Sleaze in Cozumel

[Dave Dillehay]

There has been too much attention paid to recent problems with Scuba Mau and his former wife's operation in Cozumel. Many of you, fans of of them, and other shops have no idea of the daily sleaze that goes on every day here in Cozumel. The back stabbing, the client stealing, and the vicious rumors abound an they have for many years. It is not just Scuba Mau

Face it, the relationship most of you make is with the DM who takes you out. He, or she is glib, and bluntly most likely working on tips. They make take you out to dinner, you pay of course, and if they are really good they get a gringo to buy them a boat, or set up a web page so that they can become a Cozumel "dive shop". That is how Scuba Mau left Dive Paradise and started their thing, and indeed how Aldora Divers was formed from the discards of Scuba Du in 1992.

Every week there are now OPs formed this way, Dive CHoice Mexico, Dive Cooperative, etc, and they may or may not survive the reality of running a full service dive operation in Cozumel. Of course they predicted in 1992 that there was no way that Aldora Divers would make it by charging more.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[gcarter]

What you are saying may or may not be true; I frankly don't know, and don't much care either.

I am left wondering, though, what percentage you felt there was for you in making this post. You are slagging your competitors which never looks nice. IMHO, as one with no pre-existing relationship in the area, this does your image more harm than it does that of your competitors.

 

[ben_wilson3301]

So name some non sleazy operators, theyre must be some on the island. If not I see this as a shameless plug for your shop and not an honest post.

 

[scubawife]

Maybe dive shop owners should spend their time on THEIR business and keeping good relationships with THEIR divers instead of answering for the situations others find themselves in?

Sometimes personal relationships have messy breakups, and business partners and/or employees part under not so great terms. So what? Vacationing divers shouldn't have to be dragged into this stuff, and good businesses with professional owners, management and employees wouldn't talk out of turn and gossip about these things.

With what I've been seeing online lately with a few shops, their owners and customers/"friends," if I didn't have my favorite shops and a lot of time on the island over many years, I might reconsider ever coming to Cozumel for a dive vacation. Who wants to spend their time and money to wonder if they're being scammed, lied to, being made a pawn in a fight, etc, etc. Let divers enjoy their diving and vacations. Whatever issues the dive shop community... or some members of it... in Cozumel have with each other, keep it to yourselves. Keep it off the internet and out of your customer's ears. Cozumel isn't the only dive destination in the world, or even in the Caribbean or Mexico.

 

[judydivescoz]

I dont really understand why anybody especially a dive shop owner would add to the already nasty stuff already circulating here and elsewhere on the net. Frankly I don't care to hear all the dirt. FWIW, I do not mind when the crew of the dive boat I'm on works for their tips, it's their job.

 

[Mayor]

We have lots of dive shop drama here in the northeast USA. This goes on everywhere and Cozumel i see is no exception. Research the op and make sure that they deliver on what's promised. I'm sure there are a bunch of great ops on Cozumel but I can only recommend Aldora from past experience. The DM was part of that but it took their whole staff to make it a truly rememberable experience. In technical diving your team is only as good as the weakest member. Thanks Dave for removing the cloud for just a second!

 

[Ron Lee]

Disclaimer: I am a long time Aldora customer.

I did not read this post as being petty or malicious. Just a statement of fact.

Aldora does offer a superior dive experience but honestly did suffer during the period when Memo was gone. My recollections of any "issues" has faded with time and to be honest, some could have been my fault or just differences in personality.

 

[cruiser]

The antics Dave described in his post aren't unique to Cozumel. It's a fact of life in the business world where there is brisk competition. What he has done with his post, IMO, is to break the unwritten rule of the Cozumel forum and actually be candid about things.

 

[DandyDon]

So who do you think will win the Presidential election down yonder, and will Calderón still come dive after he retires? Texas Keeps Close Eye on Mexico's Presidential Race — Immigration | The Texas Tribune

 

[Mike]

If there is room on the Cozumel forums for yet another ridiculous thread about restaurants in Cozumel creating gastronomic divinity by slapping together $1.50 worth of beans and rice and a tortilla patty on a plate, there is certainly room for one thread about the reality of the dive business there.

Please carry on Dave...

How do dive shops out right poach each others customers and how often is it done? What's the worst you've seen?

How hard was it for you guys to change the face of the dive business in Cozumel by offering a premiumly priced product that never existed before?