I/We Myself and 3 daughters 18-23 are looking for a good dive shop in Cozumel.
- Thread starter Jim Bobo
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Bratface
Contributor
With all respect to your eagerness to dive, I don't think you have a realistic point of view about diving. There is a lot of information you need to know before you giant stride your way off the boat and into the ocean. To answer your questions--if you plan to do the Discovery Dive on repeated days, you probably will go to the same site or another equally shallow one. I really don't think anyone will take you on a two tank dive without being certified and with very little knowledge of diving. You definitely will not be going on a night dive and if you go on a night snorkel, find a shop who will take you for safety reasons. Please don't go alone.
With all due respect to the members posting their opinions here, these are questions you should put to the dive op you are considering. You mentioned you had looked at the Dive with Martin site but many other OP's also offer Discover Scuba/Introductory Diving. It is how I got started. Probably you won't die and you might even have a very good time.
That will be up to your instructor and dive shop, depending on their logistics. Pick a shop and ask them. We cannot answer for them.
If you do your DS pool session then you can go on a guided DS dive in open water, limit of 40'. There aren't many sites where dive boats go that offer that so it will be a matter of finding a site that qualifies that the instructor is comfortable taking you that fits within their availability. Other divers on the boat are probably not going to want to do a 40' dive.
Also note, no matter how many times you do a guided DS dive, you are only qualified to do another guided DS dive. You get zero credit towards getting certified and diving without supervision.
Brules
Contributor
Bratface
Contributor
Brules, nothing surprises me any more. I live in the caribbean and have seen the inexperienced divers on the boat. I've gone with my instructor buddies on some of the Discovery Dives, and last week we had a group of divers who had not been diving for 8 years, 10 years and 20 years. I asked if they took a refresher course. I'm sure you already know the answer--no.
Brules
Contributor
Exactly. I like discover scuba courses, but taking ppl on multi day 2 tank dives is beyond reasonable....especially deeper than 30'.
To the OP: I got certified locally with my 22 y.o. daughter before a planned family trip where diving would be an option. That let us do real dives with a guide on that trip. Then 6 months later she and I went to Cozumel without Mom and Sis just to dive. Diving together has been a very special bonding experience.
My nephews and spouses have all got OW certified (or re-certified) before a combined trip, and are now getting all but their youngest children into the sport for a future trip. They are planning on many years of family trips where diving will be an option. I only wish we had started earlier with our kids.
I understand the reluctance to spend substantial $$ for something they might not get into big time, but please don't shop around for a dive op that will cut corners on training or safety. Discover SCUBA is how many people get interested, but it's the barest taste. Even the basic open water certification is misleading in terms of what a diver should (safely) attempt without a lot more experience. I hope you and the family have a great time and eventually get hooked enough to pursue SCUBA more seriously.
My nephews and spouses have all got OW certified (or re-certified) before a combined trip, and are now getting all but their youngest children into the sport for a future trip. They are planning on many years of family trips where diving will be an option. I only wish we had started earlier with our kids.
I understand the reluctance to spend substantial $$ for something they might not get into big time, but please don't shop around for a dive op that will cut corners on training or safety. Discover SCUBA is how many people get interested, but it's the barest taste. Even the basic open water certification is misleading in terms of what a diver should (safely) attempt without a lot more experience. I hope you and the family have a great time and eventually get hooked enough to pursue SCUBA more seriously.
nodakdive
Contributor
Many shops do "resort" dives and offer resort dive boat trips. Deep Blue requires a shore dive first, and then you can do boat dives, with an instructor as your guide, of course. The boat dives are more expensive. I suspect you'll find the same offerings at many other shops. This is from their website...
Resort Course $75 Basic Introduction to Scuba Diving - 1 beach dive 2-3 hrs
Boat Resort $115 2-tank boat dive after Resort Course 4 hrs.
Refresher $70 Refresh basic skills - 1 beach dive 2-3 hrs.
Open Water Referral $230 Final 4 Open Water Dives - 2 from the beach and 2 from the boat 2 days
I can think of many reefs where you can do a 40 foot dive. Paradise. Colombia Shallows. Palancar Gardens. La Francesa. Las Palmas. Dalila. Etc.
I've met people who have been diving for years, and never done anything but resort dives. I'm not an instructor or dm, but I believe that Discover Scuba dives can count towards certification. Padi also has or had something called a "Scuba Diver" cert, which gets you part of the way toward a full cert.
Resort Course $75 Basic Introduction to Scuba Diving - 1 beach dive 2-3 hrs
Boat Resort $115 2-tank boat dive after Resort Course 4 hrs.
Refresher $70 Refresh basic skills - 1 beach dive 2-3 hrs.
Open Water Referral $230 Final 4 Open Water Dives - 2 from the beach and 2 from the boat 2 days
I can think of many reefs where you can do a 40 foot dive. Paradise. Colombia Shallows. Palancar Gardens. La Francesa. Las Palmas. Dalila. Etc.
I've met people who have been diving for years, and never done anything but resort dives. I'm not an instructor or dm, but I believe that Discover Scuba dives can count towards certification. Padi also has or had something called a "Scuba Diver" cert, which gets you part of the way toward a full cert.
Maybe it is time to mention the whole Boy Scout/instructor under the bus thing?
I often take people in for their first dive. It is in more (or at least differently) challenging conditions than in Cozumel. Even after having spent many hours in a pool and class room they will have some issues, nothing terminal but they need looking after.
To focus their minds I may point out that a 20 something woman died under training at that same site a couple of years ago.
Don't take the whole breathing underwater thing too lightly. It isn't the instructor that takes you in that will suffer if you loose your head under the water.
I often take people in for their first dive. It is in more (or at least differently) challenging conditions than in Cozumel. Even after having spent many hours in a pool and class room they will have some issues, nothing terminal but they need looking after.
To focus their minds I may point out that a 20 something woman died under training at that same site a couple of years ago.
Don't take the whole breathing underwater thing too lightly. It isn't the instructor that takes you in that will suffer if you loose your head under the water.
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