Scuba diving

[LesIsmoore]

I would appreciate any insight to the scuba diving opportunities at RM. I was told there is a shop up the road, does anyone know about them?
Or should I just wait until next year and go to Pearl?
Les

[BluffCity]

I don't know about opportunities around the resort; but one of the most interesting dives I've been on in a while was Cenote (limestone sinkhole connected to underground cave system). You can dive on of these with your open water cert under a trained cave diver and go up to about 50 ft from the entrance. Unlimited visibility, a halocline, long dive times as no depths deeper than 40 feet. It's an experience unique to the Yucatan peninsula. The one we dove in was Chac-Mool Cenote a little north of Tulum. Wife and I loved it. I want to say the group we went diving with was AquaTerra as I remember.

[Le Couteau Cache']

On our last Desire visit, I decided to do some diving. I had a sea card some 20 or so years ago; the dive-guy at the towel desk by the pool looked it up for me on-line, gave me a refresher course in the pool in the morning, and we went out the next day with a few other divers to dive the reef about 1/4 offshore and about 2-3 miles south of Desire. Can't remember how much it cost (wasn't much), but it was 2 dives, in approximately 10-15 feet depth, each time for as long as I cared to kick around looking at the same kind of coral and fish.

[tannaked]

When we were there in October/November there was a dive operation that was operating from RM. Atlantis Dive as I recall; the divemaster's name was Rueben. They offer resort courses and various reef dives. I went on a two tank dive - $140.00 -
two locations - 30 and 50 feet. Nice and convenient, my dive buddy was on his first open water dive while taking the resort course.

Wetset in Puerto Morelos (wetset.com) offers some alternatives as Tadd has secured permits to dive on some wrecks. Something more for the experienced diver - however you need to get to and from PM.

Have a great trip, enjoy your dive experience and please post a trip report.

Ritch

[LesIsmoore]

Okay, I'll try to make this not look like a trip report. I came back home after having my best and worst dives in recent memory. The best was the cenote dives. Worst was my shortened ocean dive. We had red flag conditions most of the week, on my last day the flags went yellow and the harbor master okay-ed diving (so I was told he decides on when to dive). Long-story-short: we went out into 4 -5 foot waves and 10 ft. vis. with a hellish surge. I got a refund.

I brought my own 3 mil wet suit (and mask) which was necessary for the temperature for both. The resort's dive shop provides all gear including wet suits, which explains the cost. I was quoted $120 for a two tanker, and when I balked the price came down to $100 (I'm accustomed to free at Hedo). The excursion desk charges 2% to 3% over the hotel's exchange rate. i.e. my $100 dive was $1,300 pesos not $1,200 pesos. The equipment quality is "good" to "very good." Rueben is in charge of the dive operation.

Again, to repeat myself, do the cenote dive, maybe you can haggle (I didn't) the $195 USD price down a bit.

I was given an alternate dive source,who I corresponded with and liked, but never checked him out: Brett Nielsen PADI Instructor
diveinpuertomorelos.com
His prices are cheaper (no wet suits offered) and you have to taxi or walk (15 minutes) up the beach to get there. He quoted $75 for a two tank dive.

[msforfun]

Hi all my last visit to desire rm last may
Did the 2 tank dive trough the towel desk at The resort
Great service - pick up from rm via boat
First dive was a 30 m wreck dive full penetration - the wreck I'm meaning

Vis was in excess of 25 m as at The 5 m stop I could see the enter dive site
Dived in board shorts

Second dive was on the reef in 5-7 m

Going back again this may and will dive with these guys again

Pm nw if you have questions.
Kiwi diver