Cozumel Drift - Special Edition
We are in the ORANGE
In case you've missed the news, we are OPEN for business at Scuba Shack and Village Tan Kah and waiting for YOU!!! In fact our first guests (since the COVID shut down) have arrived - YEAH !

We have a color scheme here for Quintana Roo to illustrate our state of openness as we begin to return to normal operations. Condition Orange means we can operate at 30% capacity for diving and within the hotel. Click the link below to read more about this new system and what you can expect as you begin to plan your return trip(s) to Cozumel

Thank you to our FIRSTS !!!
Catherin and Jared Hattingh - thanks so much for finding us. We hope you enjoyed your diving on Jun 12.
Ken and Karen Olson - First hotel guests, arrived Jun 12. Man, the cats are happy to have someone else to look at !
Best Fathers Day gift EVER !!
Father's Day is June 21st!!! Don't you think dear old Dad deserves more than just a tie this year? Give the scuba diving Dad in your life a gift certificate to come dive and/or stay with us.
Click on the image to the to learn more about our gift certificate programs. Or if you're ready to order now, Click the link below to order yours today.



Airline Update
Just like so many other things these days, the information from the airlines seems to change daily. This is making it a little tougher to get here, but with some proper planning its still very doable. I've already talked to several people who have booked their trips for this fall.

Just to review -
DELTA - no longer operates in Cozumel.
SUN COUNTRY - flights sustpended until ???
UNITED - *** just changed their flight schedules AGAIN. They will be returning service to the island starting August 3rd and will fly in and out every day, but only for that first week. Then as of August 11th they will only have flights on Saturdays.
AIR CANADA - - flights suspended until ???
WEST JET - flights suspended until ???
FRONTIER - has no dates scheduled when they will resume service.

In the mean time, here are the options for arriving to fly directly to Cozumel.
JUNE - ONLY American Airlines
JULY - American Airlines and Sun Country (beginning Jul 2)
AUGUST - American Airlines or United Airlines .(beginning Aug 3rd) and Sun Country

Another option would be to fly to Cancun via American, United, Delta (beginning Jun 26, possibly earlier), Southwest (beginning Jul 3). And then come on over here. There are great private taxis services and even limos that you can hire to drive you to Playa del Carmen. Then you would have to cross over on the ferry.

REMINDER - If you have tickets on an airline that is no longer flying here, you have the right to a refund. I know, they want you to keep it on credit. And if you fly them often, great, but they are required to return your money.

Just remember, for the most reliable information, check with the airline directly and check often. They seem to change information frequently and hopefully they will begin adding more flights and returning service soon.
No Travel restriction from Mexico
If you check the list of countries on the CDC website, you will see a long list of countries that... if you have been to them in the last 14 days, you are unable to enter back into the US. And guess what - Mexico IS NOT ON THAT LIST !!!!!!

So many changes to our operations
So many changes so little time...
This is guy is with a private company hired by the government to come in and do sanitizing at Village Tan Kah.
Although we are starting to return to operational status there will be many changes at the hotel and for diving when you return. If you've been following the newsletters and Facebook posts these last several weeks you've noticed a recurring theme of information from the government, or airlines, or harbor master changing frequently.

The sheer number of changes alone is enough to drive me crazy, but then it seems like every day there's new information and/or changes to previous information. We will very soon be adding an FAQ section to the website that we can not only update on the fly but will direct you to with questions. So watch for announcements on that.
In the meantime here are some highlights of the changes:

  • There will be changes to how we do breakfast in the morning. There will be no more "community" items like the large coffee pots, toaster or the cereal dispensers. Nothing that multiple people can handle. Don't worry, we have coffee makers in the rooms.
  • New sanitation processes for the hotel. This includes daily cleaning procedures, additional procedures for how rooms are cleaned between guest arrival and departures. Even new procedures for storing and handling clean sheets and towels.
  • New procedures for how tanks are handled. This includes from the time they are delivered all the way through your dive. While on board, you will be able to wash your tank valve before putting your reg on.
  • New processes for assembling gear on the boats, this includes both before the first dive and the second dive. Although we have always prided ourselves on being a full service dive operations and the crews do a fabulous job for our guests, divers will now be required to take a more active roll in assembly their gear before each dive, specifically the reg. The crews are no longer able to touch your mask nor reg.
  • There will be biodegradable soap and water on the boat for washing your hands, mouthpieces, etc. What ever you need, we will have. Please ask !
  • And of course new processes for rinsing your gear after diving. No more rinse tank. There are separate spigots. This includes having no more than 4 persons in the gear room at any one time, not that more than about 4 can fit anyway.

We want to see you all back here and diving as soon as possible, and we certainly want things to return to "normal" quickly too. In order to do that we must follow guidelines set forth by the government and others so that we may begin to operate sooner rather than later.
And just so that you don't forget, here are some beautiful images to enjoy !
If you missed it last week, here is the info on the Covid-19 virus and water - CLICK HERE.

This is another great article, but it is only in Spanish - CLICK HERE
More Island Openings
Most of the restaurants have been open for take out/delivery service for some time, and slowly but surely, they are opening up for eat in dining. Here is a list of the ones that I have found open already. More will come next week. You can find your favorite restaurant's news on their own Facebook Page
  • Guido's
  • Casa Cuzamil
  • Buccanos will open Jun 27
  • Casa del Mar - open until 9 pm
  • Ernesto's is looking to open by the 20th... fingers crossed
  • Casa Mission
  • Le Chef - I believe that it might be open by appointment only
  • If you are staying at the Village Tan Kah, Paprika is take out, and so close to the hotel. You can get your order and have us move a table down by the ocean for a beautiful dinner by the water !

So these are just some that I have quickly found by looking them up on Facebook. Don't see your favorite? Check out their Facebook page.
Reef Closures for 2020
If it hasn't been enough to deal with everything related to COVID, having to be shut down for several months, quarantine, and all the new cleaning procedures, we will still face reef closures for the remainder of 2020.
This is one of those good news bad news sort of things. The good news is that El Cielo is open again. YEAH !! Bad news, Paradise Reef is closed for June and July.

We all know the dangers and damage to the reefs due to illegal fishing, careless divers, stress and disease. The closure to the reefs in the souther part of the marine park last fall/early winter did help to show signs of improvement for the reefs. Plus we were able to put in measures to stop illegal fishing, illegal boats of divers coming over from the mainland, and other measures to reduce stress on the reefs.

So it's good news (in a way) that we know these measures work and will hopefully help save our reefs before it is too late. But it's also just kind feels like more bad news. We haven't been out diving in several months now, so we're anxious to just get back in the water, but we'll have to contend with more closures. Click on the map above to be taken to our website where you can see a larger version and read more.
Do you know this guy?? It is the Leech Headsheild slug, also known as a Swallowtail Headsheild slug. Ever seen one before? We had found them at Palancar Caves in 2012 for a few months and then they were gone. Now, since last year, you can see them diving right off of the shore here, and you will not be able to miss them. There are millions.... really... millions out there.

I'm not sure how they mate, but every once in a while, you will be ever so lucky... and see 2 of them come together and then roll around in a ball for a minute or two... and then separate. I am guessing.... They are hermaphrodites.
We hope to see you and your family soon, so that we can make many more great memories!
Roberta's Scuba Shack


+52.987.872.4240 - Phone

+521.987.114-3568 - Cell and WhatsApp
Village Tan Kah


+52.987.872.4240 - Phone