Climatic
Conditions | Enviromental
Conservation | General | Learn
to dive | Marine Life | Types
of diving | Special Requirements
| Specialized Medical Services
Climatic Conditions
The operators of diving trips affirm that in Quintana
Roo, Mexico can be dived all the year. Still during the
months of swell that are the freshest months of February
to August, in the Cozumel Island the West can be dived
in the coast that is protected by the continental strip.
In Cancun and Cozumel most of the diving becomes in boat
and it is mainly free diving, if you are not sure of your
ability to dive in strong currents, asks the leader of
the group in your diving boat. The effects of the surge
in Cancun and the coast of the Caribbean in the months
of October to March make the trips dive less comfortable
and the diving requires more technical elements, for some
sites. If you want an alternative, to dive in cenotes
or to swim with dolphins will give you a recreation alternative.
All divers are informed about the conditions of the climate
during its instruction.
Environmental Conservation
The operators of diving services and the local population,
we know that to become attached itself to the norms of
environmental conservation will protect and preserve the
marine life, so fragile in these areas and whose ecological
and economic importance is relevant.
Since great amount of visits are carried out to the near
reefs, and considering that in the last decade two hurricanes
of greater proportions have caused significant damages,
in the coasts of Quintana Roo, the authorities have imposed
political for the conservation of all the sites of diving:
reefs, walls and lows. These areas are declared as protected
zones and even some of them are natural reserves, reason
why standards policies and measure of conservation are
handled with many more highs and strict.
By the previous thing and, in general, we requested you
to follow the following norms:
• When you swim, snorkel or dives, do not touch
the chorales nor it moves the objects and animals of the
bottom.
• Do not remove alive organisms from any type outside
the water.
• Do not extirpate seaweed, plants or chorals.
• Does not use harpoons or fishing networks.
• Do not interfere with the passage of migratory
animals or in nesting, like turtles, marine birds or mammalian
sailors.
• Never throws overboard of the boats any type of
plastic remainder or trash in general.
• Use natural solar protectors and suntan oils.
• Never swim, snorkel or dive alone.
• Advertise your hotel that you are going to make
aquatic activities in order to them to be pendent to your
safe return.
General
Mexican Caribbean, included Cancun and Riviera Maya, is
one of the world’s water sports capitals and offers
quality services for virtually everything relating to
diving and snorkeling. The list is long, but key points
include:
• Diving instruction of the highest level (usually
PADI)
• Equipment sales and rental
• Equipment repair
• Refills
• Highly qualified dive guides (usually PADI)
• Photographic and video equipment rental
• A staffed decompression chamber
• Dive related medical assistance
Learn to dive
In all the zone exists great amount of diving schools,
in most of marinas that offer aquatic services, as much
in Cancun, as of the Mayan Riviera, which has an instruction
reputation from first class to the highest standards.
In order to choose an operation of diving review if its
affiliated to the schools of high instruction like: PADI,
NAUI or BSAC. These organizations are the best ones in
the instruction of the diving in the world, for sport
diving:
PADI: Professional Association of Diving Instructors
they are represented in 87 countries and they certified
to near 85% of all divers in the world. In Quintana Roo
it is the most represented.
NAUI: National Association of Underwater Instructors
less popular in the area but equally competent.
BSAC: British Scuba Aqua Club extensively known in Europe
and Japan, some places have instructors of this Club.
Marine life
Only the Amazon rivals the incredible richness of the
Mexican Caribbean's underwater flora and fauna. With visibility
ranging from 16 to 32 meters (approximate. 50 to 100 feet)
and water temperatures from 21 to 29° centigrade (approximate.
70 to 84° Fahrenheit), divers and snorkelers can experience
the world’s second largest reef system in great
comfort.
In the North coast of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo
begins the second coralline reef barrier longer of the
world. The Current of Yucatan - a branch of the Sea current
of the Gulf bathes them with crystalline waters and rich
in nutrients, in addition, the existence of important
coastal areas of costal mangroves, that also contribute
with great amount of nutritious material, and the temperatures
of water which hardly are lower of 77º F in fresher
months and during the summer the hot and dry season 82º
F, between many other factors, do to the coastal ecosystems
of this zone of Mexico, areas of very high biological
diversity. With great variety of species of reefs fish,
shoals of fish of pelagic fish (of coastal seas) and until
migratory zones of oceanic species (of deep seas), and
great variety of bentonic species (of the sea floor).
All these ecosystems, nevertheless, have a very high
vulnerability, like nonrenewable resource, since the rate
of growth of the chorale banks, sustenance of the main
ecosystems, is of as soon as centimeters in hundreds of
years.
Before to begin you will have to certify yourself like
beginner diver. For these effects you can register in
a basic course, of two to four hours, in where the primary
targets are to give felt the Diving to detonate the enthusiasm
by this sport and to teach the basic of the security in
the water and the preservation of the human life such
as marine. The minimum age to certify itself as sport
diver is twelve years, (divers younger than 18 years require
a permission of the parents), and does not exist maxim
age, as long as you enjoyment of good health.
Once the basic course is approved, you can continue with
other courses of specialty like: diving in sunk boats;
diving in natural cenotes and caverns; submarine photograph,
etc., activities that will enjoy more ahead and, if therefore
you wish it, you will be able to teach others this beautiful
and amazing sport.
You will find all this courses and more in Cancun and
all Quintana Roo, the certification or card “C”
is worldwide effective but if you dive only once a year,
its recommended a previous update course in an specialized
diving center.
So much in Cancun as in the Riviera, you will find that
the boats of diving in their majority are small and fast
launch that will take you relatively comfortable and fast
to the diving site, in trips that can last maximum 90
minutes until the immersion point. In the Riviera Maya
the trips to the diving sites take an average from 30
min.
Throughout the Mexican Caribbean coast and in the East
coast of Cozumel, also operated boats that can take groups
of up to 14 people. The boats are safe, proper and comfortable
for their guests. They take the sufficient diving gear
and the air tanks to give to each diver several immersions
in a day. The ships only make the trips to distant reefs
if the time allows it. Its better season is in the summer
when the climate is magnificent. There are daily trips
and at night, some are excursions that will last from
three to five days. We recommended to look for an established
marina that offers these services.
Types of diving
In the zone can be made all the types of recreational
diving:
• Free diving, in brief places.
• Snorkel, single with viewfinder and snorkel, in
little deep places near the coast, cenotes and reef barriers.
• Diving with compressor, hose and compressor, in
little deep places near the coast.
• Diving "snub" or submarine long walk
in brief sites using snub.
• Independent diving using tanks, in the sea to
different depths.
• Independent diving with tanks in caverns and cenotes,
with specialized equipment and very strict requirements.
Special Requirements
Several operators of diving have the qualification
and the facilities to take care of divers with special
requirements. There are also boats adapted for operator
and wheelchairs who will organize trips for people who
have special requirements. The information is available
in tourist information offices and offices of great operators
of diving trips.
Specialized Medical Services
and Decompression Chambers
In the case of diving exist two types of risk: the decompression
and arterial embolism by gas. Both are treated emergently
by the same form. In Quintana Roo, it is counted with
hyper baric chambers for the treatment of these sufferings
in the biggest cities like Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel
and Playa del Carmen. Absolutely all the companies that
offer services of diving are in contact with these hyper
baric chambers.
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