OW padi pool sessions as a shore dive

[heehee62]

Do you guys know what dive companies in cozumel do the OW padi pool sessions as a shore dive? Also, know of any that offer padi classes both in Cancun and Cozumel?

I'd actually like to start the PADI testing in Cancun and then finish in Cozumel if possible. Doesn't look like it is though in which case we'd do all of the testing in Cozumel.

Thanks.

[PansSiren]

My knowledge is very limited here, but I did my rescue course 'pool work' with Aldora in the open water right behind their Villa, and I've seen a few people getting certified and doing AOW off shore at Hotel Cozumel with Dive Paradise. As for splitting up the testing, I would e-mail the shops you have in mind if you really can't do it all with one shop. Have fun, good luck!! Coz is a wonderful dive destination!!

[cicopo]

To the best of my knowledge most if not almost all do it from shore because the pools at the hotels & resorts are too shallow. About the only op that had a pool for the job that I know of was Sanddollar when they were the in house op at what is now the Sabor. I don't know if that pool is still their's or has become a part of Dive Palancars operation there. I believe Dive Palancar is using that building so maybe the pool is a part of the set up. As for doing it with 2 different ops that's one question I've never seen asked before & I think you'd have to ask specific ops to see if they can work together on the testing.

[pixiefish]

It should be no problem for any dive op to split up the course for you, with the referral system. The first instructor signs you off for the parts you have completed on a referral form, and the second instructor can then pick up where they left off. The referral is valid for up to 12 months, though the second instructor may require you to review skills again if it's been any significant period of time between your last session and starting with them.

[ddeborahdelamar]

The only op with both Cancun & Cozumel locations is Aquaworld. Don't know if they will work with you to change instructors/destinations in the middle of your certification -- you'd have to ask them. In Cozumel, Aquaworld operates out of the Cozumel Palace hotel in Centro. If you're staying in the southern hotel zone, this is very inconvenient for you; less inconvenient from the northern zone; walkable from Centro or Villablanca-area.

Recommend that you do all in one place.

[Dr Dog]

Try Aqua Safari.
just up from the main cruise dock, tel local 87-20101 ld 52 987 872 0101
Cozumel Diving with Aqua Safari

[Karibelle]

At Blue Angel we do the confined open water sessions in the ocean, if conditions warrant that. And as has been noted, any portion of your course can be signed off by your intstructor, and then any other portion can be done by any other instructor... Just make sure that as you go through the modules each is signed of properly. kari

[nodakdive]

"Referrals" are very common. Up where I live, many people do the classroom and pool part of certification here in the winter and then go down to the caribbean to do the 4 open water dives/checkouts dives. This is how I got certified. Not sure of why you're wondering about pool versus shore dives, but one of my considerations when choosing a dive shop in Cozumel to finish my certification was shore versus boat dives. At some shops, all 4 open water dives are conducted from the shore, at others, the first 2 dives are done from the shore and the second 2 dives are done from a boat on a reef. It may cost a little more to finish the referral if 2 of the dives are done from a boat versus the shore, but to me it was worth it. It's possible that some shops do all 4 of your open water checkout dives from a boat, particularly if you've done the classroom and pool with them.

Even if the "pool" dives are conducted in the ocean it won't be unmanageable, if you're having any concerns like that. Or, maybe you're hoping the pool dives are done from the shore instead of the pool. In that case, just inquire with the Cozumel dive shops you talk to. In any case, I think it's pretty common to mix the classroom and pool dives, meaning that you won't be in a classroom for 2 days, and then move to the pool to do that stuff. It's generally "a little classroom, a little "pool" time, a little classroom, a little "pool" time".

Don't know how long you're going to be in Cancun, or what your other considerations are, but if I needed/wanted to split up the training, I'd do all 4 of the open water checkout dives in Cozumel.

[WTFOver]

When Aqua Safari was the house dive shop at Cozumel Palace they did the "pool work" as shore dives... After Aquaworld took over that location, they continued to do so unless you requested the "tank".