New to Diving. Going to Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

[jamiejohnl38]

I have a few questions. I just started beginning diving classes for my PADI certification. They talk a lot about anxiety on a dive and controlling it. Rightfully so, this is important. I am going to Grand Caymen and Cozumel next year February. I did my first closed water dive 2 days ago. I was wondering if anyone who dived here can give me insight on the frequency they see larger sharks, how to deal with the anxiety of fear of sharks, and the best companies to dive with at these locations. I want to enjoy myself as much as possible and prepare myself well to do so. Since I am on a cruise I only have 1 shot at each location for 2 tank dives. I just do not want to react in a way that can ruin mine and others dive experience. I will be doing my 4 open dives in Lake Erie and the Niagara River. I am far from the ocean so there will be no acclimation to that other than what the dive company does before the main dive when I am there. I will be cruising with Carnival and on their site they stated the dives will be from 70 to 100 ft for a 2 tank dive. The deepest I will have dived to that point will be 55 feet. Can this be an issue. Anything anyone can tell me which will help me will be appreciated. Do not get me wrong. Sharks are awesome creatures. I was having mild panic attacks snorkeling off a boat in Haiti last year. I do not want that happening underwater at depth.

 

[flyboy08]

Feb 2018? Hope you get some dives in before that?

Both places are awesome dive destinations. Your more apt to see sharks in Cozumel and large Rays in the Caymans. Check my recent post on Cozumel and the related videos....sharks aren't out to get you...my wife and daughter, along with our other dive friends, two being brand new enjoyed the shark encounter. Your more apt to injure yourself on the boat than in the water.

Breathe easy....stay by your DM if concerned and be able to swim faster than the next person in your group

 

[jamiejohnl38]

Feb 2018? Hope you get some dives in before that?

Both places are awesome dive destinations. Your more apt to see sharks in Cozumel and large Rays in the Caymans. Check my recent post on Cozumel and the related videos....sharks aren't out to get you...my wife and daughter, along with our other dive friends, two being brand new enjoyed the shark encounter. Your more apt to injure yourself on the boat than in the water.

Breathe easy....stay by your DM if concerned and be able to swim faster than the next person in your group[/QUOTE

 

[jamiejohnl38]

Thanks. I will have at least 4 open water dives by feb 2018. If I can manage to do it, I would like to take the advanced course before I go as well. One step at a time. I am sure I can find reviews on the internet but do you know the best place to book my dive with in these 2 spots

 

[scubadada]

Neither Cozumel nor Grand Cayman have frequent shark sightings (non-Nurse Shark), particularly in areas where you are likely to do cruise ship related diving. For example, the East End of Grand Cayman has more sharks than the West. With experience, I'm certain you will learn to appreciate the relatively uncommon encounters with sharks and consider yourself lucky when they occur.

 

[Streydog]

My first dives after being certified were off Carnival cruise ships. In Cozumel I used their op, Sand Dollar. It was fine for being a new diver. If you really want to improve quickly and have and excellent experience go with one of the top dive shops you see recommended on this site and hire a private dive master, it will cost about $50 more but would be money well spent.
I now have over 70 dives in Cozumel and have seen one shark besides nurse sharks.

 

[flyboy08]

Thanks. I will have at least 4 open water dives by feb 2018. If I can manage to do it, I would like to take the advanced course before I go as well. One step at a time. I am sure I can find reviews on the internet but do you know the best place to book my dive with in these 2 spots

These questions have been answered already. Do a search of Cozumel and you'll find the threads full of great information.

 

[jonhall]

They talk a lot about anxiety on a dive and controlling it. Rightfully so, this is important.
I will be cruising with Carnival and on their site they stated the dives will be from 70 to 100 ft for a 2 tank dive. The deepest I will have dived to that point will be 55 feet. Do not get me wrong. Sharks are awesome creatures. I was having mild panic attacks snorkeling off a boat in Haiti last year. I do not want that happening underwater at depth.

Thanks. I will have at least 4 open water dives by feb 2018. If I can manage to do it, I would like to take the advanced course before I go as well. One step at a time. I am sure I can find reviews on the internet but do you know the best place to book my dive with in these 2 spots

Couple of things:

Curious how PADI course covers controlling anxiety. Don't remember that from my course back in 1998. Think my first encounter with sharks was snorkeling with them at Typhoon Lagoon at Disney World. There are things in the ocean that actually scare me other than sharks. Most of what you will see in either GC or Coz are nurse sharks or reef sharks. Both are rare sightings but I always hope if one comes by, it's close enough for me to get a good pic. Think you just have to get it in your mind, especially in GC and Coz, the sharks you may see aren't man-eaters. One thing I haven't read on ScubaBoard in the time I've been on it is anyone experiencing shark attacks.

The dives in GC and Coz will be a breeze compared to Lake Erie and a river. Warm, clear, calm water, weather permitting!

The only thing getting the AOW does for you is give you some extra dives and knowledge. It sounds, in your case, maybe more confidence. It also certifies you to dive below 60 feet although in GC and Coz, it has been my experience that no matter what your level, 1st dives of a boat dive are 80-100 ft. and the 2nd dive shallower.

Lastly, if your trip isn't until Feb. 2018 I wouldn't worry now about who to dive with. In Coz, there may new operators by then and some no longer in business. A few months out, I would check back on this site and Google dive ops that cater to cruise ships. Contact them and see what they offer based on your ability and comfort level at that time.

Happy cruising!

 

[Dish]

jamiejohnl38 - FWIW, my thoughts regarding the Cayman portion of your trip.

Your cruise ship will pull into Georgetown on the "West End" of Grand Cayman. In all the dives I have done at the West End (shore, boat & wall), I have only run into one shark, a nurse shark named "Fin". She is the aquatic version of a puppy dog and I look forward to running into her during every trip I make down there.

The only place that I have run across reef sharks was on the East End and, given the limited time you will spend in port, you're unlikely to make it out there for any diving. Even so, it was rare to spot one and they are not big. My wife was a bit unsettled after her first shark encounters a year ago at the East End, but a couple of weeks ago, she happily backrolled into 10 or so Whitetips in Yap (I was so proud)... so you can grow out of your anxiety.

I don't know what sort of dive trip the cruise ship arranges in Cayman... if at all. If its a boat dive, @JohnHall is absolutely correct. First dive is on the wall with 80-100 feet easy. Second dive is normally at a shallower site inside. If you want two shore dives on your own and can manage to walk 200 yards, I'd recommend splashing in at Eden Rock Dive Shop (Grand Cayman Diving and Snorkeling). Get off the boat, walk the pier until you hit the road, turn right and saunter down the road and its right there. They have rental gear and I suspect you can wrangle a dive guide if you think that its necessary. It is tradition that we dive there at least once a trip. The two spots to dive is "Grotto" and "Eden Rock". Both are marked with buoys and they will brief you at the shop.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[mi000ke]

While most of the dive ops on grand cayman do a first dive on the wall at about 100' not all do, so your best bet would be to email several of the ops operating near the cruise terminal (a search here on cayman will bring up tons of info) and ask if they could accommodate you from the cruise ship on two dives no deeper than 60'. (BTW, I have done several Caribbean cruises, and rather than use the cruise line excursion,we always contact several ops in each port long before we arrive to arrange our dives.)

When I first dove Cayman I also was only OW certified and was reluctant to do a 100' dive having not been below 70' on my 20 or so previous dives. A couple of the ops said I could just follow along at 60', but that would essentially make me a solo diver and that was not acceptable. Anyway, I found a dive op that agreed to take me on three days of 60' and shallower dives. So again, contact a few and explain what you are looking for.

And with about 20 Cayman dives now under my belt (and my AOW cert) I have yet to see a shark.