about doing it if
all they're going to prepare and eat is seafood which I can't enjoy, so
why bother? I wish there were more options for the public or private
cooking classes and would love to hear if anyone knows of some?

Goomba wrote:

> I'll be in Cozumel this coming February when I go on a cruise, and have
> the opportunity to take a short excursion cooking class one morning. Has
> anyone done this in Cozumel before? I'm a tad leery about doing it if
> all they're going to prepare and eat is seafood which I can't enjoy, so
> why bother? I wish there were more options for the public or private
> cooking classes and would love to hear if anyone knows of some?

I've been to Cozumel lots of times. Never taken a cooking class there
but I would suspect that it might involve seafood.

If there's no way to check in advance what the menu might include, you
might enjoy experiencing seafood "on the hoof", so to speak. The reefs
surrounding Cozumel are a national park, and they basically come right
up to shore. If you don't have a diving certification, there are plenty
of features that can be enjoyed from the surface, either with mask,
snorkel and vest, which allows you to float along, pretty much
effortlessly, enjoying the view below, or a glass bottom boat or mini
sub tour.

On a dive vacation to Cozumel, my husband and I stayed at a dedicated
dive resort. On one of our excursions there was only one other female
diver besides myself. She was there with a male buddy but wound up
sticking to me like velcro. She was worried about her air consumption,
and kept checking my pressure gauge against her own, and I was getting
annoyed at being just finning along, enjoying the scenery and feeling a
sudden tug on my regulator, because she had hold of my gauge yet again.

Now, because the waters around the island are a National Park, no
fishing is allowed and the denizens grow big and fat and sassy. And
grouper get big. Really big. Like, Volkswagon big. And they're used
to divers, and are used to being fed. And if you don't fork over with
the treats they can get pushy.

So I knew this, and I had a can of Cheeze Wiz (sp?) in the pocket of my
buoyancy compensator and when I was approached I was able to dispense
the delicacy directly into the creature's mouth, to his evident pleasure.

He then approached my companion. She was facing away and apparently
disregarded his first polite nudge as an accidental bump from another
diver. He approached her again, bumped her a little harder.

She turned, obviously annoyed, and displayed the hands-down best
full-body startle I've ever seen. Both arms and both legs went straight
out. She looked like a starfish. She kicked hard, intending to rocket
for the surface and I grabbed her ankle. Her bubble trail looked like a
waterfall in reverse but thank god she didn't fight or kick me in the
face. If she'd knocked my mask off we'd have had words back in the
boat. I'd been watching our time and depth and she probably would have
been okay. Probably. Prudence, however, dictated a five minute safety
stop at 30 feet to blow off nitrogen.

The moral of the story being, if you're a nimrod, don't let anybody talk
you into a "quicky" diving certification. Don't make the people around
you have to worry about your judgement and safety. There's no shame in
floating on the surface and enjoying the view in shallow water.

Don't forget the sunblock. You might also consider purchasing a garment
known as a rash guard - a long sleeved, close-fitting lycra shirt,
frequently worn by surfers over a bathing suit, that obviates the need
for chemical sunblock in the covered areas, provides some warmth during
exposure and protects against jelly fish and fire coral.

"Goomba" > wrote in message
...
> I'll be in Cozumel this coming February when I go on a cruise, and have
> the opportunity to take a short excursion cooking class one morning. Has
> anyone done this in Cozumel before? I'm a tad leery about doing it if all
> they're going to prepare and eat is seafood which I can't enjoy, so why
> bother? I wish there were more options for the public or private cooking
> classes and would love to hear if anyone knows of some?

Lucky lady, just enjoy you'll have no problem if you are in any way
concerned about the flora from Mexico see your personal physician before
leaving and he can give you some meds to take with you.

Believe they don't like poisoning tourists - it's bad for business. That
pert of Mexico is more Caribbean than what we think of a Traditional
Mexican. You'll be fine.

I have not done Cozumel but I used to live in Mexico City & I only had a
problem when I returned to the states.

Enjoy

Dimitri

Kathleen wrote:
>
> Goomba wrote:
>
> > I'll be in Cozumel this coming February when I go on a cruise, and have
> > the opportunity to take a short excursion cooking class one morning. Has
> > anyone done this in Cozumel before? I'm a tad leery about doing it if
> > all they're going to prepare and eat is seafood which I can't enjoy, so
> > why bother? I wish there were more options for the public or private
> > cooking classes and would love to hear if anyone knows of some?
>
> I've been to Cozumel lots of times. Never taken a cooking class there
> but I would suspect that it might involve seafood.
>
> If there's no way to check in advance what the menu might include, you
> might enjoy experiencing seafood "on the hoof", so to speak. The reefs
> surrounding Cozumel are a national park, and they basically come right
> up to shore. If you don't have a diving certification, there are plenty
> of features that can be enjoyed from the surface, either with mask,
> snorkel and vest, which allows you to float along, pretty much
> effortlessly, enjoying the view below, or a glass bottom boat or mini
> sub tour.
>
> On a dive vacation to Cozumel, my husband and I stayed at a dedicated
> dive resort. On one of our excursions there was only one other female
> diver besides myself. She was there with a male buddy but wound up
> sticking to me like velcro. She was worried about her air consumption,
> and kept checking my pressure gauge against her own, and I was getting
> annoyed at being just finning along, enjoying the scenery and feeling a
> sudden tug on my regulator, because she had hold of my gauge yet again.
>
> Now, because the waters around the island are a National Park, no
> fishing is allowed and the denizens grow big and fat and sassy. And
> grouper get big. Really big. Like, Volkswagon big. And they're used
> to divers, and are used to being fed. And if you don't fork over with
> the treats they can get pushy.
>
> So I knew this, and I had a can of Cheeze Wiz (sp?) in the pocket of my
> buoyancy compensator and when I was approached I was able to dispense
> the delicacy directly into the creature's mouth, to his evident pleasure.
>
> He then approached my companion. She was facing away and apparently
> disregarded his first polite nudge as an accidental bump from another
> diver. He approached her again, bumped her a little harder.
>
> She turned, obviously annoyed, and displayed the hands-down best
> full-body startle I've ever seen. Both arms and both legs went straight
> out. She looked like a starfish. She kicked hard, intending to rocket
> for the surface and I grabbed her ankle. Her bubble trail looked like a
> waterfall in reverse but thank god she didn't fight or kick me in the
> face. If she'd knocked my mask off we'd have had words back in the
> boat. I'd been watching our time and depth and she probably would have
> been okay. Probably. Prudence, however, dictated a five minute safety
> stop at 30 feet to blow off nitrogen.
>
> The moral of the story being, if you're a nimrod, don't let anybody talk
> you into a "quicky" diving certification. Don't make the people around
> you have to worry about your judgement and safety. There's no shame in
> floating on the surface and enjoying the view in shallow water.
>
> Don't forget the sunblock. You might also consider purchasing a garment
> known as a rash guard - a long sleeved, close-fitting lycra shirt,
> frequently worn by surfers over a bathing suit, that obviates the need
> for chemical sunblock in the covered areas, provides some warmth during
> exposure and protects against jelly fish and fire coral.

As far as I'm concerned, the best dive buddy is the "same ocean, same
day" type that glances in your direction occasionally to make sure you
aren't dead, and otherwise ignores you.

My last trip to Cozumel some of us two the ferry over to the mainland
and went down to Akumal to dive Cenote Dos Ojos, I highly recommend it,
well worth the side trip. My recommendations are Papa Hog's SCUBA in
Cozumel and Aquatech in Akumal.

Pete C. wrote:


>
> As far as I'm concerned, the best dive buddy is the "same ocean, same
> day" type that glances in your direction occasionally to make sure you
> aren't dead, and otherwise ignores you.
>

She wasn't even my dive buddy. My dive buddy was my husband. *Her*
dive buddy was one of your ilk and she was scared shitless.

I sincerely hope he spent the rest of their 8 day trip with blue balls.


> My last trip to Cozumel some of us two the ferry over to the mainland
> and went down to Akumal to dive Cenote Dos Ojos, I highly recommend it,
> well worth the side trip. My recommendations are Papa Hog's SCUBA in
> Cozumel and Aquatech in Akumal.

Seconded. But not if you've got some sort of half-assed quicky
certification.

Kathleen wrote:
>
> Pete C. wrote:
>
> >
> > As far as I'm concerned, the best dive buddy is the "same ocean, same
> > day" type that glances in your direction occasionally to make sure you
> > aren't dead, and otherwise ignores you.
> >
>
> She wasn't even my dive buddy. My dive buddy was my husband. *Her*
> dive buddy was one of your ilk and she was scared shitless.
>
> I sincerely hope he spent the rest of their 8 day trip with blue balls.
>
> > My last trip to Cozumel some of us two the ferry over to the mainland
> > and went down to Akumal to dive Cenote Dos Ojos, I highly recommend it,
> > well worth the side trip. My recommendations are Papa Hog's SCUBA in
> > Cozumel and Aquatech in Akumal.
>
> Seconded. But not if you've got some sort of half-assed quicky
> certification.

Actually, I think the (cavern dive tour) Cenote is a better choice if
you have a half-assed quicky certification - crystal clear fresh water,
no big critters to scare you, no current, minimal depth, small group,
etc.

On Nov 3, 11:06*am, Goomba > wrote:
> all they're going to prepare and eat is seafood which I can't enjoy, so
> why bother?

Exactly...WHY bother? That would be like going to Gatlinburg, TN
and taking a BBQ cooking class. There will other things to do to
fill your time.

Goomba > wrote:

> I'll be in Cozumel this coming February when I go on a cruise, and have
> the opportunity to take a short excursion cooking class one morning. Has
> anyone done this in Cozumel before? I'm a tad leery about doing it if
> all they're going to prepare and eat is seafood which I can't enjoy, so
> why bother? I wish there were more options for the public or private
> cooking classes and would love to hear if anyone knows of some?

I'm sure it would just be a superficial, touristy type of class if
it's offered as part of a cruise package. Even if it didn't have
seafood, it would probably be pretty dumbed down.

-sw

Pete C. wrote:

> Kathleen wrote:
>
>>Pete C. wrote:
>>
>>
>>>As far as I'm concerned, the best dive buddy is the "same ocean, same
>>>day" type that glances in your direction occasionally to make sure you
>>>aren't dead, and otherwise ignores you.
>>>
>>
>>She wasn't even my dive buddy. My dive buddy was my husband. *Her*
>>dive buddy was one of your ilk and she was scared shitless.
>>
>>I sincerely hope he spent the rest of their 8 day trip with blue balls.
>>
>>
>>>My last trip to Cozumel some of us two the ferry over to the mainland
>>>and went down to Akumal to dive Cenote Dos Ojos, I highly recommend it,
>>>well worth the side trip. My recommendations are Papa Hog's SCUBA in
>>>Cozumel and Aquatech in Akumal.
>>
>>Seconded. But not if you've got some sort of half-assed quicky
>>certification.
>
>
> Actually, I think the (cavern dive tour) Cenote is a better choice if
> you have a half-assed quicky certification - crystal clear fresh water,
> no big critters to scare you, no current, minimal depth, small group,
> etc.

Dos Ojos takes you into an overhead environment, doesn't it? And then
there's that funky... I was going to say thermocline, but it's not,
it's the boundary between fresh and salt water that causes the weird
visuals?

To be honest, I think people with a quicky c-card shouldn't be anywhere
but a swimming pool. They are a menace to themselves and the people
around them. There are just too many ways to hurt yourself or somebody
else even 30 feet down.

I worked with a gal who went to Cozumel. Although she could barely
swim, they fitted her out with scuba gear, tested her in the pool and
took her into the ocean.

When she came back she looked like something out of a horror film. Her
normally brown eyes were this sort of greenish color and the whites were
beet red. The instructor hadn't mentioned mask squeeze and the pressure
changes and suction had ruptured a bunch of blood vessels in both eyes.

The ocean - hell, any body of water - is a hostile environment. We
can't survive there without specialized equipment that takes a certain
amount of know-how to operate. In point of fact, only outer space is
more inimical to human life (okay, maybe the inside of a volcano).

There are certain things you need to understand and master before you go
paddling off.

On Nov 3, 11:06�am, Goomba > wrote:
> I'll be in Cozumel this coming February when I go on a cruise, and have
> the opportunity to take a short excursion cooking class one morning. Has
> anyone done this in Cozumel before? I'm a tad leery about doing it if
> all they're going to prepare and eat is seafood which I can't enjoy, so
> why bother? I wish there were more options for the public or private
> cooking classes and would love to hear if anyone knows of some?

Cozumel people are poor, poorer than anyone in the US can ever
imagine. Most of their main meals consist of one scrawny chicken with
rice to feed an entire large family sunday dinner, or they make a
black soup with eggs, takes getting used to. They do eat a lot of
tropical fruit and vegetables. Most folks in Cozumel subsist on plain
tortillas with a little meat, and rum... don't ask what kind of meat,
probably gibnut (rat). Actually they don't eat much seafood as they
consider it poor peoples food, however conch soup and conch fritters
are sought after (pronounced Konk). I think spending all that money
going all the way to Cozumel on a cruise just to take a friggin'
cooking class that I'm positive won't be authentic is the epitomy of
brainlessness... at least see the Mayan ruins, try a roasted
tarantula.

Kathleen wrote:
>
> Pete C. wrote:
>
> > Kathleen wrote:
> >
> >>Pete C. wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>As far as I'm concerned, the best dive buddy is the "same ocean, same
> >>>day" type that glances in your direction occasionally to make sure you
> >>>aren't dead, and otherwise ignores you.
> >>>
> >>
> >>She wasn't even my dive buddy. My dive buddy was my husband. *Her*
> >>dive buddy was one of your ilk and she was scared shitless.
> >>
> >>I sincerely hope he spent the rest of their 8 day trip with blue balls.
> >>
> >>
> >>>My last trip to Cozumel some of us two the ferry over to the mainland
> >>>and went down to Akumal to dive Cenote Dos Ojos, I highly recommend it,
> >>>well worth the side trip. My recommendations are Papa Hog's SCUBA in
> >>>Cozumel and Aquatech in Akumal.
> >>
> >>Seconded. But not if you've got some sort of half-assed quicky
> >>certification.
> >
> >
> > Actually, I think the (cavern dive tour) Cenote is a better choice if
> > you have a half-assed quicky certification - crystal clear fresh water,
> > no big critters to scare you, no current, minimal depth, small group,
> > etc.
>
> Dos Ojos takes you into an overhead environment, doesn't it?

Yes, but being a cavern tour, not a cave tour, it follows the 200' max
from daylight rule.

> And then
> there's that funky... I was going to say thermocline, but it's not,
> it's the boundary between fresh and salt water that causes the weird
> visuals?

Halocline? No, not a Dos Ojos that I know of, certainly not on the
cavern tour. Dos Ojos is fairly far inland.

>
> To be honest, I think people with a quicky c-card shouldn't be anywhere
> but a swimming pool. They are a menace to themselves and the people
> around them. There are just too many ways to hurt yourself or somebody
> else even 30 feet down.

This is why the next cert on my agenda is the SDI Solo Diver cert. I'm
not Mr. Macho super diver, but being single and hence without a regular
buddy, I figure I'm far better off lugging more redundant gear and
relying on myself vs. someone of unknown abilities I've never met
before.

>
> I worked with a gal who went to Cozumel. Although she could barely
> swim, they fitted her out with scuba gear, tested her in the pool and
> took her into the ocean.

That's ok if they follow the program where they are paired 1:1 with an
instructor. Even the 20' shore diving in Coz has plenty of interesting
stuff to see.

>
> When she came back she looked like something out of a horror film. Her
> normally brown eyes were this sort of greenish color and the whites were
> beet red. The instructor hadn't mentioned mask squeeze and the pressure
> changes and suction had ruptured a bunch of blood vessels in both eyes.

Shoulda stuck to the 20' shore dive. The Dos Ojos tour bottoms out at
about 30'.

>
> The ocean - hell, any body of water - is a hostile environment. We
> can't survive there without specialized equipment that takes a certain
> amount of know-how to operate. In point of fact, only outer space is
> more inimical to human life (okay, maybe the inside of a volcano).
>
> There are certain things you need to understand and master before you go
> paddling off.

Yes, diving is a IDLH environment which requires life support equipment.

Brawny wrote:
> On Nov 3, 11:06 am, Goomba > wrote:
>> all they're going to prepare and eat is seafood which I can't enjoy, so
>> why bother?
>
> Exactly...WHY bother? That would be like going to Gatlinburg, TN
> and taking a BBQ cooking class. There will other things to do to
> fill your time.
>
Because generally I LIKE cooking classes and one of regional food would
be all the better. Yet since I can't do seafood, I wouldn't want to
waste my time.
Are you saying they don't know anything about BBQ in Gatlinburg?

Sqwertz wrote:
> Goomba > wrote:
>
>> I'll be in Cozumel this coming February when I go on a cruise, and have
>> the opportunity to take a short excursion cooking class one morning. Has
>> anyone done this in Cozumel before? I'm a tad leery about doing it if
>> all they're going to prepare and eat is seafood which I can't enjoy, so
>> why bother? I wish there were more options for the public or private
>> cooking classes and would love to hear if anyone knows of some?
>
> I'm sure it would just be a superficial, touristy type of class if
> it's offered as part of a cruise package. Even if it didn't have
> seafood, it would probably be pretty dumbed down.
>
> -sw
Hence my question on anyone knowing of any other private or public
cooking classes. I don't need a dumbed down class, but would like a
little survey class on some authentic Mexican cooking.

Sheldon wrote:
I think spending all that money
> going all the way to Cozumel on a cruise just to take a friggin'
> cooking class that I'm positive won't be authentic is the epitomy of
> brainlessness... at least see the Mayan ruins, try a roasted
> tarantula.
>
You mean I can't do more than one thing?

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
...

Cozumel people are poor, poorer than anyone in the US can ever
imagine. Most of their main meals consist of one scrawny chicken with
rice to feed an entire large family sunday dinner, or they make a
black soup with eggs, takes getting used to. They do eat a lot of
tropical fruit and vegetables. Most folks in Cozumel subsist on plain
tortillas with a little meat, and rum... don't ask what kind of meat,
probably gibnut (rat). Actually they don't eat much seafood as they
consider it poor peoples food, however conch soup and conch fritters
are sought after (pronounced Konk). I think spending all that money
going all the way to Cozumel on a cruise just to take a friggin'
cooking class that I'm positive won't be authentic is the epitomy of
brainlessness... at least see the Mayan ruins, try a roasted
tarantula.

Does Sheldon's expertise know no bounds?

-sw

Paco > wrote:

> "Sheldon" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> Cozumel people are poor, poorer than anyone in the US can ever
>> imagine.... Actually they don't eat much seafood as they
>> consider it poor peoples food
>
> Does Sheldon's expertise know no bounds?

I especially liked the part I kept intact above.

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:
>
> Paco > wrote:
>
> > "Sheldon" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >> Cozumel people are poor, poorer than anyone in the US can ever
> >> imagine.... Actually they don't eat much seafood as they
> >> consider it poor peoples food
> >
> > Does Sheldon's expertise know no bounds?
>
> I especially liked the part I kept intact above.
>
> -sw

Certainly there are places in Mexico that may be a bit close to
Sheldon's fantasy, but Cozumel isn't one of them. Cozumel being pretty
much a SCUBA resort island get plenty of tourist money and tips.
Certainly areas I saw recently in Egypt make Cozumel look like Beverly
Hills.

Pete C. wrote:

> Kathleen wrote:
>
>>Pete C. wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Kathleen wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Pete C. wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>As far as I'm concerned, the best dive buddy is the "same ocean, same
>>>>>day" type that glances in your direction occasionally to make sure you
>>>>>aren't dead, and otherwise ignores you.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>She wasn't even my dive buddy. My dive buddy was my husband. *Her*
>>>>dive buddy was one of your ilk and she was scared shitless.
>>>>
>>>>I sincerely hope he spent the rest of their 8 day trip with blue balls.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>My last trip to Cozumel some of us two the ferry over to the mainland
>>>>>and went down to Akumal to dive Cenote Dos Ojos, I highly recommend it,
>>>>>well worth the side trip. My recommendations are Papa Hog's SCUBA in
>>>>>Cozumel and Aquatech in Akumal.
>>>>
>>>>Seconded. But not if you've got some sort of half-assed quicky
>>>>certification.
>>>
>>>
>>>Actually, I think the (cavern dive tour) Cenote is a better choice if
>>>you have a half-assed quicky certification - crystal clear fresh water,
>>>no big critters to scare you, no current, minimal depth, small group,
>>>etc.
>>
>>Dos Ojos takes you into an overhead environment, doesn't it?
>
>
> Yes, but being a cavern tour, not a cave tour, it follows the 200' max
> from daylight rule.

And whether that rule is followed depends on the dive guide. Trust me
on that one.


>>And then
>>there's that funky... I was going to say thermocline, but it's not,
>>it's the boundary between fresh and salt water that causes the weird
>>visuals?
>
> Halocline? No, not a Dos Ojos that I know of, certainly not on the
> cavern tour. Dos Ojos is fairly far inland.

Okay, so what's the one with the tunnel that connects to the cliff face
out in open water? Shoot, now I'm going to have to see if I've got it
written down someplace.

>>To be honest, I think people with a quicky c-card shouldn't be anywhere
>>but a swimming pool. They are a menace to themselves and the people
>>around them. There are just too many ways to hurt yourself or somebody
>>else even 30 feet down.
>
>
> This is why the next cert on my agenda is the SDI Solo Diver cert. I'm
> not Mr. Macho super diver, but being single and hence without a regular
> buddy, I figure I'm far better off lugging more redundant gear and
> relying on myself vs. someone of unknown abilities I've never met
> before.
>

That chick wasn't with someone she'd never met before. She was with her
asshole boyfriend, who basically ditched her. And that's worse.


>>I worked with a gal who went to Cozumel. Although she could barely
>>swim, they fitted her out with scuba gear, tested her in the pool and
>>took her into the ocean.
>
>
> That's ok if they follow the program where they are paired 1:1 with an
> instructor. Even the 20' shore diving in Coz has plenty of interesting
> stuff to see.

Pretty much anything you can see at 20' can be seen and enjoyed from the
surface with virtually no risk. Other than the current, which can be
pretty freakin' scary in places. On one trip we snorkeled no more than
maybe 100 feet off shore in water that ranged from 2 or 3 feet deep to
maybe 10 feet, max. There was a lot to see, including big-ass nurse
sharks hanging out in ledges under coral formations in just a few feet
of water. Anything with a mouth will bite you if you **** it off badly
enough but nurse sharks are only dangerous to shellfish, generally
speaking. There were people wading around, stepping from rock to rock
with no idea what was under their feet. We debated whether or not to
tell them but decided they'd be happier not knowing.

>>When she came back she looked like something out of a horror film. Her
>>normally brown eyes were this sort of greenish color and the whites were
>>beet red. The instructor hadn't mentioned mask squeeze and the pressure
>>changes and suction had ruptured a bunch of blood vessels in both eyes.
>
>
> Shoulda stuck to the 20' shore dive. The Dos Ojos tour bottoms out at
> about 30'.
>
It didn't happen at Dos Ojos. They were diving on that plane wreck in
the harbor close to where the cruise ships dock. It's right off shore
in about 40 feet of water.

I have seen and heard about some seriously bad judgement from Mexican
dive operators over the years. To be safe you have to know enough to
know what you don't know, you know? (How's that for a sentence?)

>>The ocean - hell, any body of water - is a hostile environment. We
>>can't survive there without specialized equipment that takes a certain
>>amount of know-how to operate. In point of fact, only outer space is
>>more inimical to human life (okay, maybe the inside of a volcano).
>>
>>There are certain things you need to understand and master before you go
>>paddling off.
>
>
> Yes, diving is a IDLH environment which requires life support equipment.

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> Paco > wrote:
>
>> "Sheldon" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> Cozumel people are poor, poorer than anyone in the US can ever
>>> imagine.... Actually they don't eat much seafood as they
>>> consider it poor peoples food
>>
>> Does Sheldon's expertise know no bounds?
>
> I especially liked the part I kept intact above.
>
> -sw

Sounds kind of "Jerry-ish", doesn't it? Could Sheldon and Jerry be one and
the same?

-sw

Paco > wrote:

> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Paco > wrote:
>>
>>> "Sheldon" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>
>>>> Cozumel people are poor, poorer than anyone in the US can ever
>>>> imagine.... Actually they don't eat much seafood as they
>>>> consider it poor peoples food
>>>
>>> Does Sheldon's expertise know no bounds?
>>
>> I especially liked the part I kept intact above.
>>
>> -sw
>
> Sounds kind of "Jerry-ish", doesn't it? Could Sheldon and Jerry be one and
> the same?
>
> -sw

I thought *you* were Jerry.

And Sqwertz.

-sw

Kathleen wrote:
>
> Pete C. wrote:
>
> > Kathleen wrote:
> >
> >>Pete C. wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>Kathleen wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>Pete C. wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>As far as I'm concerned, the best dive buddy is the "same ocean, same
> >>>>>day" type that glances in your direction occasionally to make sure you
> >>>>>aren't dead, and otherwise ignores you.
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>She wasn't even my dive buddy. My dive buddy was my husband. *Her*
> >>>>dive buddy was one of your ilk and she was scared shitless.
> >>>>
> >>>>I sincerely hope he spent the rest of their 8 day trip with blue balls.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>My last trip to Cozumel some of us two the ferry over to the mainland
> >>>>>and went down to Akumal to dive Cenote Dos Ojos, I highly recommend it,
> >>>>>well worth the side trip. My recommendations are Papa Hog's SCUBA in
> >>>>>Cozumel and Aquatech in Akumal.
> >>>>
> >>>>Seconded. But not if you've got some sort of half-assed quicky
> >>>>certification.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Actually, I think the (cavern dive tour) Cenote is a better choice if
> >>>you have a half-assed quicky certification - crystal clear fresh water,
> >>>no big critters to scare you, no current, minimal depth, small group,
> >>>etc.
> >>
> >>Dos Ojos takes you into an overhead environment, doesn't it?
> >
> >
> > Yes, but being a cavern tour, not a cave tour, it follows the 200' max
> > from daylight rule.
>
> And whether that rule is followed depends on the dive guide. Trust me
> on that one.

The tour follows guide lines that are already in place.

>
> >>And then
> >>there's that funky... I was going to say thermocline, but it's not,
> >>it's the boundary between fresh and salt water that causes the weird
> >>visuals?
> >
> > Halocline? No, not a Dos Ojos that I know of, certainly not on the
> > cavern tour. Dos Ojos is fairly far inland.
>
> Okay, so what's the one with the tunnel that connects to the cliff face
> out in open water? Shoot, now I'm going to have to see if I've got it
> written down someplace.

Well, it's where lighter fresh water is running over heavier salt water.
Could occur any number of places, but more likely closer to the shore.

>
> >>To be honest, I think people with a quicky c-card shouldn't be anywhere
> >>but a swimming pool. They are a menace to themselves and the people
> >>around them. There are just too many ways to hurt yourself or somebody
> >>else even 30 feet down.
> >
> >
> > This is why the next cert on my agenda is the SDI Solo Diver cert. I'm
> > not Mr. Macho super diver, but being single and hence without a regular
> > buddy, I figure I'm far better off lugging more redundant gear and
> > relying on myself vs. someone of unknown abilities I've never met
> > before.
> >
>
> That chick wasn't with someone she'd never met before. She was with her
> asshole boyfriend, who basically ditched her. And that's worse.

Yep.

>
> >>I worked with a gal who went to Cozumel. Although she could barely
> >>swim, they fitted her out with scuba gear, tested her in the pool and
> >>took her into the ocean.
> >
> >
> > That's ok if they follow the program where they are paired 1:1 with an
> > instructor. Even the 20' shore diving in Coz has plenty of interesting
> > stuff to see.
>
> Pretty much anything you can see at 20' can be seen and enjoyed from the
> surface with virtually no risk.

Not true at all. I spent a tank on a 20' solo shore dive in Coz and came
back with a bunch of good pictures, things that you wouldn't see from
the surface, and probably wouldn't see in a group either since they took
some careful searching to find.

> Other than the current, which can be
> pretty freakin' scary in places. On one trip we snorkeled no more than
> maybe 100 feet off shore in water that ranged from 2 or 3 feet deep to
> maybe 10 feet, max. There was a lot to see, including big-ass nurse
> sharks hanging out in ledges under coral formations in just a few feet
> of water. Anything with a mouth will bite you if you **** it off badly
> enough but nurse sharks are only dangerous to shellfish, generally
> speaking. There were people wading around, stepping from rock to rock
> with no idea what was under their feet. We debated whether or not to
> tell them but decided they'd be happier not knowing.

All kinds of interesting critters.

>
> >>When she came back she looked like something out of a horror film. Her
> >>normally brown eyes were this sort of greenish color and the whites were
> >>beet red. The instructor hadn't mentioned mask squeeze and the pressure
> >>changes and suction had ruptured a bunch of blood vessels in both eyes.
> >
> >
> > Shoulda stuck to the 20' shore dive. The Dos Ojos tour bottoms out at
> > about 30'.
> >
> It didn't happen at Dos Ojos. They were diving on that plane wreck in
> the harbor close to where the cruise ships dock. It's right off shore
> in about 40 feet of water.

I haven't done that one yet.

>
> I have seen and heard about some seriously bad judgement from Mexican
> dive operators over the years. To be safe you have to know enough to
> know what you don't know, you know? (How's that for a sentence?)

One of the reason our group goes with Papa Hog's (they're Canadian) and
they don't overload boats, etc.

>
> >>The ocean - hell, any body of water - is a hostile environment. We
> >>can't survive there without specialized equipment that takes a certain
> >>amount of know-how to operate. In point of fact, only outer space is
> >>more inimical to human life (okay, maybe the inside of a volcano).
> >>
> >>There are certain things you need to understand and master before you go
> >>paddling off.
> >
> >
> > Yes, diving is a IDLH environment which requires life support equipment.

On Mon, 3 Nov 2008 21:29:28 -0600, Sqwertz wrote:

> Paco > wrote:
>
>> "Sheldon" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> Cozumel people are poor, poorer than anyone in the US can ever
>>> imagine.... Actually they don't eat much seafood as they
>>> consider it poor peoples food
>>
>> Does Sheldon's expertise know no bounds?
>
> I especially liked the part I kept intact above.
>
> -sw

he's a deep thinker.

your pal,
blake