Snorkeling dangers?

[bustcard]

My girlfriend and I are kicking around the idea of going to Playa Del Carmen in a couple of months as an escape from the North Dakota winter.

I lived in El Paso for a few years and spent a lot of time in Juarez Mexico. Like most boarder town it was (I assume still is) a ….seedy joint. So my first question is kind of along those lines.

Playa Del Carmen isn’t like Juarez is it? Cops don’t hold you up for money and you don’t need to worry about getting shanked all the time right?

The other questions are kind of embarrassing to ask on a forum of diving aficionados but; what are the realistic dangers of snorkeling around Playa Del Carmen.

I have read about undertows and strong currents; I’m not thrilled about getting pulled under or swept out to sea.

Other things I’m not thrilled about would be little things like:

Becoming part of the food chain (sharks / barracudas)
Becoming stung (jellies).
Getting Steve Irwined (rays).
Getting smashed up on the reef.

Also, what kind of fish would I expect to see? What kind of corals?

Does anybody have any advice on a specific company to book a trip with? Any advice on what company to stay away from?

Any info along those lines would be cool.

P.S. I am not a great swimmer.... OK I'm not really a swimmer at all. I know that swimming in salt water is easier then swimming in freshwater, But if I need to swim against a riptide or something it may go badly. If all it is just dog paddling around then I will be ok.

P.P.S. I would also like advice on a hotel to stay in. I don't need (want) to stay in some Sandals kind of place, and don't need 6 pools and bell hops. But I also don't need to wake up with internal parasites or unidentified kinds of skin fungus. So really, I’m looking for a kind of Sleep Inn kind of place. Clean and decent but not a place that’s over the top nice.