Should I check out other dive ops?

[BRT]

Some ops on the island provide nitrox for free; I would hazard a guess that nitrox usage by the people diving with those ops is higher.

Yes. But I think the boats long term Scubaboard members dive with probably carry a higher percentage of nitrox tanks. The boats that look like buses probably carry less nitrox. But I am confident that AICO pumps a lot more air than nitrox.

 

[jonhall]

Some ops on the island provide nitrox for free; I would hazard a guess that nitrox usage by the people diving with those ops is higher.

Blue Angel, Pro Dive & Dressel (but you would have to ask for it), and Aldora if you do one of their stay and dive packages - to my knowledge.

Anyone know of others??

 

[mar2112]

We stayed there and were happy with the diving from their shop. We did take the ferry to the mainland to dive Los Ojas Cenote. Go for something that if you have an interest.

 

[ggunn]

Yes. But I think the boats long term Scubaboard members dive with probably carry a higher percentage of nitrox tanks. The boats that look like buses probably carry less nitrox. But I am confident that AICO pumps a lot more air than nitrox.

The two points are not mutually exclusive.

 

[ggunn]

We stayed there and were happy with the diving from their shop. We did take the ferry to the mainland to dive Los Ojas Cenote. Go for something that if you have an interest.

Dos Ojos, maybe?

 

[mar2112]

Dos Ojos, maybe?

Correct. I wore the t-shirt yesterday .

 

[ggunn]

Correct. I wore the t-shirt yesterday .

Been there, done that, got the Tshirt.

 

[Sloeber]

I beg to differ. Do you have a source for this statement?

You are correct, sir.

Absolutely zero chance nitrox is even 25% of the tanks getting filled in Cozumel. Just look at the fill stations. Meridiano has 10x (literally) more whips for air than nitrox. Aico is the same. If the number of compressor whips doesnt convince you, look at the number of rental tanks each has. Meridiano with over 1000 air tanks has less than 100 nitrox rentals. Do the math.

ProDive does offer free nitrox upgrades so if you are using their boats as an example, that's a very skewed sample size to form an opinion around.

 

[ggunn]

You are correct, sir.

Absolutely zero chance nitrox is even 25% of the tanks getting filled in Cozumel. Just look at the fill stations. Meridiano has 10x (literally) more whips for air than nitrox. Aico is the same. If the number of compressor whips doesnt convince you, look at the number of rental tanks each has. Meridiano with over 1000 air tanks has less than 100 nitrox rentals. Do the math.

ProDive does offer free nitrox upgrades so if you are using their boats as an example, that's a very skewed sample size to form an opinion around.

I hope that puts the issue to bed for those of us who care about it.

 

[rjmd]

Cozumel is something special, and I mean that in a very positive light. You will be diving in a Marine Park, so that means hands off all things you may see. Boat diving [the vast majority of Cozumel's visitor based diving] will be under the watchful eye of a DM/guide. I have seen DMs guide individuals up to groups of six to eight divers. Except for a few shallow near shore dives, expect a current or two to move you along. All dive operations that I am familiar with now require that each diver have a personal dive computer and a SMB, but many divers just follow the DM, and maintain neutral buoyancy a bit above their DM. When a diver gets to the pre-determined PSI to signal the DM/guide their dive is over, the DM/guide shoots his/her DSMB, and the diver ascends to do a safety stop along the SMB line and then up to the surface to await pickup by the boat. Nitrox is used by the majority of divers now, so make sure your computer will allow for a variety of O2 configurations [all modern computers should have this function].

A question on the SMB and reel. Seeing I am renting, what should I bring to attach them to the rental gear?

Would this mesh sleeve with some quick links work fine? I don't have allot of experience, but I am hoping BCDs are pretty universal in how things clip to them that I would be able to find a spot compatible with this attachment setup.

Edit: or maybe something like this would be better.