OW in Cozumel

[SkipperJohn]

I've been diving for about a year and have my OW (Nitrox too). But not my AOW. I have 11 dives and will manage a few more here in NY in the next few weeks. I am scheduled to go to Cozumel the first week in November for a 7 day/ 10 dive trip. I'm going with a bunch of more advanced divers. I know they will be doing some dives I just wont be able to participate in, but in general how are the dives in Cozumel?
I know from reading here it will be mostly drift diving which will be new to me...

[Jasonmh]

... but in general how are the dives in Cozumel?
I know from reading here it will be mostly drift diving which will be new to me...


Great. Clear warm water, great viz, whats not to like? Drift diving is quite easy, you stay with the group and float along, and the boat pics you up at the end. Very low-stress fun diving.

[Nevis Diver]

Where are you staying? If there is a dive op associated with the property they may be able to do the certification for you.

Alternate question would be who are your friends diving with? If you did your certification with that company, then that would also make it convenient. Plus some of your certification dives might be able to be accomplished with your friends.

[polysemous1]

My experience with coz is that there are few dives, if any, that you will be left out of. You will probably run low on air well before others in your group, but besides devil's throat, I can't think of dives that you will be precluded from.

[tedgarner]

Where you dive and how deep will depend on you and your skill level and air use.
By end of the week the DM will know you and your limitation and you will have a better sense of yourself.
Don't worry about being left out of deep dives. There is so much to see and deep isn't always where it is at.
Deep dives are sometimes just a macho thing.
You will love drift diving .

[ScubaTony]

I agree with Ted. Diving is an inclusive sport and your DM should not take you where you are not qualified to go. Your buddies should not want you to go there either. Remember your OW class. Dive within your limits and your training. We are all ultimately responsible for ourselves. It is a good thing you are thinking along these lines. That is a sign of a well trained diver willing to be trained further.

[scubawife]

My Cozumel diving has all been with smaller dive operators - one boat, 6-8 divers. Many times we have a mixed group on the boat as far as cert levels and overall diving experience goes. A good DM will plan dives to take that into account so the gazillion dives people enjoy it and the 10 dive people don't feel like they've held anyone back.

The only dives I can think of that you could be a no-go for would be Devil's Throat, Maracaibo and the sites north of town. But, if your DM sees you in the water and after a few days feels you have the competency and confidence to do them, you never know. Honestly, don't let anyone make you feel like you are missing out. Devil's Throat is a cool dive, but given the choice of diving the Punta Sur wall or Punta Sur Sur, I will always take either of them over the throat. Devil's through is a "bragging rights" dive, but in no way the best dive in Cozumel. I could dive the Palancar and Columbia sites for a whole week and be very happy.

[SkipperJohn]

I'll be staying at Hotel Cozumel. The trip was set up by my local dive shop and the affiliated dive club which I belong to (Swim & Scuba / Broadway Divers). Most of my local dives in NY have been buddying with 1 guy who is going as well. He is way more advanced than I (even though we got certified together) but we tend to burn air at roughly the same rate. I've considered getting my AOW but to tell you the truth I feel like Id rather master my OW skills or at least get better at them before I open up any new envelopes.

[polysemous1]

AOW is in many ways a useless cert. The buoyancy and navigation elements are good (with a good instructor) but the rest of it is a cheap sign-off PADI money dump. At least that's the way I see it. Like many things you get out of it what you put into it.

[ggunn]

I'll be staying at Hotel Cozumel. The trip was set up by my local dive shop and the affiliated dive club which I belong to (Swim & Scuba / Broadway Divers). Most of my local dives in NY have been buddying with 1 guy who is going as well. He is way more advanced than I (even though we got certified together) but we tend to burn air at roughly the same rate. I've considered getting my AOW but to tell you the truth I feel like Id rather master my OW skills or at least get better at them before I open up any new envelopes. I think that's a good plan. Someone who gets their AOW immediately after getting their OW is in no way an advanced diver. But not to worry; ops on Cozumel determine what dives you are ready to do by how you handle yourself in the water, not what's on your cert card. I've been diving for 16 years on my OW cert, and I've gone to Maracaibo, Punta Sur, Barracuda, etc.

[tedgarner]

AOW is in many ways a useless cert. The buoyancy and navigation elements are good (with a good instructor) but the rest of it is a cheap sign-off PADI money dump. At least that's the way I see it. Like many things you get out of it what you put into it.

I agree with this AOW is in many ways useless. Most of the skills you have already or will master well before you take the AOW.
Just enjoy diving for now.

[firstdive2005]

I've been diving for about a year and have my OW (Nitrox too). But not my AOW. I have 11 dives and will manage a few more here in NY in the next few weeks. I am scheduled to go to Cozumel the first week in November for a 7 day/ 10 dive trip. I'm going with a bunch of more advanced divers. I know they will be doing some dives I just wont be able to participate in, but in general how are the dives in Cozumel?
I know from reading here it will be mostly drift diving which will be new to me...

Hi Skipper! With 11 dives under your weight belt my advice would be to just dive now. Like stated earlier the dive master on the island will look after you, JUST MAKE SURE YOU TELL THEM YOUR EXPERIENCE LEVEL BEFORE BOARDING THE BOAT. Sorry for shouting but alot of less experienced divers seem to be embarrased about telling the dms how inexperienced they are. Learning the drift should be fun for you to do. Really just stay at least ten feet away from the reef so you can manuevre about. Your not going to dissappear and end up on Cuba for your surface interval because the current was too strong.
As I gained experience I took the courses with Padi. Some of them seemed mundane to me after I did them because I knew how to do what they where teaching, it was just confirmation that I knew it well. I was proud of that. I love to show new divers skills but I think because I took the certs. I am very confident I show them good habits to form. I learn every dive though, remember that always every dive is new. It's making sure your kit is secure and in perfect working order and you feel healthy going in. I sure hope you have fun, I know you will, we all do at every level. kevin;)

[charlesml3]

All of the advice you're getting here is very good. Spot on. AOW is a fine certification to have, but nothing, and I mean NOTHING beats experience. I've seen many divers with just a basic certification that were far advanced above AOW.

Last thing you want to do is be the punk that was on our boat in Coz a few weeks ago. He was going on and on about all his certifications. AOW, Deep, Wreck, Boat, Night, blah-blah-blah... He was the worst diver on the boat and a great source of laughter after we got back home.

Stay with OW and gain experience. Once you're running out of bottom time before you run low on air, get your Nitrox.

If after that you want some additional training on bouyancy and navigation, pick up AOW.

-Charles

[tedgarner]

Don't you just love those kind of people. I'm the best just ask me about ME ME ME . I have 9 million dives
Then you find them walking on the the reef or trying to find their "thing to get air out of" or their flippers