Snuba ?

[Slacker Mom]

Not sure where to go for Snuba, any feedback is welcomed! Looks like Sand Dollar Sports goes to Jenny's Beach or there is Chankanaab Park :rolleyes:

[ClerkPatsy]

http://cozumelcruiseexcursions.com/CozumelSnubaDivingExcursion.htm

 

http://www.cozumelinsider.com/images/specials/ChankanaabCoupon.pdf

 

Here's the link to snuba at Chankanaab and the coupon for $2.00 off park entrance fee. Never tried Snuba in Cozumel, only tried on the mainland at Playa del Carmen.

 

I kept this site handy in case I ever decide to try again. This one looked the most appealing.

[GinnyJ]

We did the Snuba excursion on our last cruise. It was located RIGHT beside Margaritaville. Our whole family agreed that it was the most fun we'd ever had in Cozumel! Will do it again on next cruise.

[Slacker Mom]

Thanks Patsy!

Do you remember the name of tour company in Playa?

[ClerkPatsy]

Thanks Patsy!

Do you remember the name of tour company in Playa?

 

 

Sorry, I don't. We booked that one through the ship, cause I didn't do my homework before:o

[snstrek]

Not sure where to go for Snuba, any feedback is welcomed! Looks like Sand Dollar Sports goes to Jenny's Beach or there is Chankanaab :rolleyes:

 

 

 

There is 3 location on the island, this is the e-mail, of the guy in charge in chankanab park and jeanies beach (beside margaritaville).

lupe_diver@hotmail.com there is _ beteewn lupe and diver, we were with him last september, have fun

[pamawi]

I'm a scuba diver and booked SNUBA for my niece and I at Chankanaab as well as Royal Dolphin Swim. I booked it through Cozumel Insider with the dive shop Sea Space (right behind the dolphin pier). I wasn't crazy about this trip for 3 reasons:

 

1) They weren't ready for us at apppointment time because employees were late and didn't seem concerned that we might have to cut it short or be late for dolphin swim. OK, maybe I didn't build in enough time between these two tours to allow for this but I figured Chankanaab would be a bit more professional.

 

2) We didn't see much at all underwater. Perhaps this is because we had got tired of waiting on the regular guide and asked the guy behind the counter if someone else could take us. He did and didn't seem real happy about it. The regular guy showed up as we were getting into the water and offered to swap out with him but he was already geared up and told him to watch the counter instead. Maybe this guy just didn't take us to see the good stuff or try to attract fish to us. (I doubt they can feed the fish anymore to bring them to customers). I've been snorkeling at Chankanaab on my own a few years back before Hurricane Wilma and saw tons of fish and statues of Jesus, Virgin Mary and Mayan fertility god. We didn't see any good reef, but that may have been due to hurricane damage and I think we stayed close to the dolphin pens instead of going down by the other dive shops. To the guide's credit, he did take our picture with our underwater camera and go down further to retrieve conch shell and arrow crab to show us and get pictures.

 

3)We entered by wading across a shallow area that then crossed over the rocks into the deeper water. I could tell the water was dark like it had rocks and asked the guide if we needed to wear our water shoes to walk through this shallow water and he said that we'd be fine. Well it hurt like heck and my niece cut her foot on the way out. Thankfully it wasn't on the way in or maybe the blood would have brought in fish we didn't really want to see. :^). The guide didn't offer any assistance to bandage my niece's cut and all I could get out of him was a bandaid.

 

I recommend anyone doing SNUBA take water shoes to walk through any shore rocks and then you can put them in the raft that carries your tank when you put your flippers on, or get flippers that fit over your water shoes. I suggested to him they put up a sign warning people of sharp rocks and that they should wear water shoes. I'm not sure with the language barrier if he understood me or if he just seemed totally unconcerned.

 

It was time for our dolphin swim and she said she could do it, but didn't want the foot push that comes with the Royal Swim because of her sore foot. I asked the Dolphin people about first aid and had a really hard time getting that across. Apparently they understood me, because a person with a first aid kit came out on the pier before we got in the water with the dolphin to see how she was and told us where to meet him afterwards and he bandaged her up.

 

I recommend anyone going to foreign country learn how to ask for medical assistance/first aid. I need to do that myself before my next cruise in February.

 

By the way, the SNUBA itself was fine. We went about 20 feet and my niece handled it fine which surprised me because she had a rough time snorkeling the day before in Costa Maya probably due to rough seas and a bad-fitting mask. I'm hoping to create a future diving buddy but I don't think she got the bug because we didn't see much on either trip. I highly recommend SNUBA as an introduction to the underwater world and a chance for people who think they might like to SCUBA dive to see how they handle the pressure and equalizing their ears, etc. I snorkeled for a few years, then tried SNUBA in Key West from a cruise and immediately came home and signed up for SCUBA lessons. It's also nice not to have to deal with the heavy gear that SCUBA entails.

[steve20832]

I'm also looking at doing SNUBA at Chankanaab Park. Can anyone tell me how to keep my stuff safe (money, room card, passport, camera, etc) while I'm in the water or do I have to rent a locker? Also, do we need to bring the ships towels with us or does the park provide those?

SNUBA will be the only time my stuff will be unattended.

 

Thank you

[pamawi]

They do have lockers available at Chankanaab. There were some at the SNUBA operator and near the dolphin encounter. They give you a key you can fasten to yourself while in the water.

 

I recommend you wear water shoes or scuba booties to walk across the rocks or ask if you can jump off the pier or use the ladder from the pier to avoid the rocks. You can put the water shoes in the raft that holds the air tank when you put on your flippers.

[jdbmga]

We did the Snuba excursion on our last cruise. It was located RIGHT beside Margaritaville. Our whole family agreed that it was the most fun we'd ever had in Cozumel! Will do it again on next cruise.

 

 

Which snuba excursion is next to Margaritaville?

[snstrek]

Which snuba excursion is next to Margaritaville?

 

 

JEANIES BEACH CLUB is the name of the location next to margaritaville, they do helmet and snuba diving, this is the e-mail from the guy in charge lupe_diver@hotmail.com there is a _ between lupe and diver

Have fun.

[snstrek]

Which snuba excursion is next to Margaritaville?

 

 

JEANIES BEACH CLUB is the name of the location next to margaritaville, they do helmet and snuba diving, this is the e-mail from the guy in charge lupe_diver@hotmail.com there is a _ between lupe and diver

Have fun.

[margaritaville4me]

which Snuba is better Jeanies Beach Club next to margaritaville or the one in chankanaab park?

 

what are the pro's and con's of each one?

 

Thanks

[jdbmga]

Does Jennie's Beach Club not have a web site?

[snstrek]

Does Jennie's Beach Club not have a web site?

 

 

Not yet, but you can contact with the guy in charge, this is the email lupe_diver@hotmail.com there is an _ beteewn lupe and diver, we did the snuba at jeanis and it was fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MsJ]

Hi..I did snuba for the first time on Cozumel..we were not on a cruise but staying at the Fiesta Americana...I booked it through their tour desk......at that time it was located at the Reef Club..... which if I remember correctly was an all inclusive resort.........I was just on the Snuba website and it seems like it is the same one but now is Sand Dollar...not too sure about that part..I remember the guy in charge was named Gary.....and it was AWESOME!!!!....half of the boat snorkeled while the other half did snuba at one sight and then it reversed on the next site....my group did the snuba on the Columbia Reef and it was amazing.....I could have stayed in all day....I tried in again in St Thomas off the beach and it was very disappointing after seeing the beautiful Columbia Reef....this was a few years ago..and I can still see that vibrantly colored reef in my mind.....it made me think I might like to try diving.....but I havent had the nerve to try it yet.... enjoy your Snuba experience

[pamawi]

I know what you mean MsJ. I snorkeled for a few years, then tried SNUBA and was hooked. I got SCUBA certified in 2004 and still love it. The Cozumel reefs are the best I've seen so far. My recent SNUBA with niece at Chankanaab in March was disappointing because we weren't on a reef. It was just around the shore so there wasn't much to see. Was your SNUBA from a boat or from shore?

[MsJ]

I know what you mean MsJ. I snorkeled for a few years, then tried SNUBA and was hooked. I got SCUBA certified in 2004 and still love it. The Cozumel reefs are the best I've seen so far. My recent SNUBA with niece at Chankanaab in March was disappointing because we weren't on a reef. It was just around the shore so there wasn't much to see. Was your SNUBA from a boat or from shore?

 

Hi...the Snuba we did was from a boat...we had to get to the Reef Resort...then we walked through the resort in the back along a winding path to a dock to the far right...to tell you the truth I dont know if it was still the resort property or not...it seemed like it but then again not too sure....I was a nervous wreck...the divemaster Gary was very patient with me and really helped me...I was on the same tankfloat with him and three other women.....at first I didnt have enough weight and then I had trouble with the ear pressure...but he got it all straightened out and as I say..I could have stayed down on the reef all day.....after the 2 reefs alternating the snuba and snorkeling we went to a third reef and we all snorkeled.....it was more like a seagrass bed though...although I did get to see my first scorpion fish there...I actually signed up to try a scuba lesson when we stayed in Grand Cayman a year later at the Sunset House.....but when I told them I had had varicose vein surgery in 2002..they told me I needed a Drs note...my husband keeps after me to get the note so I can try it on the cruise in Feb...or maybe now that it was 6 years ago a note wont be needed...but I paln on doing Snuba again ...hoplefully soon:)