Best Dives for Beginners Going to Cozumel

[nldunn]

Hi again,
Husband and I did our refresher in November 2023 in Cozumel after not diving for 34 years and no diving after we got certified - pregnancy and kids. In Cozumel, we went to 60 feet, didn't see much, was a drift dive. I was really nervous. We did a snorkel trip to Palancar, I believe, and it was lovely. We wanted to get some confidence so we came to Curacao and are about to leave and planning our next trip for this November, hopefully.
My question is what dives are good for beginners who are nervous (me, not him) with only a refresher in Cozumel and three dives with guides under our belts in Cozumel. I want to put together a list and then dive those places.
Thank you for any suggestions!

 

[FLturtle]

I think Yucab (approx 55-60 ft) & San Clemente (approx 35 ft) are 2 of the best dives for beginners & are 2 of my favorite dives. These are still drift dives. Dalila & La Francesca also pretty reefs (approx 60-70ft). I would suggest hiring a private guide so you can get more comfortable with the drift diving, etc at least for your 1st day. Good luck!

 

[Charred]

The best advice is to hire a private DM for a couple days. Tell them you want mentoring not babysitting. They will get you comfortable and build confidence.

 

[nldunn]

Tha

I think Yucab (approx 55-60 ft) & San Clemente (approx 35 ft) are 2 of the best dives for beginners & are 2 of my favorite dives. These are still drift dives. Dalila & La Francesca also pretty reefs (approx 60-70ft). I would suggest hiring a private guide so you can get more comfortable with the drift diving, etc at least for your 1st day. Good luck!

Thank you!!!! Much appreciated!

 

[ggunn]

Hi again,
Husband and I did our refresher in November 2023 in Cozumel after not diving for 34 years and no diving after we got certified - pregnancy and kids. In Cozumel, we went to 60 feet, didn't see much, was a drift dive. I was really nervous. We did a snorkel trip to Palancar, I believe, and it was lovely. We wanted to get some confidence so we came to Curacao and are about to leave and planning our next trip for this November, hopefully.
My question is what dives are good for beginners who are nervous (me, not him) with only a refresher in Cozumel and three dives with guides under our belts in Cozumel. I want to put together a list and then dive those places.
Thank you for any suggestions!

Unless you hire a private boat you won't be able to just tell a dive op where to take you. On a small boat you will probably have a voice in the decision but unless you guys have the boat to yourselves the DM will choose a site based on a consensus of the divers aboard. Of course, you can certainly campaign among the divers aboard to go to a particular site, but you cannot dictate. Hiring a private DM is a good idea, though, because most deep sites also have shallow areas that the boat captain can take you to without getting too far away from the rest of his group, but you need to be flexible.

 

[nldunn]

The best advice is to hire a private DM for a couple days. Tell them you want mentoring not babysitting. They will get you comfortable and build confidence.

I love this idea! Thank you!

Unless you hire a private boat you won't be able to just tell a dive op where to take you. On a small boat you will probably have a voice in the decision but unless you guys have the boat to yourselves the DM will choose a site based on a consensus of the divers aboard. Of course, you can certainly campaign among the divers aboard to go to a particular site, but you cannot dictate. Hiring a private DM is a good idea, though, because most deep sites also have shallow areas that the boat captain can take you to without getting too far away from the rest of his group, but you need to be flexible.

I was thinking more along the lines of knowing better sites for beginners and then finding what dive shops go to them. I know that I can’t dictate anything but I would rather not dive than be flexible about a dive I feel is over my ability. If this isn’t fun, I wouldn’t do it again.

 

[Shawn C]

I love this idea! Thank you!

I was thinking more along the lines of knowing better sites for beginners and then finding what dive shops go to them. I know that I can’t dictate anything but I would rather not dive than be flexible about a dive I feel is over my ability. If this isn’t fun, I wouldn’t do it again.

Dive ops will go to pretty much all of the southern reefs depending on demand and experience. We use Sharky's as we've been diving with the DMs since they were with Dive with Martin and left to form their own company. They taught my twelve year old to dive and I was thrilled with how well they got her comfortable with everything, how patient they were, and how well they communicated with her. After her first dive when she surfaced she declared she was a diver for life. Highly recommended. As a bonus, they include free gear when you dive with them (except a computer). My wife and I have all our own gear but I'm waiting for my daughter to finish growing like a weed before buying her kit. Not having to rent most of her gear was a nice cost saver. We had a private DM for all our dives when she was with us and did have more say in dive locations than we would would have had otherwise. They only usually only have 6 or so divers per boat.

 

[ggunn]

I love this idea! Thank you!

I was thinking more along the lines of knowing better sites for beginners and then finding what dive shops go to them. I know that I can’t dictate anything but I would rather not dive than be flexible about a dive I feel is over my ability. If this isn’t fun, I wouldn’t do it again.

FWIW, virtually all the Cozumel dive ops go everywhere except for the most advanced sites, which you would not be interested in anyway.

 

[wlecyt40]

The Dive OP we use is We b Divin' Cozumel. If you go with them, tell the DM Yassar that you are nervous and want to find sites that will build confidence and he will take to those. He always drops in the water first to test the current. He will avoid a site where the current is just a bit too fast for those that aren't comfortable. He fully understands that there are divers that want to gain experience and taking them to a dive site that scares the living hell out of them isn't the way to do it. He held my wife's hand for her first three ocean dives several years ago because he was told by us and our friends that she was scared and needed get that experience. That was in 2019. She is a damn good diver now with a Master Scuba Diver cert and over 320 dives. She absolutely loves it!

Here is their website: We B Divin Cozumel

Write them and let them know what you are looking to do. They will accommodate you.

 

[nldunn]

Dive ops will go to pretty much all of the southern reefs depending on demand and experience. We use Sharky's as we've been diving with the DMs since they were with Dive with Martin and left to form their own company. They taught my twelve year old to dive and I was thrilled with how well they got her comfortable with everything, how patient they were, and how well they communicated with her. After her first dive when she surfaced she declared she was a diver for life. Highly recommended. As a bonus, they include free gear when you dive with them (except a computer). My wife and I have all our own gear but I'm waiting for my daughter to finish growing like a weed before buying her kit. Not having to rent most of her gear was a nice cost saver. We had a private DM for all our dives when she was with us and did have more say in dive locations than we would would have had otherwise. They only usually only have 6 or so divers per boat.

Thank you! I'm saving their name! And how exciting that your daughter learned! My 30 year old daughter is learning now!