Staying at Cozumel Palace May 22-29, who to dive with?

[JenLoves2Dive]

I have heard wonderful things about Aldora but I just don't get the big push for steel tanks. Probably cause I'm a gal and we usually stay down for 60 min or more anyway. I dive steels in Florida but they are really heavy for me. I like to wear as minimal exposure as I can in Cozumel so after an hour bottom time I start to get a little chilly not to mention I am usually pushing my computer by that time anyway. It's price prohibitive for me to consider them because I am usually there doing a lot of diving for a couple of weeks. At $89 for a 2 tank dive it gets expensive quickly. Again, just my 2 cents worth.

I have had wonderful experiences with BlueXTSea and Scuba Mau. Also, Dive Paradise. You can get good package prices with all of them. BlueXTSea and Scuba Mau both have fast boats and so does DP on request. I also know Rita with Albatross charters and she is a great gal.

Obviously, it's pretty hard to go wrong with just about any dive op on the island (except the on-site dive op where you are staying). Not being mean but they do have the worst reputation of all the dive ops there. Shame.

As far as a reg with a dive computer, I think you mean renting a reg and a separate dive computer. You can get a console with an air integrated dive computer but no one rents them out. You will need to separately rent a dive computer (wrist mount). The rentals average $10 a day for the computer and not included in the equipment rental. BTW, for what it costs you to rent a computer you can find some nice wrist mount Oceanic dive computers in the $350-$400 range. Nitrox compatible. Have a great time. But of course, you will.

 

[Mr.Bigg]

I have heard wonderful things about Aldora but I just don't get the big push for steel tanks. Probably cause I'm a gal and we usually stay down for 60 min or more anyway. I dive steels in Florida but they are really heavy for me. I like to wear as minimal exposure as I can in Cozumel so after an hour bottom time I start to get a little chilly not to mention I am usually pushing my computer by that time anyway. It's price prohibitive for me to consider them because I am usually there doing a lot of diving for a couple of weeks. At $89 for a 2 tank dive it gets expensive quickly. Again, just my 2 cents worth.

I have had wonderful experiences with BlueXTSea and Scuba Mau. Also, Dive Paradise. You can get good package prices with all of them. BlueXTSea and Scuba Mau both have fast boats and so does DP on request. I also know Rita with Albatross charters and she is a great gal.

Obviously, it's pretty hard to go wrong with just about any dive op on the island (except the on-site dive op where you are staying). Not being mean but they do have the worst reputation of all the dive ops there. Shame.

As far as a reg with a dive computer, I think you mean renting a reg and a separate dive computer. You can get a console with an air integrated dive computer but no one rents them out. You will need to separately rent a dive computer (wrist mount). The rentals average $10 a day for the computer and not included in the equipment rental. BTW, for what it costs you to rent a computer you can find some nice wrist mount Oceanic dive computers in the $350-$400 range. Nitrox compatible. Have a great time. But of course, you will.

Well, no, I meant a reg with a computer integrated into the first stage. I think that's what's offered at Blue Magic. But a wrist mount would be fine. I only get a chance to dive once or twice a year at the moment, so buying anything past mask fin and snorkel doesn't do me alot of good.

I'm kinda with you on the steel tank thing, as a general safety rule, I prefer no decompression diving with a safety stop. Anything past AL80 and you are decompressing. Plus I prefer to dive without a wetsuit, so I don't need all that extra weight.

 

[billindenver]

Decompressing? The nitrogen loading you take is dependent on your dive profile (depth). You can just as easily get into deco with an Al80 as you can with a steel 120...in fact, they both get you there in exactly the same time spent at depth. The difference is, as your profile shallows up...the steel tank allows you to remain longer at the shallow (warm) depth than the Al80 will.

As for weight. Most divers in the boats I've been in still use weight with steel tanks. Instead of 10 lbs they may strap on 4lbs but the overall weight of you as a diver as you get in the water is the same with either tank, or your buoyancy control would be off. I dive without weights if I use a steel tank, but if I dive aluminum I have to strap on a few lbs. Most beginners are not going to be in that position. So, the difference between steel and aluminum is...do you want the weight on your back, or strapped to your waist...because either way, you are going to take that weight with you. The steel tanks do not make you heavier as a diver.

Price is a subjective issue, but when traveling to cozumel I don't consider $10 a day to be a price difference I even notice when compared to the aluminum tank ops. The DM tip is more than that.

 

[JenLoves2Dive]

The difference is, as your profile shallows up...the steel tank allows you to remain longer at the shallow (warm) depth than the Al80 will.

Like I said, after 60+ minutes, that's when I start to get cold. But then again, I am usually diving three tanks a day.

As for the weight, I find them very heavy and bulky. I just don't like them unless I really need them.

Most dive packages end up averaging out at about $60-$70 per 2 tank dive. So that's a $20 difference a day.
I would imagine they have a discount rate for packages too.

But even then, diving nitrox AND steel -- it does add up. Still, I have heard very good things about Aldora. To each his (HER) own.

 

[DiverG]

Decompressing? The nitrogen loading you take is dependent on your dive profile (depth). You can just as easily get into deco with an Al80 as you can with a steel 120...in fact, they both get you there in exactly the same time spent at depth. The difference is, as your profile shallows up...the steel tank allows you to remain longer at the shallow (warm) depth than the Al80 will.

Now I usually just go to Cozumel in July, but I have rarely if ever seen a temperature difference form the surface down to recreational limits. Maybe a degree at most. Is there any difference at different dapths during the winter months?

 

[JenLoves2Dive]

Now I usually just go to Cozumel in July, but I have rarely if ever seen a temperature difference form the surface down to recreational limits. Maybe a degree at most. Is there any difference at different depths during the winter months?

Oh yeah! For instance I was there in Jan/Feb and water temps were frigid (Caribbean standards) at 77-78, with some thermoclines showing at 75!

I was wearing a 3/2mm with a 2mm core warmer but by the third dive would have preferred a 5mm. It wasn't just the water temps but we were also freezing when we got out of the water because it was very windy some of those days from the nortes.

We are just www (warm water wimps). Those guys in Denver/Michigan/North Dakota etc., are all laughing at us.

In the summer months I wear a skin or just my bathing suit and water temps are a balmy 80-82.

 

[firstdive2005]

I was wearing a 3/2mm with a 2mm core warmer

Hey Jen buddy come dive up here, the 3/2 and 2mm thats what we wear for underwear here. Just got out 2hrs ago, 43c, thats chilly. I hugged my wife from behind now she wont quit smilling. I was still vibrating a little I guess.

I dont like the steel tanks diving warm either, way too much wieght. I dont use any lead with my bp/w. Using my zeagel I only need 3lbs. With the big iron I need a lot of air in the wing. Also it was just too wierd on my balance. Also I dont need the big tank to get in a hour or more. I tend to go into deco most of the time anyway. Thats why I like diving with girls, nice lungs. Get your mind out of the gutter Bill.
Also I like saving over 20us a day on diving. Kinda cheap on my part I guess. But I usually end up giving that back to the guys that I dm with a the end party anyway.
Well Mr. Bigg I hope you get what your looking for. Chuck a dart at five names on the wall you get a good op. Keep in touch while your there online we need feedback

 

[Mr.Bigg]

Decompressing? The nitrogen loading you take is dependent on your dive profile (depth). You can just as easily get into deco with an Al80 as you can with a steel 120...in fact, they both get you there in exactly the same time spent at depth. The difference is, as your profile shallows up...the steel tank allows you to remain longer at the shallow (warm) depth than the Al80 will.

As for weight. Most divers in the boats I've been in still use weight with steel tanks. Instead of 10 lbs they may strap on 4lbs but the overall weight of you as a diver as you get in the water is the same with either tank, or your buoyancy control would be off. I dive without weights if I use a steel tank, but if I dive aluminum I have to strap on a few lbs. Most beginners are not going to be in that position. So, the difference between steel and aluminum is...do you want the weight on your back, or strapped to your waist...because either way, you are going to take that weight with you. The steel tanks do not make you heavier as a diver.

Price is a subjective issue, but when traveling to cozumel I don't consider $10 a day to be a price difference I even notice when compared to the aluminum tank ops. The DM tip is more than that.

Hate to bicker about nothing, but how does 120 cubic feet of air and 80 cubic feet of air give you the same time at depth? With an AL80 and a decent safety stop most will run out of air on the first dive of the day before getting into deco trouble. As someone who is too poor for a dive computer , that's a convenient fact.

Anywho, back from my vacation, the water was great, the diving was great. Saw lots of great life down there, rays, eels, turtles, barracuda, even a shark on just a couple dives. The only semi-detractor was the reef seemed either very sparse, or in very bad shape (likely I guess from all the diving in this area).

Thanks for the advice from everyone. I ended up diving with Scuba Mau. No complaints there. I did end up on a boat with first timers my second dive, but the dm did a good job of corralling.

Sad to be back home and out of the beautiful Caribbean. But I plan on going to grad school in Austin, TX soon, so with any luck weekend trips may be a possibility. Thanks everyone.

 

[ggunn]

Hate to bicker about nothing, but how does 120 cubic feet of air and 80 cubic feet of air give you the same time at depth? With an AL80 and a decent safety stop most will run out of air on the first dive of the day before getting into deco trouble. As someone who is too poor for a dive computer , that's a convenient fact.

IMO, a dive computer should be your first purchase after mask and fins.

The only semi-detractor was the reef seemed either very sparse, or in very bad shape (likely I guess from all the diving in this area).

The sparseness of the reef in some areas is much more because of Hurricane Wilma's bashing of Cozumel in 2005 than from divers. Most folks who dive Cozumel are very good about not touching anything.

 

[Nitrodiverrr]

MANY years ago I used Dive paradise for a night dive. Their boat was small and sparse but DM was good. Dive house had good boats and DM's. Their boat came to pick me up and drop me off at the dock in the center of town. Once they didn't want to bother boating me back to the dock. Juan arranged for and paid for a taxi trip back. I have no idea if their service is still this good.