The Diveblog

More U/W Cozumel Photos

Unfortunately, the "internet access" advertised at Scuba Club Cozumel was out of order for the remainder of my stay.  So here are some of the underwater shots.  I'll post some of the island photos later.

EPA Clears Oriskany Sinking

YES!!!

Looks like I wont have to dish out $5000+ for a Bikini trip in order to dive an aircraft carrier [ed. the USS Satatoga at Bikini Atoll is the only diveable aircraft carrier]. 

The EPA has cleared the way for the Navy to sink the USS Oriskany off the coast of Pensacola.  Hopefully, they can get her down this summer.  Now THAT'S worth a return dive trip to the panhandle, where I began diving 12 years ago.

Day 1 - The C-53

The C-53 is named the Felipe Xicotencatl.  Go ahead and try, but I have yet to get two different people to pronounce it consistently (locals too!).  I'll stick with the C-53.  It was a US Navy minesweeper that was given to the Mexican government for use as a patrol boat.  They sank it in 1999 as an artificial reef.

The ship is still very intact after Wilma, except for a big crack up the sides of both the port and starboard sides.  I was unable to get a good photo of the damage because the current was just RIPPING!  We got inside in a hurry.  Great, fun wreck dive.  Photos in continuation:

Day 1 - Tormentos Reef

Similar to Cedral, Tormentos also has a significant sand cover.  But there's still plenty to see.  Even this scorpionfish is coated with a layer of sand.  Very sneaky, that scorpionfish:

Lots of turtles too:

Day 1 - Paseo del Cedral

First day of boat diving.  Our divemistress Carla took us out to a shallow (55 foot) dive site called Paseo del Cedral (Cedar Pass) to check out our skill level.  After dropping down, the first thing that strikes you is the sheer amount of sand coating the reef.  Check it out:

It will be interesting to see how long it takes Cozumel's infamously strong currents to wash the sand from the coral heads.  The other thing that struck me was that all the soft corals, tube sponges, gorgonians and sea fans are just gone.  Here's another coral head:

Fortunately, the fish life is still pretty abundant.  Click the continuation for some more photos:

Island Time

After the first day, the hotel's internet connection went down and it took a couple of days to repair......I guess we're on island time now!  But now.....its back.....and I'm posting between dives and naps (gotta have my priorities straight).