My 1st Cozumel Trip Dec 9th - 16th!
- Thread starter devoDan
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devoDan
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Plus, for whatever reason, four dives a day on air is just so tiring and Nitrox just isn't. Anyone know the science behind that? I think multiple dives on air causes more nitrogen to build up in your system. There may be other factors too. I know i feel 100% less tired after diving nitrox. I feel like unless I was going really deep, I'd always want to use Nitrox while doing 3-4 dives per day...
Yes, I have my own signaling devices, computer, etc
fishi
Contributor
I have never experienced less fatigue when diving nitrox, but water does do that for me. I have one large glass before bed, one more in the morning, another large glass before I leave the house, and one small bottle on the boat before the first dive. If I do that it makes a big difference on how I feel after the dive day. For me that's the best way to reduce the fatigue that comes with diving.
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devoDan
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Ok, so I have done some looking around, and I am pretty close to booking with Aldora. I really like having 120cf steel tanks and the flexibility to actually use them to significantly increase bottom times. I also really like that they have small groups and seem to actually go to the more advanced dive sites.
However, they seem quite expensive. For six consecutive days of 2 tank morning dives with Nitrox and 120cf steel tanks, plus four of those six days with an additional 2 tank afternoon dive (120cf steel, Nitrox) they are asking $1,118. That is before tax and does not include lodging. Is that nuts? It seems like most of the other operators are around 700-850 for the same package, albeit without the 120cf steel tanks.
Does anyone have a suggestion for how I can still dive with Nitrox and 120cf tank for 80-90+ minutes per dive or so, but not pay such a big premium? Is Aldora worth the price? Am I missing something?
Thanks for all of the help!
Dan
However, they seem quite expensive. For six consecutive days of 2 tank morning dives with Nitrox and 120cf steel tanks, plus four of those six days with an additional 2 tank afternoon dive (120cf steel, Nitrox) they are asking $1,118. That is before tax and does not include lodging. Is that nuts? It seems like most of the other operators are around 700-850 for the same package, albeit without the 120cf steel tanks.
Does anyone have a suggestion for how I can still dive with Nitrox and 120cf tank for 80-90+ minutes per dive or so, but not pay such a big premium? Is Aldora worth the price? Am I missing something?
Thanks for all of the help!
Dan
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Aldora is indeed pricey, but I'm sure worth it. Everything I have heard about them is impressive, and my encounters here on SB with one of the owners have also been so. I dive a cheaper operator, who can supply 100 Cf air but not 100 Cf nitrox, but I don't push it as hard as you want to. For what you want to do, it'd probably be worth it.
Too, you are coming during Norte season. Much more likely to be blown out then than in hurricane season. Indeed, Aldora offers a hurricane season guarantee but not one for Nortes, but - they are well set up to dive the east side if needed, with backup boats taken over for safety.
Too, you are coming during Norte season. Much more likely to be blown out then than in hurricane season. Indeed, Aldora offers a hurricane season guarantee but not one for Nortes, but - they are well set up to dive the east side if needed, with backup boats taken over for safety.
With bigger tanks and longer dive times you are going to pay that premium. The op I use Blue Xt Sea, which can supply you with 100's plus nitrox 100's will be about 100 bucks less for the type of deal you are looking at.
R
redacted
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If you really need to do 80 to 90 minute dives, your options are fairly limited. Most other ops provide larger tanks with the idea of accommodating divers that need a bit more gas than the rest of the diver on the boat. With most other ops (except Aldora and Living UW), you should expect most divers on the boat to be using Al80s and most dives running just a bit over 1 hour.
first - on the people of coz. they are amongst the friendliest anywhere in the world. i am an experienced world traveler and have been going to coz for over 20 yrs. no worries there. the people are one of the things i enjoy most about coz.
second - on saving $. i always try to save on eating by eating where locals eat and on lodging because all you do there is sleep. i never try to save on diving. that is why you are going there, right? you can get very good advice from this site on how to eat and sleep for next to nothing on coz. at this point in life i no longer need to save but still do it for the fun of it.
second - on saving $. i always try to save on eating by eating where locals eat and on lodging because all you do there is sleep. i never try to save on diving. that is why you are going there, right? you can get very good advice from this site on how to eat and sleep for next to nothing on coz. at this point in life i no longer need to save but still do it for the fun of it.
Ms. Ann Thrope
Contributor
Two things, if you're balking at Aldora's prices (and they are high): Are you stuck on staying down as long as humanly possible on every single dive you do? Since Aldora doesn't seem to cut any real price breaks for multiple days of diving, you could always try a different operator for a few days as well and save a few bucks. Everyone should be able to get you Nitrox, if you're willing to endure a not-to-the-limits dive.
And also, most of the better shops will take you to more "advanced" sites, if everyone is willing and able. I've even been with operators who have gone to Barracuda with divers who literally needed their hands held, have been visibly struggling with weighting issues, etc. I wouldn't characterize the "advanced" sites as necessarily better than the mid-octane sites. Sure, we all go to Palancar sites over and over again--they're beautiful. Don't despair if you don't manage to check everything off your list.
But the Al80 thing begs a question and sort of wanders into the territory of dive etiquette. There are plenty of us who can usually do 80-90 minute dives (and perhaps longer) on 80cf tanks, if our computers give us the go-ahead. But I can't think of too many ops we've used that I believe would look kindly on a diver staying down that long, especially if most everyone else has had to or decided to come up after 60-70 minutes. (And I'll admit, if I were on a boat with you, and you decided to stay a long, long time after I'd politely gotten back aboard with over 1300psi still in my tank, I'd personally be simultaneously envying and resenting you.)
For the operator, I think, there are surface intervals to plan for, and often the need to get the boat back with enough time for the DM to eat and off-gas before the afternoon dive. I did once do a nearly-90 minute night dive with our regular 80cf operator, in part because some other guys were staying down too, but we were practically right in front of the hotel on Barracuda, and clearly it was the last dive of the day. I'd never feel comfortable staying that long on a standard morning dive, though I'm certain our regular DM wouldn't yank us out of the water. I asked him once how long we could stay without it being totally irritating, and he diplomatically answered, "Good question."
Are other people having vastly different experiences? I'm usually okay with not staying down until I suck a tank to the dregs, knowing we have many dives behind us and hopefully many ahead. We, too, will be diving with Aldora for the first time this winter (we did use Living Underwater once years ago, before Jeremy was even the owner). We've been happy with our regular operator, but we decided to try something different. I'll be curious to see how it compares.
And also, most of the better shops will take you to more "advanced" sites, if everyone is willing and able. I've even been with operators who have gone to Barracuda with divers who literally needed their hands held, have been visibly struggling with weighting issues, etc. I wouldn't characterize the "advanced" sites as necessarily better than the mid-octane sites. Sure, we all go to Palancar sites over and over again--they're beautiful. Don't despair if you don't manage to check everything off your list.
But the Al80 thing begs a question and sort of wanders into the territory of dive etiquette. There are plenty of us who can usually do 80-90 minute dives (and perhaps longer) on 80cf tanks, if our computers give us the go-ahead. But I can't think of too many ops we've used that I believe would look kindly on a diver staying down that long, especially if most everyone else has had to or decided to come up after 60-70 minutes. (And I'll admit, if I were on a boat with you, and you decided to stay a long, long time after I'd politely gotten back aboard with over 1300psi still in my tank, I'd personally be simultaneously envying and resenting you.)
For the operator, I think, there are surface intervals to plan for, and often the need to get the boat back with enough time for the DM to eat and off-gas before the afternoon dive. I did once do a nearly-90 minute night dive with our regular 80cf operator, in part because some other guys were staying down too, but we were practically right in front of the hotel on Barracuda, and clearly it was the last dive of the day. I'd never feel comfortable staying that long on a standard morning dive, though I'm certain our regular DM wouldn't yank us out of the water. I asked him once how long we could stay without it being totally irritating, and he diplomatically answered, "Good question."
Are other people having vastly different experiences? I'm usually okay with not staying down until I suck a tank to the dregs, knowing we have many dives behind us and hopefully many ahead. We, too, will be diving with Aldora for the first time this winter (we did use Living Underwater once years ago, before Jeremy was even the owner). We've been happy with our regular operator, but we decided to try something different. I'll be curious to see how it compares.
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devoDan
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I guess a simple way of looking at it would be: it costs 1.5x the price to go with Aldora, if you can stay down for nearly 1.5x the time, then it is roughly the same $/min of bottom time and worth the premium given all of the other positive factors....
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