Aldora

[danalovesscuba]

My first time diving with Aldora and I am loving the long stimulating 60 + minutes underwater. Jorge is my favourite DM and they put me, a woman with the big boy tanks! Not too many onboard and a nice SI at a beach. There's no way I could ever dive another entity. Aldora is Fantastic!!

 

[xrcjdx]

i'll bite. i dove aldora on a recommendation from a scubaboard member a couple years ago. not sure if i replied to thread then, but better late than never. a good operation, dives are not the cheapest but you get the big tanks plus you get 32 ean for dive 1 and 36 ean for dive 2 (unless that's changed). never approached ndl limits, at least with the profile i was diving, and the dives were loooong. i'd dive them again, and would recommend them - hence this post.

 

[Prop Joe]

Besides being a great DM see if you can meet him at The Pub for darts. Good times. Jorge is a great guy above and below the water.
Many great DMs with Aldora

 

[dwellerbottom]

I agree, Aldora is our favorite op on the island.
Love the 85 minute dives!

 

[scbaNE2179]

I have been to Coz 6x and have NEVER used anyone else. 6-pack, advanced diver boat coupled with 75-95min dives-why would you go anywhere else? Yes, they are certainly one of the most expensive opps on the island but you definitely get your money's worth. As for their DMs, I would try and ask for Jorge, Adrianne, Liang, Steve.

 

[dolomite]

I'm down in czm right now. Way down south, diving with a certain highly regarded, european run, op.

God how I wish I was diving with Aldora.

The phrase "NO EXCUSES" has been running through my head more than a few times this week, because it seems that's what I've been getting for my money (excuses).

Aldora, in my opinion, isn't just a shining example of how to run a dive op - it is a stunning example of what a kickass service-based business should aspire to be.

Its been 4 years since ive dove wth them, but I hope to be diving with them in the Spring.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Long time Aldora diver and fan. No need to repeat the reasons others have stated here and in the many other threads. My son and I have enjoyed over a hundred dives with their crew. I brought a former girlfriend down for her certification dives years ago. I dove with Memo and Dave's son Cameron long before he was old enough to dive. etc, etc. From way up north (long before PLB's and radios,) to the way south end of Mariciabo they have always delivered. I will continue to dive with Aldora again. I will dive with other ops from time to time so I can dive with friends who use other ops.

I am not complaining, so don't misinterpret, however, none of our best dives were 75 to 90 min long. Most of the more memorable dives were closer to 60 min. The dives were usually limited by NDL not just gas volume. The paths we took through and around the reefs were amazing. They were multi level dives with all experienced divers using nitrox and most of the dive sites were from Columbia to Mariciabo with a few speed dives up north. These dives were a few years back before so much attention was given to maximizing dive time. All divers in the group were very satisfied with trading length of dive for a more spectacular site. Somewhere along the way some divers must have complained that their dives weren't long enough and more focus was placed on extending dive time.

The point I am trying to make is that I would rather be limited by NDL at Punta Sur or Columbia than have a 90 minute dive at some other sites. And if I am diving one of these reefs, I would prefer a full 120 of nitrox over an aluminum 80 or a 100.

 

[Hatul]

I mentioned this elsewhere but we were a bit disappointed with Aldora when we dove with them 3 days in October. They time limited our dives and we were coming back with lots of air. Maybe we just had bad luck with the dive guide. Still I like the surface interval on the beach and that we could shed lead with the steel tanks.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

@Hatul, Who was your DM? We did have a day in October where our dive was shorter than most, but conditions sucked (by Cozumel standards), currents ripping, and when we finally made it to the other side of the reef for shelter....and the currents shifted against us again. We were diving with a guy who used very very little air and even he blew through 1000 psi in about 10 minutes at 60 to 80 feet. Lots of hard kicking. I was glad that one was over in less than an hour. The rest of our dives were in the 80 minute range, longest was closer to 100 minutes.

We have had other times where we were put with a diver who burned through their air quickly and for whatever reason did not take the "hose of shame." I will say, shorter dives are absolutely the exception, not the rule. In probably 70 dives with Aldora from newish diver to pretty good diver, most will run closer to 90 minutes than 70.

My experience with Aldora is that if you have any issues, they will make it right. Among dozens of other reasons, this is why we will continue to dive with them.

Safe travels.
Jay

 

[Hatul]

Hi Jay,
I just looked at my logbook and picked out a dive to Devil's Throat which we did with Aldora on 10/31 and with Blue Angel on 11/1:

10/31 Aldora, Faber 120 tank, starting pressure 3490, ending pressure 1783, max depth 118 ft, dive time 44 mins.
11/1 Blue Angel, Al 80, starting pressure 2937, ending pressure 864, max depth 122 ft, dive time 46 mins.

Our dive guide was Jorge, and this was typical that I was coming back with 1200-1400 psi, so later I was choosing the 100 tank with Aldora abd still coming back with lots of air. Plus, to make it with Aldora I had gulp down my breakfast as they got to Blue Angel at 7:45 am, while the Blue Angel boats left at 8,9,10 and 11.