deepsea21
Contributor
Carol... I'll toss my 2 cents in regarding what you are looking for... As some others have mentioned, we too stay at the Casa Mexicana (going on 14 or 15 years now) and started diving with Tres Pelicanos 3 years ago. Addressing your needs:
1) 3 daily dives (2-tank morning, 1-tank afternoon). Go with 3P's that offers courtesy transport at 7:40 AM from their shop right around the corner from the casa. You'll get breakfast in without being rushed and you'll usually be back at the Casa between 12:30 and 1:00 PM which leaves time to grab dive #3 with Aqua Safari that has a shop and dock right in front of the casa. It leaves at 2:30 PM I believe so you have plenty of time for lunch. Of course, you'll be keeping your gear with you and hauling it day in and day out.
2) Dive your own computer (not having to ascend as a group) 3P's yes. Aqua Safari no but you'll be diving a shallow reef on that single afternon dive anyway so you'll still grab about an hour of bottom time.
3) Will let me "buddy" up with the DM instead of another solo stranger. Absolutely 3P's. As the more experienced divers are going to spread out and dive their own dives with 3P's you can hang with the DM and pretty much enjoy a private DM on the morning dives. With Aqua Safari in the afternoon, you'll probably be one in a very small group with a dedicated DM as they tend to do classes and such in the shallows that splits the group in 3/4 (intro/fun with scuba/checkouts with one DM) and 1/4 experienced grabbing another dive with another DM.
4) Knowledgeable DMs who are good at pointing out critters. 3P's and Aqua Safari DM's are great. Quite frankly, some Aqua Safari DM's are downright excellent at finding things on the afternoon dives when the hoard of those who dive with them in the AM are gone and they have a small group in the afternoon.
5) Takes care of equipment between days (or at least has a locker to store it). Not going to happen if you want this 2 AM + 1 PM dive schedule but you can rinse your gear at Aqua Safari rinse tanks on the same block as the Casa Mexicana and then take it up to your balcony.
6) Fast boat w/ shade (a better criteria would be a morning trip that gives enough time to eat lunch before the afternoon trip). 3P's boats are fast with full shade. Aqua Safari boats are slow and offer full shade but you won't be going very far for that 3rd dive anyway so speed really isn't a concern.
Lodging:
1) Prefer somewhere that offers a full meal-plan. If not, then at least an on-site restaurant (w/ breakfast). Casa Mexicana offers the best free included hot breakfast buffet on the island in my opinion. Others say the breakfast at the Palace is better but for $70/night vs. $300/night I don't need to eat sausage wrapped in edible gold leaf.
2) Convenient to the dive op. Both are on the same block as the Casa Mexicana.
3) Wifi (or gets good service from T-Mobile's network). Free WIFI at the Casa with coverage throughout the resort with the exception of the far seats out on the pool deck that overlook the street below and the water.
If interested, contact Jeannie through Tres Pelicano's website and she'll set up a dive/stay package at the casa that can't be beat. Then book your afternoon dives through Aqua Safari seperately. Perhaps some others here know of other dive ops that also pick up at the Aqua Safari dock for a single afternoon dive that you can consider.
That's my 2 cents... for what they're worth.
1) 3 daily dives (2-tank morning, 1-tank afternoon). Go with 3P's that offers courtesy transport at 7:40 AM from their shop right around the corner from the casa. You'll get breakfast in without being rushed and you'll usually be back at the Casa between 12:30 and 1:00 PM which leaves time to grab dive #3 with Aqua Safari that has a shop and dock right in front of the casa. It leaves at 2:30 PM I believe so you have plenty of time for lunch. Of course, you'll be keeping your gear with you and hauling it day in and day out.
2) Dive your own computer (not having to ascend as a group) 3P's yes. Aqua Safari no but you'll be diving a shallow reef on that single afternon dive anyway so you'll still grab about an hour of bottom time.
3) Will let me "buddy" up with the DM instead of another solo stranger. Absolutely 3P's. As the more experienced divers are going to spread out and dive their own dives with 3P's you can hang with the DM and pretty much enjoy a private DM on the morning dives. With Aqua Safari in the afternoon, you'll probably be one in a very small group with a dedicated DM as they tend to do classes and such in the shallows that splits the group in 3/4 (intro/fun with scuba/checkouts with one DM) and 1/4 experienced grabbing another dive with another DM.
4) Knowledgeable DMs who are good at pointing out critters. 3P's and Aqua Safari DM's are great. Quite frankly, some Aqua Safari DM's are downright excellent at finding things on the afternoon dives when the hoard of those who dive with them in the AM are gone and they have a small group in the afternoon.
5) Takes care of equipment between days (or at least has a locker to store it). Not going to happen if you want this 2 AM + 1 PM dive schedule but you can rinse your gear at Aqua Safari rinse tanks on the same block as the Casa Mexicana and then take it up to your balcony.
6) Fast boat w/ shade (a better criteria would be a morning trip that gives enough time to eat lunch before the afternoon trip). 3P's boats are fast with full shade. Aqua Safari boats are slow and offer full shade but you won't be going very far for that 3rd dive anyway so speed really isn't a concern.
Lodging:
1) Prefer somewhere that offers a full meal-plan. If not, then at least an on-site restaurant (w/ breakfast). Casa Mexicana offers the best free included hot breakfast buffet on the island in my opinion. Others say the breakfast at the Palace is better but for $70/night vs. $300/night I don't need to eat sausage wrapped in edible gold leaf.
2) Convenient to the dive op. Both are on the same block as the Casa Mexicana.
3) Wifi (or gets good service from T-Mobile's network). Free WIFI at the Casa with coverage throughout the resort with the exception of the far seats out on the pool deck that overlook the street below and the water.
If interested, contact Jeannie through Tres Pelicano's website and she'll set up a dive/stay package at the casa that can't be beat. Then book your afternoon dives through Aqua Safari seperately. Perhaps some others here know of other dive ops that also pick up at the Aqua Safari dock for a single afternoon dive that you can consider.
That's my 2 cents... for what they're worth.