Thoughts on Tres Pelicanos vs Aldora

[anchochile]

So we should just accept a disappointing first dive day out of 5 days? 20% of our diving? Why? When I can just use of the many ops where my dive isn't cut short by someone else's issues and have 5 great dive days?

I didn't say that the first day needs to be disappointing (although it's inevitable that we'll all have disappointing dives from time to time if we're lucky enough to dive a lot).

I just said that in my experience (which is much less extensive than yours, I acknowledge), I have yet to dive with an op that doesn't want to at least see me in the water before placing me with the most advanced divers.

I see that you list yourself as a PADI Pro - is it possible that, by showing your Instructor or DM card, you're getting different treatment? Perhaps as a pro, ops are giving you the privilege of skipping the audition day, while those of us showing an AOW card still have to prove ourselves underwater first (which seems reasonable to me).

Otherwise, if dive ops take everyone at their word on their experience level on day 1, you'd end up with just as many disappointing dives due to all the overconfident, air-hogging coral-kickers who told the op they were "advanced" and ended up on the advanced boat.

 

[stuartv]

I dived with 3P when I was there almost 2 years ago. Next time I go, if I were diving OC, I would book with Aldora.

My main issue with 3P was that I specifically requested AL100s ahead of time, with DIN valves. I was told all that was no problem. I would have requested steel tanks, if they had them, but they don't.

When it came time to go diving, they did have 100s for me, but no DIN valves. And the biggest issue with all that - I had short fills on every single tank. 6 dives, and the starting tank pressures ranged from 2700 to a high, in one tank, of 2985. Mostly they were in the 2800-something range. I have AI on my computer, so my log has the exact #s for every dive.

That may sound like a minor gripe - to someone who doesn't know AL100s. The working pressure on an AL100 is 3300 psi. That means, to have 100 cu-ft of gas in it, it has to be filled to 3300, not 3000, like an AL80.

An AL100 filled to 2800 psi is like getting an AL80 that is filled to 2500psi (as far as what percentage it is below being full). An AL100 filled to 2800 psi is 85 cu-ft of gas. So, barely more than a full AL80 - yet they charged me extra for every single tank.

I paid extra for Nitrox and for AL100s. So, getting significantly shortchanged on every single fill really kind of left me a bit bitter. I wanted the extra gas because I am a big, fat gas hog and I want my dives to be limited by NDL, not gas in the tank. That's what I paid extra for but did not get.

The DIN valve thing was annoying, but not a huge deal since I always carry an adapter with me. Just one more thing I asked for and was told no problem, and then didn't get.

The 3P people were nice. I'll certainly give them credit for that. But, I'll happily trade super friendly and short fills for basic professionalism and the bottom time I paid for.

So, Aldora and their steel tanks (I'll have a 120, please - I have my own steel 120s at home and love them!) is what I would use next time. Also, from what I have been told, Aldora is the only operation that can still get you out to dive if the west side of the island is blown out. Aldora has a boat on the east side that they can use, if the harbor is closed or whatever.

Just my $0.02.

 

[ReefHound]

I paid extra for Nitrox and for AL100s. So, getting significantly shortchanged on every single fill really kind of left me a bit bitter. I wanted the extra gas because I am a big, fat gas hog and I want my dives to be limited by NDL, not gas in the tank. That's what I paid extra for but did not get.

That would be annoying. Did you raise the issue on the first day? (They don't fill the tanks. Aldora is one of the few ops that ahve their own compressor so there's that.)

I don't think Aldora is offering east side diving, for the moment. It's not clear if it was ever legal but they had an understanding with the port captain. That hasn't been worked out with the new one yet.

 

[ggunn]

I Also, from what I have been told, Aldora is the only operation that can still get you out to dive if the west side of the island is blown out. Aldora has a boat on the east side that they can use, if the harbor is closed or whatever.

You cannot count on that happening during every norte; Dave (formerly the owner of Aldora) has said as much. They don't leave a boat over there; they have to take it there when they need it. Also, he indicated that with the new Harbor Master it might not be possible at all any more.

 

[scubadada]

All this talk about diving in Cozumel makes me want to get back, it's been way too long. Aldora was good for me.

 

[Trailboss123]

I'm pleased that they appear to err on the side of caution, even if an experienced diver occasionally gets a raw deal on their first day.

Me too! I am glad that they are consistent with their rule to bring everyone up at the same time. Consistency is important. Personally and at the end of the day, I didn't really care that our dives were about half the time of what I expected or what I thought I was paying for. I dive enough that it doesn't matter that much to me. It might matter to others though.

All this talk about diving in Cozumel makes me want to get back, it's been way too long. Aldora was good for me.

I was thinking about inviting you down to dive with me in Cozumel in April, but you will be in Bonaire the first 2 weeks of April.

 

[BRT]

I dived with 3P when I was there almost 2 years ago. Next time I go, if I were diving OC, I would book with Aldora.

My main issue with 3P was that I specifically requested AL100s ahead of time, with DIN valves. I was told all that was no problem. I would have requested steel tanks, if they had them, but they don't.

When it came time to go diving, they did have 100s for me, but no DIN valves. And the biggest issue with all that - I had short fills on every single tank. 6 dives, and the starting tank pressures ranged from 2700 to a high, in one tank, of 2985. Mostly they were in the 2800-something range. I have AI on my computer, so my log has the exact #s for every dive.

That may sound like a minor gripe - to someone who doesn't know AL100s. The working pressure on an AL100 is 3300 psi. That means, to have 100 cu-ft of gas in it, it has to be filled to 3300, not 3000, like an AL80.

An AL100 filled to 2800 psi is like getting an AL80 that is filled to 2500psi (as far as what percentage it is below being full). An AL100 filled to 2800 psi is 85 cu-ft of gas. So, barely more than a full AL80 - yet they charged me extra for every single tank.

I paid extra for Nitrox and for AL100s. So, getting significantly shortchanged on every single fill really kind of left me a bit bitter. I wanted the extra gas because I am a big, fat gas hog and I want my dives to be limited by NDL, not gas in the tank. That's what I paid extra for but did not get.

The DIN valve thing was annoying, but not a huge deal since I always carry an adapter with me. Just one more thing I asked for and was told no problem, and then didn't get.

The 3P people were nice. I'll certainly give them credit for that. But, I'll happily trade super friendly and short fills for basic professionalism and the bottom time I paid for.

So, Aldora and their steel tanks (I'll have a 120, please - I have my own steel 120s at home and love them!) is what I would use next time. Also, from what I have been told, Aldora is the only operation that can still get you out to dive if the west side of the island is blown out. Aldora has a boat on the east side that they can use, if the harbor is closed or whatever.

Just my $0.02.

3P's has changed their fill station and we got almost all 3000#+ tanks just now. Unfortunately the AL100's get the same fill as the AL80's. I'm hoping there is a possibility of changing that. I have almost no other experience on Coz other than 3P's but we really like the way they let us dive.

 

[scubadada]

...I was thinking about inviting you down to dive with me in Cozumel in April, but you will be in Bonaire the first 2 weeks of April.

Thanks my friend, I'll take a raincheck. Waiting to get you back to Florida, a few more dives next time

 

[stuartv]

That would be annoying. Did you raise the issue on the first day? (They don't fill the tanks. Aldora is one of the few ops that ahve their own compressor so there's that.)

I don't think Aldora is offering east side diving, for the moment. It's not clear if it was ever legal but they had an understanding with the port captain. That hasn't been worked out with the new one yet.

I did not. It didn't click until after I was done with all my diving that week that the working pressure on 100s is 3300. At the time, I was just thinking that 200-ish low is a little bit annoying, but not enough to complain about - and thinking how I was really sucking down the gas to be burning through almost 100 cu-ft as quickly as I was. If it had clicked that it was 500-ish low, I would have said something.

If they don't fill the tanks and cannot actually offer FULL AL100s, they should tell their customers that up front.

 

[stuartv]

You cannot count on that happening during every norte; Dave (formerly the owner of Aldora) has said as much. They don't leave a boat over there; they have to take it there when they need it. Also, he indicated that with the new Harbor Master it might not be possible at all any more.

Understood. But, you DEFINITELY will not get that with anyone else... (that I know of - but I am NO Cozumel expert!)