Dive ops who spend their surface interval at a beach club.

[caseybird]

I've done some SI's at the pier with the tree decorated with Conch shells.
A) What's up with that?
B) I prefer a SI sitting at a table, under a nice palapa, with some light refreshments courtesy of the Beach Club staff. We're there pretty early, so it's not crowded.
C) Don't EVER go to Playa Mia. Ever.
D) Mr. Sancho's is nice.

 

[smichels]

We at Liquid Blue leave the decision of where the SI takes place up to the group on the boat. It's my understanding that the previous owner didn't provide anything on the boat besides water and did ALL SIs at some kind of beach club (Paradise, Palancar, Money Bar, etc.) which took that decision away from the divers. We now have granola bars, cakes, cookies and fresh fruit on the boat every day so that if one of our divers doesn't want to buy breakfast/lunch, they don't have to. Again though, it's a decision made by the group and we will accommodate to a point (e.g., we're not going to Money Bar if both our dives are at Palancar).

There have also been times when we tied up to the steel buoy out near Punta Sur (on a calm day, fortunately). Our first dive was at Maracaibo with the second to be at Cathedral and Javier had prepared a tuna salad and fresh pico for all while we were tied up. But everyone was fine with that decision before we made the plans. Most, if not all of our divers are pretty reasonable people and appreciate being given the choice.

 

[Ron Lee]

Updated list:

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Opal's Dream .................. Opals Dream Dive Shop
Scuba Tony .................. Scuba Tony Dive Instruction, Cozumel Mexico

 

[choiahoy]

I'm a bit late to this thread, but does anyone know if Blue Angel or Scuba Club spend their surface intervals on shore?

 

[Basscat]

Blue Angel I am pretty sure does, Scuba Club SI's are on the boat slowly motoring to the second dive.

 

[blue steal]

I'm a bit late to this thread, but does anyone know if Blue Angel or Scuba Club spend their surface intervals on shore?

The morning BA angel boat (at least the times I've been maybe 100 dives) have spend at the pier with the conch shells. I actually like this stop as you can go for a nice walk down the beach, float around in the water, talk with other folks from different shops, or just kick back on the boat. We have motored to the second dive a few times. BA gives cold water, fruit, cakes during SI. Nothing fancy.

 

[brnt999]

Living Underwater most often stops at Playa Palancar. No loud music there. ScubaSteve, in answer to your question, the first, deep dive is usually to a depth of about 90 feet and can run 70-80 minutes, depending on the divers on board. The second dive can run for up to 90 minutes, on average, sometimes longer. So we usually have a surface interval of about 2 hours, with about 1.5 of that on the beach. The long SI means we can have a nice long second dive. Also, since I usually eat a light breakfast on the mornings of a dive, I like to grab a sandwich mid-morning. Also gives me time to warm up a bit, making like an iguana in the sun. There is another beach club where we sometimes stop a bit further north...I never get off the boat there as I detest the place. It's the one with the long pier that lots of ops stop at. We used to go to the Money Bar now and again but I understand the management has begun to charge dive ops to stop there and so LU has stopped going there.

If you are used to diving AL80's do you have to change your weighting when you switch to steel tanks?

 

[Alan P]

Yes you use less weight.

 

[MMM]

Yes. The OP I dive with has LP steel tanks of two different brands, so his air tanks are one brand and his nitrox another brand. His nitrox tanks weigh less than his air tanks. So I wear 6 lbs less than I would with an aluminum 80 when using his air tanks. I need to add a couple of pounds with his nitrox tanks, but still somewhat less than an 80.

If you are used to diving AL80's do you have to change your weighting when you switch to steel tanks?

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

Raul with Bottom Time Divers occasionally does his SI at one of the beach clubs, depending on what dive sites your diving. Usually though he goes to the conch tree pier. I like that the best, it's a short walk to a beach club or you can take a nice quiet walk down a deserted beach. He always has water, fruit, cookies, etc. on board if your hungry.

PH