Aldora

[Streydog]

I have only dove Devils throat once and it was with Jorge. We were on 32%. At the exit I stayed about as high as I could and my max depth was 113'. Dive was 72 minutes average depth was 56' on an HP 120 starting/ending pressure 3385/805. Really need to be on all nitrox boat to take advantage of the 120's if you have an average SAC rate.
In the last 2 years I have 99 dives with Aldora. I have never felt rushed. Had an 87 minute night dive once, you know the crew was ready to go home but they were all smiles the whole time. I have had 3 dives cut short due to issues with other divers but they were still over 30 minutes and calling the dives was the right thing to do. I agree with lionfish eater, it's not all about the length of the dive. Watching 7 eagle rays slowly fly against the current at Punta Sur or hunkering down and watching them circle around at Cantarel have been some of my favorite dives and the were in the 60 minute range.

 

[scubadada]

Sorry, Trip Advisor is not a useful source of information regarding dive operations. I use Undercurrent and ScubaBoard Trip Advisor is more helpful for accommodations and restaurants...most of the time

 

[BRT]

If their trip advisor ranking is what gives you the impression that they are a highly regarded operation - take that with a huge grain of salt!

While there are certainly some very good shops in the top 10 on TA for example, there are also several with high rankings that are not even legal businesses - and some who don't even own their own boats - and some who have been in "business" for less than a year or two and somehow have hundreds of reviews from "customers" already - and some with many great reviews, but from resort divers who have nothing to compare them to - just saying - don't let the Trip Advisor ranking itself give you the wrong impression. TA does absolutely NO vetting to even make sure they are legal businesses.

As far as excuses - don't blame the weather on ANY operation - we are all in the same boat (pun intended) and at the mercy of the Harbor Master - weather is out of our control. If I had some boats without Marine Park permits, I would also make arrangements to position them on the other side and use them for north side diving too - that would make it worth the effort.

Is there a problem running boats with marine park permits out of the park or just a matter of the positioning?

 

[ronscuba]

SI should be timed based on last divers out of the water - not the first divers out.

Agreed. But when you don't surface as a group, there is potential for those who surfaced earlier to be anxious to start the 2nd dive. "Are you past 1 hr SI yet ?"

When diving in a group from a small boat, similar bottom time and surface interval duration among everyone is preferred.

 

[uncfnp]

Its is all a matter of preference and I whole heartedly agree that the quality of the dive is a huge factor for me. That is why I choose an op that allows more dive freedom to the experienced diver and does not require all to ascend together. For me, that is a crucial factor.

But when one pays a premium price for steel tanks and a “longer bottom time,” the time factor can become an almost paramount concern. As has been demonstrated repeatedly in prior SB threads.

 

[Steelyeyes]

My wife Mary and I just got back from diving with Aldora. We stayed at Villa Aldora as well. Great people all around.

We hit the west side sites for three days and a Norte blew in. Switched to the east side for a couple of days of fantastic diving. Love the steel 100s and nitrox diving. Long bottom times, great divemasters (Adrienne and Jorge), and of course, it's Cozumel. We'll be back, you can count on that.

 

[Steelyeyes]

Its is all a matter of preference and I whole heartedly agree that the quality of the dive is a huge factor for me. That is why I choose an op that allows more dive freedom to the experienced diver and does not require all to ascend together. For me, that is a crucial factor.

But when one pays a premium price for steel tanks and a “longer bottom time,” the time factor can become an almost paramount concern. As has been demonstrated repeatedly in prior SB threads.

We had a three diver boat one afternoon. Wife got seasick and husband went diving, on air. My wife and I were on N36. When the air diver hit close to his NDL the divemaster accompanied him to about 30 feet and drifted above us until we hit our low pressure limit and headed up, We did our safety stop and ascent as a group. It worked out fine.

I think the air diver was considering an enriched air course after seeing the benefits first hand.

 

[uncfnp]

We had a three diver boat one afternoon. Wife got seasick and husband went diving, on air. My wife and I were on N36. When the air diver hit close to his NDL the divemaster accompanied him to about 30 feet and drifted above us until we hit our low pressure limit and headed up, We did our safety stop and ascent as a group. It worked out fine.

I think the air diver was considering an enriched air course after seeing the benefits first hand.

And to many divers this is a perfectly acceptable dive profile. I just don’t happen to be one of them.

Aldora guides are excellent in what they do. They also have a lot of experience babysitting inexperienced divers and divers wanting very structured dives. They are attentive and I believe truly want their divers to have a good dive experience. And for many divers, this is exactly what they want or need.

 

[deepsea21]

I think the air diver was considering an enriched air course after seeing the benefits first hand.

One of these days maybe I’ll get nitrox certified and give an hp120 a try. One of these days maybe I’ll get my AOW cert as well. After 15 years of diving with basic OW cert and AL 80’s on air with 60+ minutes bottom time on average due to my personal dive profiles and shops that offer me the freedom to dive them I’ve no need to change anything at the present time and pay premium prices for offerings I personally don’t need. For those who love to hang in the dank deep (my personal opinion of course) by all means go for it.

 

[Christi]

Is there a problem running boats with marine park permits out of the park or just a matter of the positioning?

No - but I would do the same thing - if I had extra boats without permits, positioning them on the east side and using them on the north outside of the marine park would still be a way for them to be income
producing assets - it’s a great way to generate income for those boats and provide a service that no one else does. It’s smart business.