SCUBA SIG of American Mensa - Cozumel, Mexico, December 4-9, 2008

SCUBA SIG DIVES COZUMEL DECEMBER 4-9, 2008

Join the SCUBA SIG in Cozumel for the fifth year in a row. Last year was our biggest trip ever, but we’re going to have even more fun this year! You won’t want to miss the excitement, so make your plans now to be part of our group. As in previous years, this will be a do it yourself trip, but with all the fun and camaraderie of a typical Mensa dive trip.

The Basic Plan:

Arrive Cozumel Thursday December 4, depart Tuesday December 9, stay at Casa Mexicana, dive with Dive with Martin. Book your own air and hotel, and Ann Faget will coordinate the dive arrangements with Dive with Martin. You are welcome to arrive earlier and stay later if you wish, but the core dates for the group are 12/4 - 12/9.

The Details:

Airfare

Round trip air on Continental is currently $446 from Houston Intercontinental, thanks mainly to $93 in taxes and fees added on to the basic fare of $353. Check the Continental web site for fares from other cities, connecting through Houston. American Airlines offers connecting service through Dallas. US Airways offers connecting service through Charlotte. This would be a GREAT time to use your frequent flyer miles. Another option is to fly into Cancun, take a bus to Playa del Carmen and then take the ferry to Cozumel. (See http://www.cozumel.net/1maps/ferry.htm for the schedule. I have tried this before, and it was inconvenient enough that I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are saving a LOT of money on your airfare this way.)

Hotel Casa Mexicana

Casa Mexicana is one of Cozumel’s newest hotels and it’s been completely restored since the hurricane. This will be our fourth year to stay at Casa Mexicana; it’s become a Mensa favorite for good reason. It’s conveniently located just on the southern edge of downtown, directly across from the ocean and within easy walking distance of the central plaza. We will be able to walk to our choice of fine restaurants each evening for dinner. There is a second floor pool, perfect for relaxing with a beautiful view of the ocean. The clean and modern rooms are well appointed. Wifi is available in the rooms if you bring your laptop, or you can use the workstations just off the lobby at no charge. Each morning we will enjoy a delicious full breakfast buffet, including omelets to order, while seated in the spacious second floor garden dining area.

Please note: The SCUBA SIG has NOT reserved a group of rooms at Casa Mexicana. The hotel is NOT offering a group rate. If you book directly with the hotel, it will be more expensive than booking over the Internet. Funjet is currently offering a land only package of $438 for two adults for 5 nights at the Casa Mexicana (which works out to $43.25/person/nt). Add $180 for an ocean view room. The rate for a single is $418 for five nights. This package includes round trip airport transfers (normally around $9/person each way) and the full breakfast buffet each morning.

Trip Advisor is currently giving Casa Mexicana 4½ out of 5 stars, and it is rated #6 out of 64 hotels in Cozumel.

For all the years that I’ve been leading this trip, Funjet has consistently offered the lowest rate for a land only package at Casa Mexicana, so I would recommend checking them first. However, you may be able to find a cheaper combination air/hotel package by using a travel agent or by doing your own research. Sidestep and Kayak will search multiple sites for the best deals.

Schedule

Those of us flying Continental will arrive in Cozumel at 11:38 in the morning on Thursday. After checking into the hotel and unpacking, we’ll take taxis over to Ernesto’s for a leisurely lunch overlooking the beautiful turquoise waters of the Caribbean. After lunch, we'll head over to check in with Dive with Martin. For those who haven’t been in the water for a while and want to get comfortable underwater again, and those who just can’t wait to get in the water, we’ll get some tanks for an optional beach check-out dive to the sunken airplane, still one of Cozumel's best shore dives, although there’s very little of the airplane left. Friday through Monday: four days of diving! We'll do a two tank morning dive with Dive with Martin; then we’ll have the afternoons at leisure. I’m hoping a few other hard core divers will want to do a third tank at least one day. Other options include sun bathing, shopping, a trip to beautiful Chankanab Marine Preserve for snorkeling or the Dolphin Encounter, Mayan ruins, and many others. We may be able to get in a dive in one of the fresh water cenotes if there’s any interest. Excursions to the mainland to see Tulum, Xel-ha or Xcaret can be arranged for non-divers or those who don’t want to do four days of diving. Friday or Saturday evening we will do a boat night dive. Each evening we will visit one of Cozumel's many fine restaurants for dinner. Tuesday morning we'll head back to the airport for the 12:20 Continental flight back to Houston.
Diving

We will dive with Dive with Martin. I have been using Dive with Martin for well over fifteen years; it is one of Cozumel's finest dive operations, offering fast boats and personalized service. The shop is located south of town at the International Pier. The rate is $210 for four days of two tank boat diving (still the best bargain in Cozumel). We can add a night dive for $30. Nitrox is an additional $9 per tank. PLUS: Dive with Martin offers FREE gear to all divers; just let me know what you need so I can reserve in advance. This is ideal for new divers who don’t have their own equipment yet; DWM can provide everything you need.

For those of you interested in getting certified, Dive with Martin offers a full SCUBA School, including PADI Open Water certification, and Open Water Referral (do your class and pool work at your local dive shop, complete your open water check out dives in Cozumel). Please let me know in advance if you would like to arrange this.

Diving in Cozumel is as easy as doing a back roll off the side of the boat. No strenuous swimming needed just drift along with the current through crystal clear turquoise depths while marveling at the colorful marine life. No worries about trying to navigate back to the boat the capitan follows the group from above, and the boat will be waiting to pick us up when we surface. For our first dive of the day, we will normally descend to one of Cozumel’s world-famous walls, with towering coral formations formed over the centuries. Our second dive will be a more leisurely shallow dive, with plenty of interesting fish and critters. Awesome coral, colorful marine life, clear azure waters this is diving at its best!

Questions?

Post any questions you have about Cozumel (or anything about SCUBA diving) to the scubasig-talk list. See http://lists.us.mensa.org/mailman/listinfo/scubasig-talk for details. For specific questions about this trip that you don't want to share with the rest of us, email Ann at Cozumel2008@scubasig.us.mensa.org.

Caveat

The prices quoted in this announcement are current as of 5/21/2008, and are, as usual, subject to change. With rising fuel prices, air fares may go up at any time. Hotel rooms may sell out. The SCUBA SIG has NOT reserved any spaces. Trip participants will need to book their own air and accommodations.
Review

Let's review why this trip will be GREAT!

We will dive the world famous reefs and walls of Cozumel, home of the elusive Cozumel toad fish. We will see turtles, eels, sharks, sea horses, lobsters, and a wide variety of colorful corals and marine life, all while drifting blissfully through the gin clear azure waters of the Caribbean. If you've been to Cozumel before, you know what I'm talking about. For Cozumel first timers, get some basic info at http://www.cozumel.net/about/.
Dive with Martin will cater to our group we will have our own boat, and choose our dive sites every day. In addition to unlimited tanks for shore diving, our dive package also includes FREE dive gear. That's right - no need to rent gear; if you don't have your own, DWM will supply everything you need including regulator and BCD; there are even a few computers available.
Our beautiful modern hotel is right down town. No need to take taxis to dinner, we’ll just walk!
Our trip leader, Ann Faget, will be happy to offer the benefit of her extensive experience with Cozumel travel and diving. After falling in love with Cozumel on her first Mensa dive trip back in 1987, Ann has been returning to Cozumel 2 or 3 times a year ever since. She will be able to recommend a wide variety of excellent restaurants for lunch and dinner, and assist with suggestions for shopping, sightseeing, etc.
Finally: What better way to get the best out of a dive trip? We will enjoy the inestimable pleasure of the company of our fellow Mensa divers. Catch up with old friends and make new ones!

In Summary

Great diving with great friends! It just doesn't get any better! You know you wanna go! So what are you waiting for? LET'S DIVE!!

Obligatory Disclaimer

What the SCUBA SIG does for you:

Suggest a time and place for diving.
Facilitate communications to help you find a roommate and discuss this trip (or any other).
Provide updates on the SCUBA SIG Announcements Email List: http://lists.us.mensa.org/mailman/listinfo/scubasig-announce

What the SCUBA SIG doesn't do for you:

Make any reservations.
Handle any money.
Accept any liability for your health, wealth, or personal happiness in life.

DON'T FORGET YOUR PASSPORT AND YOUR C-CARD!!

Email your questions to Ann Faget at Cozumel2008@scubasig.us.mensa.org.

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Photos by J.Sitchin