From: mayne@ds1.scri.fsu.edu (Bill Mayne)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Trip report - Cozumel and Akumal
Date: 8 Sep 92 15:20:15 GMT
Reply-To: mayne@ds1.scri.fsu.edu (Bill Mayne)
Organization: SCRI, Florida State University

Highlights: Punta Sur, cavern dives at Chankanaab, underwater sex
(logistics only), Akumal. Okay and relatively cheap Scuba Inn.

My wife Kris and I arrived in Cozumel August 10 with a vague plan
but no reservations. On a previous trip we had found the Diver's Inn
which offered an attractive (i.e. relatively cheap) lodging and dive
package. I had been unable to reach them by phone, but figured just
showing up in Cozumel I could find something better than paying U.S.
travel agent prices. I had been particularly disappointed by the
performance of Innerspace Adventures on a previous trip.

The Diver's Inn had changed to the Scuba Inn, but I was able to find
it. Prices had gone up a bit but were still good, I thought. They let
us stay as long as we wanted on a day to day basis and then pay a
package price at the end. Rates were $150 person double occupancy
for 3 nights and 2 days diving, as we originally planned, $215 for 4
nights and 3 days which we actually did. These go down a bit Sept. 15.

Accommodations were adequate. We had a stand alone fiber glass igloo
room with two bathrooms, two double beds, one single bed, and a small
refrigerator. We used one bathroom for wet gear and the extra beds to
spread out dry gear. With the help of dental pliers we were able to get
enough bottled drinking water and towels. The hot water heater was too
small, keeping hot showers short. Other than that I had no complaints.
The location was perfect, right across the road from the boat dock for
Scuba Shack, where we dove. Scooter and car rentals and convenience
stores were also close by. The small beach where the sunken
airplane lies in about 35 feet of water was about 30 yards away.
The room was away from the street behind Ernesto's Famous Fajita Factory.
We had to walk through Ernesto's, sometimes in full scuba gear, getting
to and from our room. Nobody seemed to mind. It was about 1.5 miles
into town, which we walked once.

The night we arrived we got tanks from the Scuba Shack just before
they closed and did a night shore dive after unpacking. On this
dive we located the airplane and saw many octopi (the animals).
It was a nice way to start our trip. Because of our late arrival we
had signed up for an afternoon dive the next day. We did another shore
dive in the same place the next morning and practiced taking our gear
off under water. I noted that an octopus carried by a neck strap
was a pain in the neck when doing this, and that it would be good
to carry a few extra pounds of weight to help stay down without
tanks. Knowledge gained on this dive would prove useful a couple
nights later. (Wink.)

The Scuba Shack runs small fast boats which carry 6 customers,
plus a dive master and driver. I wouldn't say "captain" on such
small boats. The cost is $45 for two dives unless it is part of a
package. There is a $15 extra charge for Punta Sur (see below),
which is further.

In the afternoon we dove the Santa Rosa wall. Although the clear
depths beckoned I stayed on the dive master's plan - max depth
80 feet. But I talked to him about arranging a special deep wall
dive later. Our second dive was Punta Tunich, characterized by
many fish and a swift current.

When we showed up for our dive the next morning they asked for
our log books and asked about our experience deep diving, so
I knew we were in for something special. My wife hadn't logged
dives after those needed for certification, but on my assurance
that she had been to *censured* feet with me (which I had logged
but they didn't check) there was no problem.

The special dive turned out to be Punta Sur, not what I would really
call a deep dive, but it was spectacular. The top of the reefs were
at about 60 feet. The sand between them, and before the drop off,
maybe 100 or so. The plan was to dive a coral cave called the Devil's
Throat, which starts at about 85 feet, goes by some skylights, never
completely losing daylight, and emerges on the wall at 120 feet.
I had the only computer (an Aladin) so I was leading the trip as far as
keeping track of decompression status went. Planned max bottom time was
30 minutes. Even though we would be spending most of our time well above
that it was understood that because the Aladin is so conservative a short
decompression might be indicated.

We began by descending to one massive reef and going through a small cave.
Each time we went down I waited for the others to ascend first so I'd have
the worse decompression status of the group to control the dive. After
exploring the first reef and coral cave we went back up to 70 feet and
drifted across an expanse of white sand to another massive reef, entering
the Devil's Throat on the side. The coral cave itself was beautiful.
A large room with a sky light has an apparently natural coral cross and
perhaps for that reason is called the Cathedral.

The dive master wanted us to turn out all lights to go
through a minor restriction dipping down, from which the
Devil's Throat gets its name. I was reluctant to do this
because of not wanting to bump the coral, the only thing
I didn't like about this dive and his leadership. It was
never completely dark, but the effect of emerging into bright
light on the wall at 120 feet was great. While still inside
the cave we ran of NDL time, so I tried to slightly speed up
the rest of the dive. While waiting for the others to come out
of the cave behind me I went over to a cliff at 131 feet and
looked down. I could see down to 200 feet or more by natural
light. My only slightly anxious moments were during our short
decompression stop (about 5 minutes to clear and another 5 for
safety) when I had to keep signaling everyone to stay deep enough.
Anyway, Punta Sur and the Devil's Throat was a great dive which I
highly recommend. Ordinarily there is an extra $15 charge, which
we didn't have to pay because we were buying a package, but it is
well worth it. For our second dive my wife asked to go
back to Punta Tunich to see a big green moray we had
spotted at the end of our dive the day before. This moray
is evidently well known to the dive masters and our
dive master (not the one we had the day before) found the
moray.

In the afternoon we rented a scooter and did the usual tour
around the island, then went into town for dinner. The next
morning we used the scooter to go to Chankanaab, where we
rented tanks (outside tanks are not allowed) for a shore dive.
Even though they have a monopoly tank rental is only $6.
One minor problem was that our C cards were being held back
at the Scuba Shack, but we convinced the lady at the dive
shop that we were certified and she didn't make us go back
to get our cards. The cost of a scooter is $25 for 24 hours.
By renting it early in the afternoon after a morning dive
and waiting for an afternoon boat dive the next day we got
maximum use out of our 24 hours.

We had only snorkeled Chankanaab before. At the dive shop inside
the park we were told about caves south of the steps into the
lagoon. To protect the park gloves and knives are not allowed.
To keep open water divers from going too far lights are also
prohibited, but we weren't the only ones sneaking them in in
our BC pockets. The caves are very shallow and have many
connected entrances. It would be possible to swim between
entrances by natural light. These were true limestone caves,
not coral caves. Scenic highlights were the light from entrances,
optical effects of a halicline, where fresh water meets salt water,
and the clouds of sardines shimmering in the entrances. There were
also large tarpon swimming in and out. The caves were so shallow
we were able to do two dives of about 45 minutes each on single
tanks with plenty to spare.

On the second dive we were lucky to find another cave which we weren't
told about which had a few formations. It also had a sign which may have
said not to go in, but which was fortunately illegible. Formations in
underwater caves are common in the Yucatan, but rare elsewhere. I wished
I had full cave gear to explore further. I'm told that certified cave
divers can get in with cave gear by special arrangement.

We had by this time decided to stay an extra day in Cozumel and
signed up for an afternoon dive. We wanted to go back to Punta
Sur, and had been told this would be possible if there were
enough experienced divers who wanted to go. When it came time
to actually go they said they did no special dives in the
afternoon. Instead we went to the section of Palancar called
the Horseshoe. This was a spectacular site. The top of the
reef was only about 20 feet, the bottom as far down as I could
see from 90. Best of all our dive master, Peter Maldenado, was
the best I've had in Cozumel. When Kris and I got down the first
pair of divers in the water had just started exploring rather
than waiting for the group to assemble as usual, so we did likewise.
Occasionally I would see Peter from 20 yards or more away,
exchange okays, and go on about our dive. Not having to follow
a group around was real treat. As far as I know no one abused
the privilege by going significantly deeper or staying longer
than we were supposed to. On our safety stop the top of the
reef was still close enough to make an interesting dive, and
we extended the stop by about 10 minutes. Peter entertained us
by blowing air rings, a skill I'm still trying to learn to
imitate on decompression stops.

That night, shore diving from near our room, we indulged my
fantasy to join the five fathom club. This account contains
only logistical details, no explicit sex. With shore diving
right across the street, comfortably warm water, plenty of space
with a clear sand on the bottom, and coral (plus the airplane) to
hold the attention of the few others who might do night shore dives
we felt the risk of being interrupted was minimal and the opportunity
too good to pass up. Even if we were discovered by other gringo
divers I guessed nothing serious would happen.

I had set up our regulators without the troublesome octopi and with
seven foot hoses on the second stages. The long hoses are convenient
but not strictly necessary. We each added extra weight to our weight
belts. We carried caving lights with separate battery packs and used
the light cords to secure our fins while undressed. Otherwise I'd
recommend a nylon line which could be run through the fin straps and
secured with a clip. We removed one fin each, keeping our bathing suits
around the leg with the other fin. The distraction of this was minimal.
The convenience store near our room sold small bottles of Vaseline. A
non-water soluble lubricant is a good idea. This might be a problem if
using a latex condom. That's all the logistical (or other) details which
I care to go into. I wonder if PADI sells an underwater sex patch? :-)
If you try this have fun.

The next morning we traveled by ferry to the main land
and went down to Aventuras Akumal by taxi. Akumal is a much
quieter less hectic environment than Cozumel. We did an afternoon
reef dive after arriving. The open water diving is less spectacular
than Cozumel, but Akumal is worth considering for the beautiful environment
and change of pace. The main attraction is cave and cavern diving. You can
also use it as a base to visit the Tulum ruins, snorkel Xelha and other,
reportedly better and less crowded sites on the coast, and check out the
main land.

The two cavern dives I went on with my wife were amazing,
like flying through Carlsbad caverns - including massive
formations. I also did three cave dives which were even better.
When (not if) I go back I hope to go with a cave diving tour
and see much more of these caves. They are very easy dives with big
passages, little or no flow, and clear, relatively warm, shallow water.

This post is already too long so I'll leave the details of Akumal
for another post, if there is interest.

Bill Mayne