Dive Cozumel advice needed!!

[subzero]

Going to Mexico next summer and I need an advice on diving in Cozumel.

[Helena1982]

On most dives there is a current present, which means that most of the diving is conducted by boat. The currents can be next to nothing, or relatively strong. Either way, divers always make drift dives.

The divers go down with their dive master, swim along with the current, and then come up with their buddy and/or dive master. The boat will be there to pick the divers up. Water temperatures vary from 78F/25.5C to 86F/30C all year long.

[Zeus]

You’re probably already aware that they use a "live boat" drift diving technique exclusively. No, you won't have the security of an anchor line. Yes, you will be expected to keep up with the group and everything does move rather quickly when the time comes to make that giant stride or back roll off the boat. If all this tends to give you the jitters, STOP! There is something you can do to assure yourself a very pleasant first experience. Once you've boarded the boat and it is underway, tell your dive master that you're new to Cozumel and ask him to give you your tank, NOW. Then proceed to get "set up. Now you can take your time. So what if you make a ton of mistakes. Better now than at the last minute. Once you've made all those adjustments, ask your dive master about the exit procedures. Should he tell you to just wait and see, insist, or seek advice form a more Cozumel experienced diver aboard. When the time does come to take the plunge, you will have eliminated that horrible "peer pressure" and 90% of the stress which causes those stupid little life threatening mistakes.

The most important time to equalize pressure (clear your ears) is on the surface immediately prior to descent. This assures you open and receptive U-tubes and makes subsequent equalizations much easier. Until you develop the skill of "equalizing" you might want to make it habit to pinch and blow on every exhalation for the first 40 feet or so

[Daniel101]

Drift Diving isn't a difficult thing to learn and your Dive Master will brief you a little bit on what you need to know on the way out to the dive site. There's also a drift diving specialty course you may want to consider investing in to get the maximum enjoyment out of your Cozumel diving.

The big thing to remember about drift diving is don't fight the current or swim against it. Instead, relax, relax, and relax. Maintain your neutral buoyancy in top condition and "fly with the drift".

As to finding the best op, the first thing I would investigate is safety issues. This is always my primary concern. Ask if the operation has a radio on board, oxygen, first aid kit. Affiliation with the Hyperbaric Chamber is a good sign, too.

Organization and equipment upkeep is something else to take a close look at. Check how they have their gear stored, for example. Is it properly rinsed, neatly hung, in good condition? Ask to try on the equipment you'd be using and look at it closely for fit and function.
Another really important thing to ask about is whether the op is planning to take out a boat with divers of mixed experience. The temptation is great to want to do this because it's easier to fill the boat that way. But if you find out that the op has in mind sending you out with a mixed experienced group-for example, beginners mixed with guys who have logged more than 50 dive --then ask nicely if they'll send an extra DM along - one to take care of those who are more experienced and another to watch out for newer divers.
This is the safe thing to do.

[Pirate1987]

Well, with the big boats for, say, 20 divers the pros are that you'll have a platform that makes it easy to get in and out of the water. And a bathroom on board and sometimes room for sunbathing on the way out to the site and back.
On the downside, with a larger group of divers, you're much more likely to have a mix of experience levels. That means that if, say, 1 diver runs low on air before everyone else, usually the DM will make everybody come up -whether they're low on air or not. This will generally be the scenario unless it's a place like Dive House, one of the ops I used to work with before I became an independent instructor. Dive House takes along a second DM for mixed groups.
The small boats --carrying 6 to 8 divers max -- don't have the bathrooms - although you should be sure to choose one that has a sun shade and a ladder. And they don't have a platform. But you get a whole lot more personalized service -- which is why I always recommend this option as the first choice if you don't have special needs that require the big boats
.
In addition to getting a lot more special attention, the small boats allow for considerably more multi-level diving than is possible with a large group. And the small boats are faster so they can usually get you out to the reefs ahead of any crowds.