The Cozumel Drift
Your E-Newsletter from Scuba Shack, Blue Bubble Divers,
Dive ECO-cozumel & the Village Tan Kah
Cozumel, Mexico
August 2008
Hello from sunny Cozumel. This is the 17th edition of the The Cozumel Drift .
To any of our new friends and customers - Bienvenidos (Spanish for WELCOME). This is our monthly or so newsletter to keep you up to date with what is happening in Cozumel.
Just to give you an idea of what is in store, we try to get the newsletter out every couple of months ..... or so. Just depends on how busy things are down here ! If anyone would like to see any of the previous newsletters, you can find them on our website - http://www.bluebubble.com/bbd_news.html.
And, as always, a HUGE 
thanks to all of our faithful customers and friends, all
of you who came to visit us this summer. And who make it worth coming to work everyday ! We are always so glad to get to see you guys again. That's what makes this job fun !
IN THIS EDITION:
Dodged another one... practice makes perfect but.....
Island Info... interesting ingots of island information - or something like that.
Travel Special Advisories... something new that we are going to try !!!
International Dive Travel... tropical paradise of Fiji is next !
Whale Shark.. another great season comes to an end.
Village Tan Kah/Scuba Shack Fall Specials...
Mariachi's... a very Mexican tradition !
*Practice makes perfect, but - We're kind of getting tired of this kind of practice !
-Yes, we are in the middle of hurricane  season. Actually, Aug 31/Sep 1 is the exact middle of the Tropical Atlantic hurricane "season". So it comes as no surprise that Hurricane Gustav is out there churned his wrath on parts of the Caribbean.
-Yes, we have dodged another one !  So close and yet far enough away to not affect us at all. For a few days the forecasts were predicting that this storm would come close to us. Thankfully, it stayed to the east of us, and the penninsula, as it has done many times int he past, helps protect us from feeling ANY of the affects of the hurricane.
-Yes, we did practice and perfect our hurricane procedures, just as we have to do almost every single year. So, supplies were gotten, windows readied, gear moved, and even a boats taken out of the water. Especially since we have our own brand new trailer that Gregg built. It is really nice and works well. But this procedure needs to be practiced a bit more so that we can get boats out of the water faster.
-Yes, we do prefer the practice over the real thing. Our hearts go out to those who have suffered due to this storm. 
Just a reminder, for updates on any location that is going through a storm, you can check out reports at www.stormcarib.com. People from the affected areas are updating this website constantly. For more pictures of the trailer, go to the website to check it out.
*Island Info - little bits of what is happening here.
The face of Cozumel has been subtly changing, as most of you have seen. There are new buildings going up, things being revamped, and new colors all over the place !
- The new government (that took office in April of this year) has decided to "beautify"  Cozumel. Apparently, they did not appreciate the purple light posts and the character that it added. They have all been painted back to plain ol' white. They are also working on a really good thing. The Civil Protection department is coordinating a database of people that have generators here on the island. 2 reason : 1 - so that they can know how much gas to order when there is a hurricane. (Do they order extra gas??) 2 - This is really cool - so that people who have medications that require refrigeration can know who/where they can store their meds in case of a power outage.
- Across from the Hotel Barracuda, we have seen the HUGE building going up which is going to be the new Comercial Mexicana - pretty much the same as Chedraui. They are working endlessly on the new building and it is almost done - at least what we can see on the outside. No opening date has been set but probably sometime before December.
- New "Caletta" Marina - they are rolling - trees and jungle are cleared out, holes are being dug - that is about all that we can see from the highway. But this project is well underway. You can see almost all the way to the water now. When you are out on the dive boats, make sure to look !
- Puerta Maya Pier - Well, it will be almost 3 years that Hurricane Wilma demolished the Puerta Maya cruise ship pier. And the new Puerta Maya will open very soon. They have moved very quickly and are putting on the finishing touches. Oct 15 is the scheduled opening date. Then we will be back to 6 cruise ship parking spots instead of just 4. Meaning.......... probably more cruise ships in the high season.
- Sep 15 - less than 2 weeks and counting - until the new park is unveiled right in from of the city hall. All of the old stuff is out, gone, completely taken out. The new plaza is being worked on...... and will it be done..... well, they just announced - not in time for the celebrations. December maybe??
- Coco's - Yes, they are still closed.  I actually had the pleasure of visiting with Daniel and Teri a couple of weekends ago. They will not be opening any time soon. Since their head waiter quit and Daniel hurt his hand, they just kind of decided to not worry about this year. Next year is still undecided. They did not tell me that they will NOT be opening, but they did not confirm that the would be either. So, we will have to wait and see.
- Well, it is with a very sad heart  that we have to announce that the Manti Restaurant is permanently closing. They have sold off all of the tables, chairs, etc. With the current economy, it was just no longer feasible for them to stay open. No idea what they plan but we wish them well.
- La Choza - In there early hours of Sunday, Aug 10, the palapa roof of la Choza again wen up in flames.  This time it really did some damage. The entire roof is gone. So, they have temporarily changed locations in the mean time. They are now located on Ave. 15 between 2 and 4 north - in the location that used to be the Cafe San Miguel. 1 good thing - they now have air conditioning !
*Travel Special Advisories... going to try something new here!!
As you guys all know, the travel industry is changing. Prices are on the rise, schedules are changing, charges are increasing, last minute specials are for within the month, and it is hard to keep up on it all. But there are still great specials out there. You have to be on mailing lists, watching specials, and ready to purchase within days. This past week, Dallas to Cancun - $ 199 plus tax - $ 285 round trip through out the entire month of September. Not every day, only on their dates. MLT Vacations had $119 RT to Cancun. But only for 3 days. The list goes on.
So, we are proposing the following. Let's create special mailing lists that apply to people who are located in the same city. When a special for that city comes in, we can forward it instantaneously to that list. The cities that I see have the most amount of specials are -
- Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin
- Atlanta
- Chicago/Milwaukee
- Denver
- Minneapolis
- NY area
- Phoenix
- west coast
- any other area that you would like to know about, this is not limited to these cities.
And when a special comes out, I will forward that E-mail special to just those people from that area. If you would like the info. So, anyone interested in this, please take a sec to E-mail us and let me know that yes you are interested and the city that you would be from.
Travel Special for this week -
Iberia Airlines - 2 x 1 special Madrid - Cancun.
Funjet Vacations - Last Minute Specials
Examples -
Sep 15 departure - $ 199 USD Rount trip airfare - Dallas to Cancun
*International Destination - Fiji- Our next group trip.......
Even though the diving in Cozumel is rated as some of the best in the world, we do realize that there are other places to see as well. So the diving of Fiji has come to our attention. Why??
1 - It is easy to get to. The flight departs on a Thu night (10:30 PM) out of LAX, and we fly through the night, arriving early the next morning. But since we will cross the international date line, we arrive early on Sat morning ! Ready for our week of diving there. The return flight is just as easy. We depart late on Sat night, and fly during the night, arriving the next mornring. But again, since we now cross back over the international date line, we arrive back to LAX on Sat morning. And you can be back home by Sat afternoon. With 6 days off of work, you have a week of spectacular diving, and still get 1 day back home to get ready to get back in the grind.
2 - The diving is spectacular there. E6 has been a photographers delight for years - hence the name(from the old style E6 film processing), Somo Somo straights, blue ribbon eel patch - the list goes on. Fiji has been a huge draw for everyone from around the world.
3 - The price is right - for around $ 3000 USD per person, that includes your round trip flight (LAX - Fiji - LAX), hotel, 6 days of diving, and all meals. Drinks are extra.
4 - Especially if you have a non-diver in the family, the islands of Fiji are a tropical paradise. In addition to the amazing diving, there is so much to do on the islands. Water falls, sea kayaking, hiking, etc. The list goes on.
Fiji is scheduled for this coming May 2009
- Taveuni Island diving Somo Somo straights - Apr 30 - May 9.
- Viti Levu Island diving the Bligh Waters - May 7 - May 16
If you opt for both weeks, then your departure would be Apr 30 - May 16.
There are spaces still available so send an E-mail if you would like more info! I know that you guys love to come and visit us, but sometimes we just need to get to see some of the other great places in the world.
*Whale Shark season...another great year comes to a close.
Well, another great whale shark season has come to a close. This year, we took 12 groups and a total of 116 snorkelers to see these great animals. It was amazing, as well as the dolphins, manta rays, turtles, and the golden rays. Thee was some concern this year though when the number of sharks did not increase during the month of July as it usually does. In years past, we have seen 30, 40 or 50 whale sharks per trip. Yes, per trip. But this year, they did not come in... until much later. Finally, during the 3 trips that were scheduled in August, we finally experienced large numbers of these majestic creatures. 20 or 30 per trip. What affects their behavior? Was it a natural phenominon or cycle that we just don't know about it? Did the weather play a roll ? Or was it finally our increased association with them on a daily basis that finally took it's toll. Who know, but we were all very relieved when they started showing up in droves. That squelched our fears. For those who are planning on joining up for one of these side trips, the months of the year are from mid-May through the beginning of Sept. More pictures can be found on our website !
In addition, thanks to Andre from New Zealand, here is a really cook article about an albino whale shark ! Don't miss it !
*Travel Specials.... looks like some things are going to be changing.
 Village Tan Kah Fall Specials
September 1 - October 31
Village Tan Kah - 5th night free !!!!!
Come on down for a vacation and your 5th night is on the house ! This special applies from now until Oct 31 - ONLY.
Groups of 4 or more, we are offering -
7 night plus 5 standard 2-tank dives for 6 = ONLY $ 379 per person !
NOTE - please understand that this discount applies to groups of 4 or more people staying at the Village Tan Kah and diving together with Scuba Shack.
*Mariach'is.... a very Mexican Tradition 
They are as Mexican as a tamale, as much of the culture as a siesta, an integral and necessary part of a serenade, they are Mexico's fabulous Mariachi's. They are said to have originated in the area of Jalisco, about 350 miles to the west of Mexico City. Mariachi actually refers to the group of musicians and are usually dressed in a white shirt with black jacket, pants, and  sombrero that are elaborately adorned. Trumpets, guitars, violins are just a part of the different musical instruments that you can find in these groups. There are 2 stories that explain their coming about. One is that during the time of the French Intervention (1862 - 1866), there were groups of French musicians that traveled from  wedding to wedding. The French use the term "marriage" for wedding, and when comunicating to the Mexicans, used that word. The Mexicans then began associating the word marriage with the group of musicians, and not the actual event, and their pronunciation of that word became "mariachi". There are others who believe otherwise. The term mariachi came much early than that, during the time of the ancient Coca Indians, that inhabitated the mountains of Jalisco. Thy played at festivals with whistles, conch shells, flutes and drums. And as with all things, as time passed, things changed. And so did the instruments that they played on.
Never the less, no matter what the origin, the Mariachi's are an integral part of the Mexican culture. And with Sep 15/16 being one of Mexico's 3 Independence Days, Mariachi's and songs are a huge part of the celebrations that will be going on all over the country !
* Closing Captions.......
As always, it is due to you guys, our special friends and customers, that give us the reason to go to work everyday ! So thanks to much for coming and visiting and diving with us. We appreciate each and every one of you ! We look forward to showing you the underwater wonders of Cozumel again soon !
Thanks ! 
Hasta Luego, Amigos!!!!
Roberta , Robert and All of the staff of Scuba Shack, Blue Bubble Divers and Dive
ECO-cozumel and All of the staff from the Village Tan Kah hotel !
================================================================================
 CUBA HACK (011-52-987) 872-4240
On the beach between Casa del Mar & Park Royal Hotels
ROBERTA'S  IVE  CO-COZUMEL (011-52-987) 872-4187
 LUE UBBLE IVERS (011-52-987) 872-1865 and 872-4526 ILLAGE  AN  AH (011-52-987) 872-6142
TECHNICAL STUFF:
This newsletter is produced by Roberta Cwiertnia, sponsored by Blue Bubble Divers, Roberta's Dive Eco-Cozumel, Scuba Shack & Village Tan Kah. We welcome all contributors, although we reserve the right to cut and paste. To be removed from this mailing list, simply reply to this an e-mail and write "Remove From Mailing List" in the body portion of the E-mail. Thank you ! |
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