Please name your three favorite dive shops

[caseywilson]

Hi all,

I'm planning a dive trip to Cozumel with my granddaughter (22-y-o) in the last week of March and first week in April. I have only ten dives in my log and T. will have just completed her OW certification. Consider both of us as fresh chum. I figure on doing perhaps five days of diving (X2 tanks per dive).

If you would, please name your first three choices/recommendations for dive shops considering our (lack of) experience. If you care to name one or more that should be avoided, you can send me those in a PM.

Thanks, and dive safe,

Casey Wilson

 

[Ron Lee]

What may help is knowing what do you need. Of course you may not know that.

Can you back roll off a boat and climb up a ladder to get back on? Or do you need a larger boat that you giant stride off the back and that has more stair like ladders?

Do you want to stop at a beach between dives?

 

[deborahdelamar]

For your convenience, it would also help to know where you're staying as not all ops pick up at all hotels.

 

[caseywilson]

@Ron -- Back roll off the gunnel or giant stride -- either one works. Ladder or stairs -- either one works. With my ancient back, it does help for me to doff my fins and BC before clambering back aboard.

@ Deborah -- We will be staying at the El Cantil condos. They have a dock and, from what I've been told, don't charge fees.

 

[ggunn]

Let the cheerleading begin...

 

[Tim-O]

Hi Casey!

While I can't give you three... I can recommend one for you. Check out Scuba with Alison. I have been back a week now, and my girlfriend and I dove with her. She has a nice boat, but only takes a small group. She picks the dive sites based on the groups experience levels and makes sure everyone is comfortable with the plans. We were very comfortable with her as a DM and will certainly use her again if/when we make it to Coz again.

 

[Ron Lee]

ra ra ree...

Look into Aldora.com

One reason of many I like them is the surface interval on a beach. I need my toes in the sand time.

Whoever you choose, think about hiring a private divemaster the first day. While not mandatory, that could help both of you with the vagaries of drift diving, buoyancy skills, etc.

You will have multiple dive shops that can pick up at El Cantil (assumption) including Aldora, Blue Xtasea, possibly Living Underwater. Dive Paradise has a shop at Barracuda hotel just a block north of you plus their main office a block north of that. Aqua Safari is about another block north which is just minutes away from the Aldora office.

 

[mheaster]

We really enjoyed Buena Ventura Diving! Courteous, accommodating and very safe operation!

Also loved the fresh fresh fruit, and homemade guacamole and other post dive snacks!

 

[cicopo]

You'll have a hard time finding a bad one but having said that you'll be next door to one I wouldn't recommend. Aquaworld is the in house op at the Palace & as convenient as they might be to use I'd look elsewhere.

 

[deborahdelamar]

Based on your info, here are some recommended ops:
Small group/giant stride available as well as backroll: Scuba with Alison
Small group/backroll entry: Scubatony, BlueXTSea
Large boat (group size at that time of year could be as small as 4 & as large as 12 -- impossible to predict)/giant stride: Aqua Safari
Aqua Safari also has a small group/giant stride boat called the Belinda, which best advice says reserve in advance of your trip because it's very popular & sells out.