Free-diving in Playa del Carmen ?

[suzukisan]

Hi there,

Quite new to this forum, I introduced myself yesterday in the appropriate section...

I am going soon to Playa del Carmen for a week vacation (June 26th to July 3rd) and was wondering if anyone of you had ever been freediving or spearfishing in the area ?
Or if someone is around during the same week, we could meet and check out the deep blue...

Merci !

[derelictp]

I freedived with a german dive center (don't remember the name) 1999. I went out with the scuba divers on a RIB.

There is a nice wreck outside Playa del Carmen at approx 27m but the top of the wreck is around 20 or something. There is a chain going to a boj and one can do free imersion down i remember.

[Jason Billows]

I used to work on a few Cruise ships that stopped there regularly, but haven't been back since the lat 1990's. I'd suggest taking the quick ferry accross to Cancun. The island has a very rocky shore and some great diving with shore access.

[Jon]

I've been able to freedive off of dive boats over in Cozumel. They would just let me tag along with the scuba divers on the 20 meter reef dives. I haven't been back there in a few years so I am not sure what operator I used.

I know that Ted got back from the Akumal area last fall and had a horrible time trying to find a place that would let him freedive. It seemed they were set up for either very shallow snorkeling, with a vest and no weightbelt, or scuba diving.


Jon

[suzukisan]

Hi guys,

Just back from Playa del Carmen. Well, unfortunately, I wasn't able to free-dive. Quite a heart breaker considering the beauty and the clarity of the water... Main reason was that I couldn't find anybody to go out with me and with the rather strong currents that are found over there, having a buddy doing my security was a necessity (and even without strong currents...).

Anyway I had a great time scuba diving, especially on a spot called "las tortugas" (the turtles) which really deserves its name. Saw probably 15 to 20 each time (went twice) and could approach them really really close. And finishing the dive in the middle of a group of a hundred 5 to 6 feet tarpons was also quite an experience... Did the scuba with a club called Phocea Caribe, real nice people and small boat, which I prefer to the scuba "charters" carrying 30 + people.

At the hotel I stayed (Viva Maya, in Playacar) there was a nice swimming pool so I did practice static apnea and manage to introduce quite a few friends to it. They all loved it and I think they're hooked. Some first timers did 2'30'' after a few sessions, they never thought they could stay so long without breathing. Managed to got close to 5' myself (my previous PB was 4'33''). I am starting to use some of the techniques I learned at the Pelizzari course and it really helps to relax the body. An so does the warm water (30°C !!).

For those of you going to the PdC area in the future, I think the cenotes (natural deep ponds of fresh water) are probably the best bet for free diving. Water is apparently very clear, nicely refreshing and quite deep (50 meters for some of them) so if you can find a partner free-diving there should be quite an experience.

Pues, got to go back to work. Hasta luego amigos !

[Pezman]

There are some guys that dive on the north-west of the Yucatan (near Sisal, Progresso etc.). I think that the water is just getting good about now and it stays clear well into the fall. They claim that the spear-fishing is exceptional. The clarity isn't anything like the Atlantic side, but I have heard that it gets pretty good August through October. They say that it is easy to hire a fisherman to take you to the dive-spots.

You can go to Freediving Spots in order to get in contact with the Yucatec spearos.

Another option is diving in Cenotes(http://www.yucatantoday.com/destinat...ng-cenotes.htm), but it's potentially dangerous if you don't have a local w/ you.

I was diving a bit in Cenote Xlacah (at Dzibilchaltun, near Merida) and apparently I was a real freak-show (mask, rash-guard, semi-long dives etc.). The fish in the cenotes are interesting and they're pretty easy to approach. Xlacah is pretty deep, but I didn't go past 30' -- no fins and to get deep, you need to follow a tunnel. The light drops off rapidly and I was buddy-less at the time.

In general, I'd highly recommend the west side of the peninsula for adventurous tourists. You can take a Spanish immersion course and stay for two weeks with a family for a fraction of the cost of staying in Cancun etc.