Question for Coco View Experts

[Maggy]

Hi!

I have signed up for a dive vacation with a group of US divers that I have been diving with one time before, at Coco View in mid January. I'm really looking forward to this and from what I have read, I will probably like Coco View a lot.

Now to the question. How good or bad will this place suit a non diving spouse? I might try to talk my husband into joining me, but would like to know that he at least have a chance to like it. He loves to snorkel, and I'm sure he could go with the boat every once in a while, if the sites also suits snorkelers. He would also enjoy the house reef, I'm sure of. But then, how fun could it be for a non diver. Is there something else he could do (or we)?

I will not dive 4 dives a day (2 might be enough and maybe 3 some day). So we could spend some time together as well. We are both independant, and have done pretty much traveling so we don't have to hang out every second together. I just don't want him to get bored.

From what I understand there's no beach or pool, but if there's some place to relax, read a book and just enjoy vacation that's good. Can you do any swimming at the resort?

We will of course also enjoy the company of the group at nights, but I'm still not sure how much dive-talk it will be for him. We talk a lot about different fishes and things we see in the water, when we snorkel so he's interested in that. But I don't think I will manage to get him to try to dive. He has tried once in the past and it didn't work out then. I would love for him to get certified, but I won't put any pressure on him. He has to decide that by himself.

So, any advices?

 

[robint]

Absolutely! If he enjoys snorkeling and will go out on boat once or twice, he will be happy. Also, every day there are activities planned at the resort, a sign-up board is posted. There are lots of places to sit and relax, tons of hammocks and also the upstairs at the Main bldg/Clubhouse/Dining Area.
my topside and hubby's underwater photos: http://www.rnrscuba.net/CCV_Roatan_2008/CCV_photos_videos.html

There is internet access in that bldg and many people bring their laptops that way there is no line at the free computers (2 sitting there for anyone's use). Also, there is a tv set upstairs though I don't know what channels they get, but a DVD player is there, too.
Watch the videos online on the website: Welcome to CoCo View Video
several there to watch, one specifically about snorkeling

I have told my husband, if I ever decide I don't want to dive anymore, I will still want to go to CCV. There is so much to see snorkeling right there in the front yard! The first morning we went down and got coffee and walked along the overwater walkways watching all the fish, and saw a chain moray inches from the surface, sticking his head out of the coral. It was so cool!!! A few other guests joined us and said that a green moray hangs out there waiting for handouts after breakfast, he loves bacon. Other divers told us that a group of eagle rays come in around sunset right in front of the gazebo some nights. Wow! There is video posted by a guy recently of the eagle rays right in the front yard. A guy saw them two times when returning from dives: CoCoView Frontyard with Eagle Ray on Vimeo and http://www.vimeo.com/4959027

So if your hubby likes to snorkel.....

robin

 

[Doc]

He loves to snorkel, and I'm sure he could go with the boat every once in a while, if the sites also suits snorkelers. He would also enjoy the house reef, I'm sure of. But then, how fun could it be for a non diver.... Can you do any swimming at the resort?

Many divers come for a week and never boat dive, they just go out shore diving on the "house reef", which is called the Front Yard. The resort has hosted a group for two weeks every year that just comes to snorkel. Yes, there are some dive sites that are suitable for both divers and snorkelers, but it is biased heavily in favor of divers.

I would love for him to get certified, but I won't put any pressure on him. He has to decide that my himself. So, any advices?

Yes, here's a way to make the transition easy for him. On Sunday afternoon, when you have completed the "orientation dives", so you know your way around the Front Yard, invite him on a shore dive with you. He's got his snorkel gear, you're in SCUBA. It's very easy to see lots of things in less than 4' of water.

Pass him your octopus second stage and let him surface swim along side of you. Stay shallow- again- lot's to see in waist deep water. He's likely to see how much easier it is to scuba than snorkel! (Stay on the surface, be smart, be safe)

If you do this on the first afternoon, he might want to meet the instructors at the dive shop. They do discover SCUBA or could have him certified before you leave.

The bad part of learning to dive at CCV is that it is such a simple, user friendly environment. The shore dive entry, the landmarks underwater, the clear aquarium that he'll train in, the shallow shipwreck to gawk at, the dive boats... it will spoil him for future outings at other locations.

Start on that first day- get him wet!

 

[Maggy]

Thank you so much for the replies. Cool videos. I'm absolutely sure he would appreciate the snorkeling. I'm a little hesitent though, if it's enough for him.

I love to travel so much, so I don't mind going all the way to the Caribbean from Sweden, for just a week. My husband on the other hand, thinks it might be too far for just one week. That's why I really want him to enjoy his time there. I read some reviews on Tripadvisor that warned about bringing a non diving spouse along.

RoatanMan, that's a great advice when it comes to learning how to breath in a regulator. That's just what he had problems with. He's a techincal, responsible guy with lots of control of things, but he didn't get the breathing to work. He didn't feel comfortable. I'm convinced that he could dive, if he would try again, during the right circumstances. So, swimming around just in the surface to learn how to breath, might be a good start.

So, if anyone else has an opinion about bringing a non diving spouse or not, please let me know.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

I think Robin and Doc have pretty much summed it up

but if you have more questions or want a different answer you might go here CoCo Chat and let your husband look around the CCV website and see what he thinks....we had a couple of non divers go with us last summer one had a great time and can't wait to go back......the other couldn't wait to go home :shocked2:....go figure...different strokes for different folks

 

[Maggy]

I...we had a couple of non divers go with us last summer one had a great time and can't wait to go back......the other couldn't wait to go home :shocked2:....go figure...different strokes for different folks

Thanks for making it easy for me

Honestly, I understand. I will let him check the website and tell him as much as I can, so he gets a fair chance to chose by himself. It's always hard to know in advance.

 

[octopuppy]

I Maggy.

My husband and I went through a similar situation. He just couldn't get the breathing figured out. (Oh, and yes he IS a rocket scientist). So our first trip to Coco he snorkeled and absolutely LOVED it. We did the octopus sharing and on night dives, I'd dive shallow and point out critters and he'd pike down.

So after being enthralled with Coco, he gave it another try and got his classroom/pool sessions done at home and did his OW at Coco with Patty at the dive shop. You probably can't find a better instructor in the Carribean. She's very patient and really knows how to make her students comfortable. One-on-one attention that is focused on individual diver concerns - so if your husband's a techie, she'll make that a fun part of it. You can contact her at Contact Dockside Dive Center and she can set up a special session, then you can decide what's next.

Needless to say, now hubby can't get enough diving. I understand your dilemma of not wanting to push but if he's willing to do a test run with Patty, I'd bet he'll take to it. If nothing else he'll be a better snorkeler as she's at champ at pointing out all the underwater goodies.

 

[robint]

Maggy - as far as the Trip Advisor remarks go, I would be hesitant to take a non-diving spouse anywhere if the don't like to snorkel. But since you say he loves the water, swimming and snorkeling, I think he will be fine.
And like I said before, there are plenty of topside "tours" during the day he can sign up for if he doesn't want to go out on the boat with you. But I bet he will once he sees how nice it is and that there is virtually no current. He can snorkel right next to the boat while you are off on the wall with the DM and group, then when you all return right under the boat to finish the dive, you can point things out to him.

 

[Doc]

I once took a GF to CoCoView who was a non-diver. She needed peace and quiet to do the final edit on her second children's book.
She had no intention at all to ever be a diver.

She talked to the Instructor there named Patty, and by Wednesday she was certified.

Her third published children's book was about "an island and diving".

A few years later, I showed up with another GF (aka: Herself), this one~ we would marry some years later.

Herself, under Instructor Patty's guidance, logged her first 75 dives while at CoCoView. Did ok for a person with two very, very negative "resort course" disasters in Mexico.

After her first 75 dives, all at CCV, we went next to a top rated dive-op, also in the Caribbean. After day two, she looked at me and my buddies and said, "This isn't exactly CoCoView, is it?"

Even now, at dive #250 (Galapagos and the South Pacific, etc.) she still thinks that in most places.

 

[ncchuck]

I WOULD take a spouse that didn't dive on most diving trips. I've never been to a dive location other than a liveaboard that didn't have something else to do. If the person is a total loner that doesn't have a sense of adventure, that might be a different story. I've seen dozens of non diving spouses on dozens of scuba trips. Some people seem to think there is little to life other than diving and snorkeling. I personally enjoy the ocean, the people, the adventure, the food, the culture and socializing with others at least as much as I enjoy the diving. Believe it or not, many divers have things to talk about other than diving. A successful dive trip includes all these things and more so a non diver only misses a small piece of a trip. I've been to at least 10 different countries and I would have taken a non diving spouse to all of them.

All that having been said, I like RoatanMans advice. Just show your enthusiasm without being pushy and the rest will take care of itself. Assuming your not as old as me, you have plenty of time for your spouse to take the plung if and when he/she is ready.