halocline
Contributor
Sell the RV and go straight to Cozumel or Bonaire. Actually, you could drive to Cozumel; when you get to Laredo, TX, you're about halfway. (okay, more than halfway) Continue on to Mexico City, take a left, and in about 20 hours you'll arrive in Playa del Carmen.
I have a friend who was certified in Cozumel for a little more than 1/2 what I paid here in San Antonio. His instructor was just as good as the guy here, and he got to do his checkout dives on a beautiful coral reef instead of a mucky lake. If you want to dive in cold demanding situations, you can learn later after you've gotten some experience in easier conditions. Why does it make sense to begin your training in harsh conditions? Usually when you learn something new, you start off with the easy stuff and move on to more difficult. Diving should be no different.
Have fun, don't buy expensive gear, just your mask/fins/snorkel and rent the rest.
I have a friend who was certified in Cozumel for a little more than 1/2 what I paid here in San Antonio. His instructor was just as good as the guy here, and he got to do his checkout dives on a beautiful coral reef instead of a mucky lake. If you want to dive in cold demanding situations, you can learn later after you've gotten some experience in easier conditions. Why does it make sense to begin your training in harsh conditions? Usually when you learn something new, you start off with the easy stuff and move on to more difficult. Diving should be no different.
Have fun, don't buy expensive gear, just your mask/fins/snorkel and rent the rest.
