| Having been PADI certified Open Water Diver for all | | | | of one such group. I dove with a French diving |
| of five years and logged over 25 total dives. I feel | | | | instructor who was disappointed to be with me and I |
| well qualified to tell you how much fun I have diving | | | | in-turn disappointed that I spent 12 minutes of my |
| in Cozumel. Okay, so diving isn't my first passion in | | | | dive waiting for a less competent diver to get down. |
| life. My kids are, but I love to dive. If my dive buddy | | | | Now don't get the wrong ideal, I enjoyed the |
| didn't have so many problems with clearing her ears, | | | | company and the dive. However given the choice I |
| I think I could have logged twice as many dives. | | | | would have preferred the original planned 90 foot |
| Yeah, I know what you're thinking. A lot of you out | | | | dive to the 78 foot dive we ended up with. I realize |
| there log that many dives in a year. Heck, a dive | | | | that the best dives, with the best light are 30-40 |
| master in Cozumel probably logs more in a week | | | | feet, but to me I'm still chasing that first love. |
| than I have logged in my career. But I have been | | | | Let me set the scene for you. I was fresh out of |
| diving in some of the best locations that North | | | | the infamous Blue Lagoon here in Southeast Texas - |
| America has to offer Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Saba, | | | | a blue former quarry for the Galveston Seawall were |
| Aruba, St. Martin, Key West, Bahamas and Blue | | | | everyone from Southeast Texas certifies The a max |
| Lagoon, Texas. What a resume! | | | | depth at Blue Lagoon is twenty feet with a nice |
| Well, enough with my adulterated qualifications. I here | | | | silted bottom and a bevy of certifying divers. My |
| to tell you that Cozumel is tops with the American | | | | wife and I take a diving trip to Grand Caymans just |
| don't want to be herded like cattle crowd. There are | | | | after Tom Cruise's big hit The Firm has come out. |
| more dive shops in Cozumel than lies in the White | | | | We check in with our dive shop the night before we |
| House. With enough flavors to make Baskin Robbins | | | | are to go diving, we purchased a package deal from |
| wet their pants a pro diver like me can get lost in the | | | | Island Escapes. As we are going over the plans for |
| decision making process. I like Blue Bubbles, no Little | | | | tomorrow my wife is in a panic that the morning dive |
| Urchin Divers , no Del Mar, no make that Papa Hogs - | | | | will be to a max depth of 90-100 feet. The dive |
| How about Blue Deep or Buena Ventura Divers. All I | | | | masters and the shop employees assure us that we |
| want is a fast boat and a friendly dive master. I | | | | will be able to handle 100 feet with no problems. |
| want to dive with experienced divers in the group | | | | Having already done 20 feet what the heck I say, |
| and I want a company who will take to the best dive | | | | my wife has a different view. The shop explains the |
| areas. | | | | dive procedures and assures her that if she has any |
| One thing is for sure no matter who you go with at | | | | problems she is free to skip the morning dive and |
| 9:00 am on the water it reminds me of a big bass | | | | they will exchange one of the two tank dives for a |
| fishing tournament. The only difference is the color of | | | | shore dive. Everything went very well and she ended |
| the water. The fast boats are overtaking the slow | | | | up making the two tanks dive on the boat that day |
| boats the faster boats are roaring past everyone. | | | | and the view from 100 feet down in the Caymans in |
| There seems to be some kind of game between | | | | November has no rivals. We could see the anchor |
| captains to see how much you can rock all of us | | | | buoy on the surface from 100 feet and see the rope |
| Adventure tourists. They pass within a few feet of | | | | from the boat break the water heading for the boat. |
| each other and kind of salute with an all-knowing | | | | Of course you always remember your first time |
| smile. The tournament to get to the best site doesn't | | | | more vividly than the rest. But make the Caymans in |
| matter much though, unlike bass fishing - the reef is | | | | the fall a must do on your dive list. |
| know by every captain and dive master. The secret, | | | | So you ask, why is this story about Cozumel and not |
| out of the way location that hasn't been discovered | | | | the Caymans. Well a funny thing happened on the |
| doesn't exist anymore in Cozumel. Whether you're on | | | | way to the bank. Unless you own one or have the |
| a fast 6-person boat or a barge that doubles as a | | | | trust fund money on the way the Caymans is out of |
| passenger ferry the results are the same. You get to | | | | site for the average diver. When we were there in |
| the popular dive sites and stage a convention for | | | | the early 90's a hamburger meal could be had for |
| Thrill Seekers Anonymous fifty feet down. Of course | | | | about $16.00 a person a chicken entry around $20.00 |
| with all these dive shops after an every more | | | | - got love that jerk chicken. Cozumel has all the |
| diverse dollar the urge to group beginners and more | | | | beauty at less than half the cost, so you can afford |
| experienced divers is ever greater. I had the pleasure | | | | a few good dive trips in a year. |