Aldora Divers

[ggunn]

You know what I was getting at with my statement. I know I am responsible for my own safety, but if you do have a DM that is reckless, he or she can cause issues for the whole group and make the experience unenjoyable.

Many years ago on a second morning dive with an op who shall remain nameless (primarily because I cannot remember) with another couple and very young DM who was as you describe. He took us to a wall and proceeded down it, but my wife and I looked at our computers and decided to keep track of him and the other divers from considerably shallower. When we got back into the boat the other two divers' computers were showing deco stop violations, and I'm not sure the DM even had a computer.

 

[boulderjohn]

Many years ago on a second morning dive with an op who shall remain nameless (primarily because I cannot remember) with another couple and very young DM who was as you describe. He took us to a wall and proceeded down it, but my wife and I looked at our computers and decided to keep track of him and the other divers from considerably shallower. When we got back into the boat the other two divers' computers were showing deco stop violations, and I'm not sure the DM even had a computer.

About 20 years ago I had a truly bad DM while diving with an operator with a large number of boats. Our first dive was on Palancar caves, and we dived it as a wall dive. We went over the edge, swam along the outside of the coral, and then headed to the surface, never even glancing into the labyrinthine structure of the site. I asked him why, and he said some of the divers in the group were not good enough to handle it. That was B.S. Everyone was plenty good enough.

The second dive was at Las Palmas. He said he wanted to check the current first, and he went into the water to do that. Then we descended, and as we dropped, I could see by the particles floating by we were going the wrong way. When we started along the reef, there was no doubt about it--we were diving into the current. We went on for a while, and finally when another group was coming toward us, he had to admit his error and turn us around. We were done with the reef in minutes, and we spent the rest of the dive drifting over nothing of interest.

I sent an email to the shop to complain, and I got an interesting reply. I was told the DM we had was not one of their regular DMs. He was a substitute taken from a pool of freelance DMs that hang around hoping for a last minute job. (I got a refund, BTW.)

 

[ggunn]

About 20 years ago I had a truly bad DM while diving with an operator with a large number of boats. Our first dive was on Palancar caves, and we dived it as a wall dive. We went over the edge, swam along the outside of the coral, and then headed to the surface, never even glancing into the labyrinthine structure of the site. I asked him why, and he said some of the divers in the group were not good enough to handle it. That was B.S. Everyone was plenty good enough.

The second dive was at Las Palmas. He said he wanted to check the current first, and he went into the water to do that. Then we descended, and as we dropped, I could see by the particles floating by we were going the wrong way. When we started along the reef, there was no doubt about it--we were diving into the current. We went on for a while, and finally when another group was coming toward us, he had to admit his error and turn us around. We were done with the reef in minutes, and we spent the rest of the dive drifting over nothing of interest.

I sent an email to the shop to complain, and I got an interesting reply. I was told the DM we had was not one of their regular DMs. He was a substitute taken from a pool of freelance DMs that hang around hoping for a last minute job. (I got a refund, BTW.)

It sounds to me like you got dropped on the wrong end of the reef on the second dive. Isn't hitting the correct drop point the boat captain's responsibility?

 

[boulderjohn]

It sounds to me like you got dropped on the wrong end of the reef. Isn't hitting the correct drop point the boat captain's responsibility?

The DM got in the water to confirm they were at the correct end of the reef for the current, so once he gave the OK, it became his responsibility.

 

[ggunn]

The DM got in the water to confirm they were at the correct end of the reef for the current, so once he gave the OK, it became his responsibility.

Well, that sucks. I have been diving Cozumel for more than 30 years, and that sort of thing has only happened to me a couple of times.

 

[ReefHound]

You know what I was getting at with my statement. I know I am responsible for my own safety, but if you do have a DM that is reckless, he or she can cause issues for the whole group and make the experience unenjoyable.

Which is something I have rarely if ever seen in Cozumel. Sounds like a straw man.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

The DM got in the water to confirm they were at the correct end of the reef for the current, so once he gave the OK, it became his responsibility.

That is right, at Aldora we always wanted the DMs to jump in first and confirm expected conditions. That almost always worked except in the case of a current reversal, common to Yucab and Tormentos.

Dave Dillehay

 

[H2ODoc]

That was a great read (the history of Aldora). Thanks Dave.

My wife and I stayed at the Villa and dove with Memo years ago. We wanted to try the North dives, so Memo laid out a map at the villa, talked about the history, the dangers, and quizzed us a bit about our diving.

I will say, Barracuda was a challenging dive. But Memo certainly added to our confidence. That current, though. Yikes.

After that trip, we booked the Villa again and took our young kids. (teens). One of our best trips, ever. Memo was at the dive shop during check-in, and he and my kids talked all about speaking Spanish. My kids all took Spanish in high school, so it was a treat to watch the back and forth. When to roll your Rs... so funny!

The DMs were so enthusiastic to show our kids all the creatures. Being 5 of us, we typically got our own boat, and it felt like private diving. I guess it was, in a sense, private. You end up feeling like part of the Aldora family when you stay and dive with them. We have stayed at other places in Coz. Dove with other outfits, and they are all good, in our experience. Aldora does, however, seem to be a notch above!

Need to book another family trip....

 

[ggunn]

Which is something I have rarely if ever seen in Cozumel. Sounds like a straw man.

Rare but not never, historically (see post #31). Hopefully never again.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Rare but not never, historically (see post #31). Hopefully never again.

Gordon…why can't you just butt out. This thread has nothing to do with your Blue Angel.

Dave Dillehay