Isla Mujeres- AOW certification

[brechtyx]

Hello all! I'll be traveling to Isla Mujeres next month and I'm thinking of going ahead and getting my Advanced Open Water certification while I'm there. I've found some recommendations of dive shops in general on the board, but I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations/experience specific to who I should get certified with, rather than just general diving. I want to get the best instruction possible, espcially as I'm still a novice-ish diver (I want to get AOW-certifieds mostly because I'd like more supervision and training in general, not because I want to do more challenging dives necessarily)
Thanks!

 

[Mike]

I'd get your AOW in California. I love Isla Mujeres, but Mexico is really a tough place to find quality instruction from my experience, Isla Mujeres is even smaller with a miniscule selection of dive operators. California is filled with top notch instructors.

 

[scubakevinp]

Hello all! I'll be traveling to Isla Mujeres next month and I'm thinking of going ahead and getting my Advanced Open Water certification while I'm there. I've found some recommendations of dive shops in general on the board, but I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations/experience specific to who I should get certified with, rather than just general diving. I want to get the best instruction possible, espcially as I'm still a novice-ish diver (I want to get AOW-certifieds mostly because I'd like more supervision and training in general, not because I want to do more challenging dives necessarily)
Thanks!

Gilberto at Carey scuba is great. My wife and I took our rescue with Gilberto. He is a very good instructor, knowledgeable and patient. Isla is a great place and there are some awesome dive sites. I enjoy the pace and there are not the crowds of Cozumel. We just got back from 3 weeks and are going back in November. Carey Dive Center - Isla Mujeres, Mexico

 

[bigbluemarble]

I'd get your AOW in California. I love Isla Mujeres, but Mexico is really a tough place to find quality instruction from my experience, Isla Mujeres is even smaller with a miniscule selection of dive operators. California is filled with top notch instructors.

I can understand why Brechtyx wants to do the AOW while visiting Isla Mujeres - warmer water (right now 85F), better visibility!

I think, just like anywhere, one needs to do some research before choosing a dive shop or instructor whether it's in Mexico or another country. It is true that choices are limited on Isla Mujeres. However, I have to say that the quality of instruction depends on the instructor, not the country. For example, many instructors working at vacation destinations (like the Yucatan Peninsula) receive referral students from other countries, including the United States, who come to complete their course in warmer waters. Often, it turns out that that mandatory skills or other requirements for first part of the course (with the initial instructor) have not been completed or met. This means that the referral instructor has to complete what should have been done before referral papers are even written. Again, quality all depends on the instructor and/or the dive shop. You can find good - even excellent - instructors no matter where you go although it may be more difficult it some places.

 

[Mike]

You can find good - even excellent - instructors no matter where you go although it may be more difficult it some places.

Right. That's pretty much what I'm saying. It's difficult enough to find quality instruction in Mexico, reduce it down to Isla Mujeres with the tiny dive community and it becomes even more difficult. In California, the OP can basically stumble over quality instruction by accident. She said they want the best instruction possible, that's a no-brainer to accomplish that where she lives, not so easy at all trying to accomplish that on Isla.

 

[bigbluemarble]

What I mean is that if the OP really wants to dive in conditions more favorable than California - better visibility, warmer water temperature, more colorful organisms, less hassle with thick wetsuits or drysuits - then with some research, she may find what she's looking for on Isla Mujeres as there are some quality instructors in the Yucatan. Perhaps not as many as in LA!

 

[travelure]

Sorry Mike, I beg to differ. As Scubakevin stated, Gilberto is an excellent instructor and is good as or better than most I have come across. I speak from an OWSI perspective.