Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > General > Photography

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #71  
Old 12-09-2013, 10:04 PM
Reef Pilot's Avatar
Reef Pilot Reef Pilot is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Langley BC
Posts: 1,883
Reef Pilot is on a distinguished road
Default

Just got back from there. Stayed at the Bahia Principe Tulum resort. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed. Was expecting to find some nice snorkeling close by, but no joy with that. In fact, the reefs all around were basically a coral graveyard. You can see that there was once lots of SPS, but only saw a few softies and LPS. The SPS were mostly all dead. I suspect the resort and beach development is what killed them, with probably phosphates and chemicals leaching out into the ocean.

Plus you had to go out quite a ways, and the winds were up all the time, making the trek to the reefs and snorkeling in the waves downright dangerous at times. Good thing I had good flippers, and other than getting quite tired, I managed not to scrape myself on the reefs. A friend, who was with me had smaller flippers, and he had a really hard time. We only did it a couple times and gave up after that.

We also made a trip to Akumal, but it was no better there. Winds were high as well, and a guy on a kayak (assume a lifeguard) wouldn't let us go past the outer buoys. So we didn't see much there either. Lots of turtles though, and also saw a big ray.

I guess you need to go on a diving excursion to see the really good stuff there. We normally go to Hawaii (Maui) and I guess I got spoiled there with great snorkeling all over the place, including right beside our hotel.
__________________
Reef Pilot's Undersea Oasis: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=102101
Frags FS: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=115022
Solutions are easy. The real difficulty lies in discovering the problem.
Reply With Quote
  #72  
Old 12-10-2013, 12:17 AM
hillegom hillegom is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1,991
hillegom is on a distinguished road
Default

I went out to the reef at Akumel. About 2 yrs ago and there wasn't a lifeguard then luckily. A bit of a swim and we had to wait while the boats passed, but definately lots to see. Saw a few eels sticking out of the sand and a basking shark. A lot of coral and fish.
Reply With Quote
  #73  
Old 12-10-2013, 12:21 AM
Reef Pilot's Avatar
Reef Pilot Reef Pilot is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Langley BC
Posts: 1,883
Reef Pilot is on a distinguished road
Default

What kind of corals? Any nice looking SPS?
__________________
Reef Pilot's Undersea Oasis: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=102101
Frags FS: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=115022
Solutions are easy. The real difficulty lies in discovering the problem.
Reply With Quote
  #74  
Old 12-10-2013, 12:29 AM
hillegom hillegom is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1,991
hillegom is on a distinguished road
Default

Because I do not have any sps, they were all nice looking lol
Reply With Quote
  #75  
Old 12-10-2013, 12:42 AM
Reef Pilot's Avatar
Reef Pilot Reef Pilot is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Langley BC
Posts: 1,883
Reef Pilot is on a distinguished road
Default

Well, at Bahia they obviously used to have a lot of SPS, as you could still see the dead skeletons. We had hoped to get out to the reefs at Akumal, but the winds and rough seas just didn't allow. And the water was also very turbid, which I guess was understandable with the rough water.

I guess our timing was just off. What times of the year do the winds die down? It was blowing the whole time we were there.

In Maui, the trade winds would pick up in the afternoons, but nothing like this. And there are more protected coves where you don't have to battle the surf. I paddle boarded there, too, even in the afternoons sometimes. But didn't see anyone on a paddle board the whole time we were in Mexico. Just a few kite boarders (they like the wind).
__________________
Reef Pilot's Undersea Oasis: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=102101
Frags FS: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=115022
Solutions are easy. The real difficulty lies in discovering the problem.
Reply With Quote
  #76  
Old 12-10-2013, 03:56 AM
Jakegr's Avatar
Jakegr Jakegr is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Posts: 264
Jakegr is on a distinguished road
Default

I think there are areas in the Mayan Riviera that have pretty good diving, but overall I completely agree Maui is a lot better. There are so many amazing dives and snorkel spots there.
Reply With Quote
  #77  
Old 12-10-2013, 02:55 PM
Treebeard Treebeard is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Strathmore, Alberta
Posts: 665
Treebeard is on a distinguished road
Default

Apparently you have never dove Cozumel.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jakegr View Post
I think there are areas in the Mayan Riviera that have pretty good diving, but overall I completely agree Maui is a lot better. There are so many amazing dives and snorkel spots there.
Reply With Quote
  #78  
Old 12-10-2013, 02:59 PM
Reef_Geek Reef_Geek is offline
BATfishMAN
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 277
Reef_Geek is on a distinguished road
Default

I am writing from my room at the Paradisus resort in Playa del Carmen (PDC) procrastinating until I have to head home to Calgary in about 30 mins.

Had a decent week of diving. I went on 7 dives with Tank-HA out of PDC. Good operation and I'd recommend them for anyone staying around PDC, very professional, and... very important... fast boats (big twin outboards). This meant they could get to the further remote spots and get you off the water sooner if you're prone to seasickness. They also have slightly larger boats.

First dives were supposed to be local PDC reefs, but I arrived just after a few days of rough seas... PDC vis was poor, and in fact, my first scheduled dives were cancelled due to the authorities closing the port to small crafts. So... my first 2 dives were in cenotes. They are worth while if you haven't dove cenotes before... pretty neat... but you can get bored of them after trying them... just rocks and caverns. Next, I did the bull shark dive (single tank). That was neat, they came very close to me (within 1 meter). I also like that Tank-HA does not feed the sharks. One of the shop guys was bitten before (good guy). You can ask him about it. But the shark dive is pretty safe if you don't feed them. They come up to you, see/smell if you have food, and keep moving on. My next 2 dives were in Cozumel. Tank-HA is the only PDC dive shop what takes you directly from the PDC beach to the dive sites in Cozumel and back. These two were my favourite dives of the whole trip. If I come back, I think I'll look for a resort in Cozumel instead of PDC. My last two dives were PDC local reefs, they were my two least favourite dives of the trip. There were some cool formations, but due to the week of rough seas, PDC visibility was really bad (15-20 feet). Cozumel was very clear despite the week of rough seas... and the surface was rough on the ride over from PDC, but was flat once you get to Cozumel... weird how the currents work. I spent yesterday off gassing to fly.... so I took an excursion to Tulum and a sea turtle sea grass bed snorkeling tour in Akumal. Yup, I'm one of those non-local vacationer that crashed Akumal bay. It was really neat though, I've done a lot of diving/snorkeling and it's not too many places where you can snorkel within 100 yards of the beach for 30 mins and see half a dozen sea turtles just grazing and ignoring the snorkelers. Also saw 3 or 4 stingrays, one spotted eagle ray, and a group of cuttlefish. My nephews really enjoyed it, and I think my sister & brother in law also liked it... it was their first snorkel trip in 10 years since their first time on honeymoon.

Anyway... I should finish packing. Back to the great white north... to go through my GoPro videos and hours of editing by the fireplace. I'll post videos whenever I get around to them...
Reply With Quote
  #79  
Old 12-10-2013, 03:16 PM
Treebeard Treebeard is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Strathmore, Alberta
Posts: 665
Treebeard is on a distinguished road
Default

Take my advice and miss your flight. Not to pleasant around these parts lately.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Reef_Geek View Post
I am writing from my room at the Paradisus resort in Playa del Carmen (PDC) procrastinating until I have to head home to Calgary in about 30 mins.

Had a decent week of diving. I went on 7 dives with Tank-HA out of PDC. Good operation and I'd recommend them for anyone staying around PDC, very professional, and... very important... fast boats (big twin outboards). This meant they could get to the further remote spots and get you off the water sooner if you're prone to seasickness. They also have slightly larger boats.

First dives were supposed to be local PDC reefs, but I arrived just after a few days of rough seas... PDC vis was poor, and in fact, my first scheduled dives were cancelled due to the authorities closing the port to small crafts. So... my first 2 dives were in cenotes. They are worth while if you haven't dove cenotes before... pretty neat... but you can get bored of them after trying them... just rocks and caverns. Next, I did the bull shark dive (single tank). That was neat, they came very close to me (within 1 meter). I also like that Tank-HA does not feed the sharks. One of the shop guys was bitten before (good guy). You can ask him about it. But the shark dive is pretty safe if you don't feed them. They come up to you, see/smell if you have food, and keep moving on. My next 2 dives were in Cozumel. Tank-HA is the only PDC dive shop what takes you directly from the PDC beach to the dive sites in Cozumel and back. These two were my favourite dives of the whole trip. If I come back, I think I'll look for a resort in Cozumel instead of PDC. My last two dives were PDC local reefs, they were my two least favourite dives of the trip. There were some cool formations, but due to the week of rough seas, PDC visibility was really bad (15-20 feet). Cozumel was very clear despite the week of rough seas... and the surface was rough on the ride over from PDC, but was flat once you get to Cozumel... weird how the currents work. I spent yesterday off gassing to fly.... so I took an excursion to Tulum and a sea turtle sea grass bed snorkeling tour in Akumal. Yup, I'm one of those non-local vacationer that crashed Akumal bay. It was really neat though, I've done a lot of diving/snorkeling and it's not too many places where you can snorkel within 100 yards of the beach for 30 mins and see half a dozen sea turtles just grazing and ignoring the snorkelers. Also saw 3 or 4 stingrays, one spotted eagle ray, and a group of cuttlefish. My nephews really enjoyed it, and I think my sister & brother in law also liked it... it was their first snorkel trip in 10 years since their first time on honeymoon.

Anyway... I should finish packing. Back to the great white north... to go through my GoPro videos and hours of editing by the fireplace. I'll post videos whenever I get around to them...
Reply With Quote
  #80  
Old 12-11-2013, 03:16 PM
Reef_Geek Reef_Geek is offline
BATfishMAN
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 277
Reef_Geek is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Treebeard View Post
Take my advice and miss your flight. Not to pleasant around these parts lately.
you were right. I should have missed my flight.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 06:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.