Why Don't More Dive Ops Offer Drop Off Dives?

[KathyV]

The recent discussion comparing Roatan and Grand Cayman dive vacations reminded me of something that has crossed my mind several times in the past. I am surprised that more onsite resort dive ops with house reefs (around the world) don't adopt the convenient "drop off dive" system that is available at some resorts on Roatan.

I have thought of this before about Bonaire, where so many resorts have an onsite dive op and a house reef. Also one-tank boat dives are the norm on Bonaire, so why not bring an extra tank for divers that want one and then drop them off on the way back?

I think this system could also work on Grand Cayman for resorts with onsite dive ops and house reefs like Sunset House, Cobalt Coast, and Lighthouse Point.

In another post @EastEndDiver commented that the shore dive at Cobalt Coast is a nice dive "like a typical second dive after a wall dive" but that there is a long walk to the entry and a long swim to the reef. Offering morning and afternoon one-tank boat dives with optional drop-off dives would make the shore dive easier and more convenient and increase the value of the dive package IMO.

Below is a description of Drop-Off Dives from the Coco View Roatan website:
"Two boat trips daily include a one tank dive at a moored dive site with an optional "drop-off" dive on the route back to the resort, for up to four boat tanks daily. On a drop-off dive, your boat will heave-to, and guests who have requested a drop-off tank will exit. The boat will then continue to the marina and divers can follow the wall back to our beach on their own."

 

[scoobydrew]

In Divetech, we do this when requested. One potential issue in Grand Cayman is that many ops when diving north come through the sound and there really isn't anything to see on the journey back to the docks there, a lot of it is mangrove water. When opperating out of the west or north west, the dive sites are so close to the dock that there really would be no surface interval for the divers being dropped off.

When we run out of Lighthouse point and head north, due to the time it takes to get back and the fact that we are returning to an actual dive site, this works and we do it when requested. It is a good idea to offer the service to those that may not have thought about it though, I'll pass your idea on to the boss thanks.

 

[Trailboss123]

The recent discussion comparing Roatan and Grand Cayman dive vacations reminded me of something that has crossed my mind several times in the past. I am surprised that more onsite resort dive ops with house reefs (around the world) don't adopt the convenient "drop off dive" system that is available at some resorts on Roatan.

I have thought of this before about Bonaire, where so many resorts have an onsite dive op and a house reef. Also one-tank boat dives are the norm on Bonaire, so why not bring an extra tank for divers that want one and then drop them off on the way back?

I think this system could also work on Grand Cayman for resorts with onsite dive ops and house reefs like Sunset House, Cobalt Coast, and Lighthouse Point.

In another post @EastEndDiver commented that the shore dive at Cobalt Coast is a nice dive "like a typical second dive after a wall dive" but that there is a long walk to the entry and a long swim to the reef. Offering morning and afternoon one-tank boat dives with optional drop-off dives would make the shore dive easier and more convenient and increase the value of the dive package IMO.

Below is a description of Drop-Off Dives from the Coco View Roatan website:
"Two boat trips daily include a one tank dive at a moored dive site with an optional "drop-off" dive on the route back to the resort, for up to four boat tanks daily. On a drop-off dive, your boat will heave-to, and guests who have requested a drop-off tank will exit. The boat will then continue to the marina and divers can follow the wall back to our beach on their own."

You make such a good point! My wife and I were at Sunset House last December and actually did this inadvertently. Our second dive of the morning was completely and unusually uninspiring, so we cut the dive short and surfaced with 2200 psi left in our tanks. On the way back to Sunset House, we asked if we could be dropped off on the outer wall and the obliged us. We dropped down and dove the wall for a bit and then made our way toward shore past the wreck and the mermaid and exited at the resort. I don't see why it would be inconvenient (unless the boat is super packed), to bring additional tanks and do this as a planned 3rd dive. We were geared up and ready to giant stride in and it only delayed the other divers getting back to the resort by 60 seconds.

 

[Frontpointer1000]

My son and I did this when diving Beqa Island in Fiji. Two tank boat dive in the AM, then we would get dropped off in the small bay close to the resort. It was always shallow, usually 20-25 feet max, but tons of fun, beautiful. It was like a bonus dive every afternoon before our later shore dive. I'm not sure why others didn't jump in on that. The dive op was very supportive of drop dives. They would carry a couple of extra tanks whenever we told them we wanted to do a dive into the resort from the boat. Like trailboss mentioned, the captain expected us to be ready to go as soon as the boat stopped, then they were off once we were in the water and away from the boat.

Another thing they did which i liked alot - they would set out extra tanks for us because sometimes we would do 10 or 11 PM night dives, after the dive shop was closed.

 

[Doctorfish]

Most of the dive ops on GC are not based at resorts apart from Reef Divers/Cobalt Coast and Sunset House. Not sure I'd want to do a drop off dive at either. ( maybe at Cobalt if conditions were good.
The dive ops on the Brac and LC are inside barrier reefs so not much to see.

Sundivers at Turtle Reef on GC will leave tanks out for you for a night dive if you have an open account there.