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Cozy in Coz 2005-2006


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#16 Travelnsj

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Posted 05 January 2006 - 09:12 AM

:( Sounds and looks like the Old Club Med of the 80's...Party on!


Hope the all my kissing cousins are finishing off the trip in SD style and a Texas win in the Rose Bowl (Hook-em Horns!!!!!!!!)


Now that is funny......Texas beats USC :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:


Isn't it?
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:


What a game! Texas and Mr. Young deserved that win....Congratulations!
You must endeavor to pursue!

#17 ScubaHawk

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Posted 05 January 2006 - 05:08 PM

The short version of my trip report:

We dove hard and were put up wet!
Take an SD trip - See old friends you have never met before!
Every existing thing is born without reason, prolongs itself out of weakness, and dies by chance. - Jean-Paul Sartre
I feel the urge, the urge to submerge! -ScubaHawk - Raptor of the Deep !
WHO DAT!!!!

#18 SDvrGirl

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Posted 05 January 2006 - 08:31 PM

Here I am back in MN too :lam:

It was a first for me after joining SD just days before they left as I already had plans to spend both Christmas and New Years in Cozumel anyway. EVERYONE in the SD group was awesome and welcomed me with open arms! Really!! :P

We LOVE Del Mar Aquatics (Yes, they are open and ready to work for you!) Rene and Alex were our dive masters for the trip and had fun right along with us. We were able to complete several one hour plus dives over the course of the trip. The reefs have sustained damage, but are still wonderful. Lots of larger swim throughs, new growth and mucho marine life (Eagle Rays, Sharks, Turtles, Lobsters, Eels, barracuda, trumpet fish, sting rays etc, etc). Kudos to those who helped clean foreign debris from the reefs!!

No shortage of restaurants or shopping and the square is pretty well back to normal. They planted lots of new trees and other greenery all over. However, my favorite bar (Viva Mexico) is not open at night due to the much smaller crowds in town at night. Outside of the square everyday we noticed progress on palapa roofs, walls and other repairs. Many places that have plans on rebuilding and haven't are waiting on insurance $$'s. Some shops and hotels have taken longer time to complete repairs and remodel. The hotels to the south like Casa del Mar, El Cid, El Presidente are currently closed. Casa del Mar is scheduled to reopen 2/1/2006 and others to follow. There are many smaller resorts open and would be happy to have you as a guest!

New Years was brought in at Kelly's Bar and Restaurant in SD style! Great music, dancing and lots of kisses at Midnight all around!! Plenty of good eats, cervesa's, margaritas and FUN for the rest of the time too! All while Kamala continued marketing Singledivers.com and managed to pick up another diver or two when out and about. If you are reading this and are not a member what are you waiting for??!!

#19 Guest_PlatypusMan_*

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Posted 06 January 2006 - 08:44 AM

Leaving Cozy today and wanted to post a quick trip report:

WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Platypusman
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#20 MNJoe

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Posted 06 January 2006 - 09:45 AM

Fabulous Trip!!!!! Too Bad it had to end.





MNJoe


more to come later.

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#21 Desert_Diver

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Posted 06 January 2006 - 11:52 PM

Here's the short list of the sites we dived (it'll have to do 'till someone puts up detailed commentary):

Saturday, Dec 31
Columbia Reef
Punta Dalila
Tormentos Reef

Sunday, Jan 01
Palancar Reef
San Francisco Wall

Monday, Jan 02
Palancar Caves
Paso Del Cedral Reef
Bolones De Chankanaab
Paradise Reef (ended around dark o'clock)

Tuesday, Jan 03
Santa Rosa Wall
Yucab Wall

Wednesday, Jan 04
Palancar Bricks
Chankanaab Reef
C-53 wreck (Felipe Xicotencatl)

Thursday, Jan 05
Palancar Horseshoe
Punta Tunich
Las Palmas Drop-Off

I had to read between the lines on some of the site names we were given, so I used the closest match from the Franko's map where possible. The reefs didn't need another clean-up (other than the 6 gazillion tons of sand that got shifted around during Wilma). I only found one teeny brown glass bottle, as it appears the dive operators in Coz have done an EXCELLENT job removing the crap & rubble. Better than 80% of the businesses that *weren't* next to the ocean are open, and begging for touristas. Most of the 'beach clean-up' is done, except for rock & concrete rubble that needs backhoes to remove, but a lot of the beach areas had already been vacuumed. Just the areas where shops or resorts got clobbered (and I DO mean clobbered!) remained, and they didn't seem too open to letting us Norte's stagger around where they're working.

BTW, I was a Coz virgin, so I don't have a point of comparison. From my perspective, it's still leaps and bounds better than nearly every sited I dived off of Key Largo, so it's a worthwhile dive trip. I could tell from the looks on the faces of the veterans that a lot had changed. There's still dying sponges scattered all over, and the elkhorn? coral field at one site was totally destroyed. The cabbage? coral looked dead or dying, as it wasn't the right color I'd expect. Fish populations and varieties were great, including one hellaciously big Green Moray that Hawk found on our last dive. The sponges will be back within a year, the rest needs a LOT of time to recover back to the Old Coz, but it's still a nice set of dives if you can get over the fact that a force four hurricane slammed the area for 60+ hours.

Due to Kamala's ELEMENTAL FORCE, we were able to dive the C-53 wreck. :cool1: Apparently, they hadn't been letting folks dive it 'cos it'd split in 3 or 4 places, although it didn't look particularly dangerous. It's solid and intact, just has some new cracks that didn't compromise the safety, as long as you weren't crazy enough to grab the edges of raw metal where it'd split. Not a scratch among us. The biggest split was right amidships, maybe a 2 inch gap at best, nuttin' to lose your nerve over. Like a lot of the reef elsewhere, there's sand or silt inside in places that were clean before, but that's to be expected since it'd MOVED a fair ways during the hellstorm that Wilma wrought.

All in all, it's a helluva way to start the new year! If anyone blew the trip off, afraid that Coz was still in a world of hurt, I hope you're kicking yourself right now :cool1:

And to correct any misconceptions, Kamala's 'initiation' into the 900+ dive fraternity was just a G-rated prank, amid squealing and frenzied jumping about... No animals were harmed in the filming of that dive, but I'd bet it was a tad chilly. Dunno if Larry actually had time to catch it on film, so it may just be a fading memory....

Stan :teeth:

#22 Guest_PlatypusMan_*

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Posted 07 January 2006 - 10:06 AM

Okay, I'm home and (somewhat) rested.

If you can make a Coz trip, do it! You won't regret making the journey.

Desert Diver Stan said it best, there's no need to rehash what we both saw as Cozumel newbies; the reefs have sustained damage that extends over quite a range--that was expected. The damage was limited with depth, but it will be some time before we know just how extensive the final tally is going to be.

It's probably a very unique opportunity for a long-tern biological study regarding reef formation if someone wants to take it.

Fish abounded throughout every dive we made, so the rich variety there is certainly good to see.

BTW, if you're lucky enough to draw Stan as your dive buddy, consider yourself fortunate--he's the BEST dive partner I've had the privilege to drop into the water with.

Platypusman

Posted Image
toodledooodledooo.....Who needs a drysuit?

Edited by PlatypusMan, 07 January 2006 - 10:07 AM.


#23 ScubaHawk

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Posted 07 January 2006 - 01:27 PM

A note on Cenotes. Steve and I hit the mainland Friday and dove a Cenote called Dos Ojos (Spanish for two ojos :teeth:) Scuba Caribe is a great company and fun to dive with. This was my first Cenote (or any natural cave) and it was awesome!!! Stalactites, stalagmites (which might hand from the ceiling, but don't) there were amazing caverns, "lattice work" ceilings . . . let me sum it up by saying - It was a HAT DIVE.

As the last one of the group here in Cozy, I am sitting in the bar downstairs at the hotel, having a final Rum and Rum in honor of the trip. My plane leaves in a few hours to return me to the frozen north. It's been a great trip.
Take an SD trip - See old friends you have never met before!
Every existing thing is born without reason, prolongs itself out of weakness, and dies by chance. - Jean-Paul Sartre
I feel the urge, the urge to submerge! -ScubaHawk - Raptor of the Deep !
WHO DAT!!!!

#24 MNJoe

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Posted 07 January 2006 - 02:44 PM

Sad to say I am back home, wish I could have staid in Cozumel. Atleast it is an extremely mild day in Minnesota for January. Still no time for a full report, I just wanted to drop in to say that I made it home.

MNJoe


Christmas_Tree.jpg Huge_Moray.jpg Scorpionfish_in_Hand.jpg ent]TurtleII.jpg

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#25 Mitch0129

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Posted 07 January 2006 - 03:36 PM

Due to Kamala's ELEMENTAL FORCE, we were able to dive the C-53 wreck. :fish2: Apparently, they hadn't been letting folks dive it 'cos it'd split in 3 or 4 places, although it didn't look particularly dangerous. It's solid and intact, just has some new cracks that didn't compromise the safety, as long as you weren't crazy enough to grab the edges of raw metal where it'd split. Not a scratch among us. The biggest split was right amidships, maybe a 2 inch gap at best, nuttin' to lose your nerve over. Like a lot of the reef elsewhere, there's sand or silt inside in places that were clean before, but that's to be expected since it'd MOVED a fair ways during the hellstorm that Wilma wrought.


Knowing the Wench, I am certain they knew they just better let y'all dive the wreck rather in incur her wrath for the rest of the week! :teeth:

Anyway, what is the deal with the C-53, are they saying the ship is starting to fall apart? It sounds like it might have gotten damaged by the hurricane?

The last time I was in Cozumel (2000), they had just sunk the ship a couple of months before. I had wanted to dive on it but the dive operator said it was not worth it as of yet and mu trip leader seemed to agree. I did not think anything of it but, then again, I thought I would have been back by now. :(

Glad to hear y'all had a good time!
-Mitch-

#26 Desert_Diver

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Posted 07 January 2006 - 08:41 PM

Anyway, what is the deal with the C-53, are they saying the ship is starting to fall apart? It sounds like it might have gotten damaged by the hurricane?


They said C-53 had *moved* during Wilma (unknown just how far), but it's still upright, and there's a few new cracks, one amidship that goes from top to bottom, port to starbord, cutting it in half. Must have happened when it hit it's current position, 'cos the crack is pretty tiny, and you can't tell it's in 2 pieces from 20' away. From my (admittedly minimal) experience, it looked safer to dive than most of the WWII wrecks in NC. The cracks didn't appear to compromise the structural integrity, but the operators were justifiably cautious until it'd been checked out thoroughly. ROLL CALL! for those that penetrated: did it look OK inside (apart from the Wilma sand)? I just did a quick pop through the bridge? area, and didn't enter anywhere else (no lights, no reel, enough sense to stay out). Nobody mentioned anything unusual, just more muck and some sand, and most of the guide ropes are gone.

John, same sentiment from this end. I've always kept track of my partners, even MORE so now after my monumentally stupid entry in Fiji. The *stop*think*act* that PADI preaches doesn't work once the adrenaline kicks in as you find you're not breathing... I went from calm to warp speed in about a second or two. It's reassuring to know there's someone nearby in case the idiot gene kicks in, again.

#27 MNJoe

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Posted 08 January 2006 - 05:41 PM

Another fabulous trip with singleDivers.com!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A big round of applause to everyone involved.


We dove, ate, brought in the New Year, donated school supplies and dove some more. The reefs may not have been as they were in the past, but the diving is still excellent. Del Mar Aquatics did a great job, I am really glad that we still went ahead with the trip after Wilma. The island is recovering and is busy rebuilding. Great job putting the trip together Kamala. Kim you did a great job as the trip leader.


Phylis and Kim you are both wonderful dive buddies. John is was a pleasure sharing the room with you.

My dive gear is still hanging waiting to be put away and I am all ready wondering when I will be on my next SD.com dive trip.


MNJoeCozumel_Toadfish.jpg Cozy_Turtle_3.jpg Danny_New_Years.jpg tachment]Hawkeye.jpg Kam___Larry.jpg [attachment=2191
:attachment]School_Supplies.jpg Stonefish.jpg [attachment=2
194:attachment]

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"just your average Joe from Minnesota, also known as Keith"


#28 captsteve

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Posted 08 January 2006 - 06:02 PM

Anyway, what is the deal with the C-53, are they saying the ship is starting to fall apart? It sounds like it might have gotten damaged by the hurricane?


They said C-53 had *moved* during Wilma (unknown just how far), but it's still upright, and there's a few new cracks, one amidship that goes from top to bottom, port to starbord, cutting it in half. Must have happened when it hit it's current position, 'cos the crack is pretty tiny, and you can't tell it's in 2 pieces from 20' away. From my (admittedly minimal) experience, it looked safer to dive than most of the WWII wrecks in NC. The cracks didn't appear to compromise the structural integrity, but the operators were justifiably cautious until it'd been checked out thoroughly. ROLL CALL! for those that penetrated: did it look OK inside (apart from the Wilma sand)? I just did a quick pop through the bridge? area, and didn't enter anywhere else (no lights, no reel, enough sense to stay out). Nobody mentioned anything unusual, just more muck and some sand, and most of the guide ropes are gone.

John, same sentiment from this end. I've always kept track of my partners, even MORE so now after my monumentally stupid entry in Fiji. The *stop*think*act* that PADI preaches doesn't work once the adrenaline kicks in as you find you're not breathing... I went from calm to warp speed in about a second or two. It's reassuring to know there's someone nearby in case the idiot gene kicks in, again.




just got home several hours ago. i must say that it was a great trip and i am impressed with the job kamala did putting everything together. TRIP LEADER "kim"....great trip! i enjoyed meeting everyone and intend to make another trip as soon a possible!
the cenotes diving on the 6th was great. scubahawk kinda summed it up.....except where i left my light dangling in his eyes.
the c-53 is fine inside. the sand inside doesnt stir up too readily and i didnt see many cables or anything else loose overhead. i did notes two loose support members amidship, but they didnt seem like a big deal. i would consider it a great place to practice. that doesnt mean CAUTION shoudnt be used!

great trip everyone!

#29 Dejah

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Posted 17 January 2006 - 01:45 PM

So all, where's all the pictures everyone took? I've only seen a few on here..

#30 Big O

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Posted 21 January 2006 - 01:04 PM

Hey all,

Im in Coz this week, and spoke to Tony Rome a couple of nights ago, on a night I was wearing my SD T-shirt, and he commented on how nice and enjoyable it was to have the SD group at his place for dinner.

Our entire group is going there tonight for dinner? Whats best there?

Dave
UH-HUH




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