Newsgroups: bit.listserv.scuba-l
Date:         Wed, 11 Nov 1992 00:23:00 EST
From:         "Reef Fish (Large Nassau Grouper)" <RFLNG@CLEMSON.BITNET>
Subject:      Cozumel Tidbits

A few tidbits from my dive trip in Czm, 10/30 - 11/9:

80-ft-max Law/Rule/Guideline?  -- recent reports of the 80-ft max new "law?"
=============================
in Mexico caused some concern/consternation among SCUBA-L discussants.

I asked quite a few of the dive operators in Czm about that "law" and the two
most frequent responses are:

(1)  What law?  Never heard of it.
(2)  The 80-ft max applies to the deep dive of ordinary two-tank dives.
     We make "special dives" for qualified divers to below 80 ft.

Translation of (2):  For a few extra bucks, you can dive ANY depth you like.
So, apparently either (a) the "law" is not widely known or enforced;  or
(b) it is not enforced at all.  The latter makes sense, insofar as Cozumel
is concerned.  An 80-ft max. would miss most of the best deep dives there.

Dive Operators.  A conspicuous increase of SMALL operators.  I saw at least
==============
half a dozen new shops (since May this year) in a few blocks downtown --
mostly one-DM, one-boat operations.  In May, the going rates for a two-tank
boat dive were in the $45-$50 range (before discount).  Now $40-$45 --
perhaps resulting from the combination of low-season and competition.

Pesos, New Pesos.  Beginning Jan. 93, a NEW peso is going to be worth 1,000
================
old (current) pesos.  Most shops and restaurants already list prices in both.
It seems odd to see two columns of numbers (in a menu) where one column is
1000 times the number in the other.  Surely even an imbecile wouldn't need
a conversion table for new/old pesos.  The net effect of the conversion is
to rid the nuisance of small-change.  The exchange rate was $3,051 pesos
to a US $1 (when I purchase pesos at the bank).  In new pssos, I suppose
the exchange rate would be forced to be rounded to $3 pesos to a US $.

A few not-so-common DIVES:
=========================
Maracaibo (Deepest reef in Czm).   It's been 4 years since I last dove the
Maracaibo.  We stayed on the sloping wall this entire dive ... never reached
the dropoff ledges which vary from about 180' (on descent) to about 140'
toward the end of the dive.  The group I went with wasn't quite up to doing
a 150' dive (which is how deep a good Maracaibo dive needs to be).  Our max
depths in the 120s made this dive mostly a waste of air/time save for a
large turtle at 90'.

Punta Sur.  119' max was about right for this deep dive.  Spectacular as
always.  Plenty of tunnels, cut-throughs and imposing coral formations.

Punta Tunich.  This is a seldom dived shallow (60'-70') reef.  Very swift
current but excellent reef fish variety.  Home of a humongous Green Moray.

Cedral.  Another nice shallow (60') reef.  TWO large Green Morays took
their residence here.  One might have migrated from Tormentos (the most-
frequently dived shallow reef ... but no more Mr. Green).

Columbia Shallow.  Possibly the best shallow-fish-reef in Czm ... seldom
dived because it is further south than most of the deep dive sites.  No
operator ever heads south for a shallow dive because home (downtown) is
NORTH and all shallow dives of a two-tank dive in Czm goes north from the
deep dive site.  It was the perfect shallow site for the second dive after
the Maracaibo deep dive.  My 74-minute dive used up only 1500 psi of an
3000 psi AL80 because the max depth was only 32 ft. and the average depth
was less than 25'.

Weather, temperature.  Air temperature varied from 80-90F.  Water temp.
====================
was 84F on every dive except one where it registered 86F -- seems unusually
warm for this time of the year.  A lycra skin was more than adequate,

-- Bob.
