Changes at Tres Pelicanos

[dberry]

I don't know if this has been mentioned in other posts here, but Steve Belmont (3P owner) posted the following on FaceBook about 3 days ago (8/17/20). I don't know when I'll get down to Coz again to dive, but it sounds like 3P will be different without Jorge, Edgar, Julio, and others. Steve is a stand-up guy and I wish him and his former staff only the best.

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Tres Pelicanos Dive Center

PERSONNELL CHANGES

Four days ago Jorge Cabrera (AKA Cubano) informed me that he was leaving Tres Pelicanos. His explaination was that he had reached the age where he felt that if he did not pursue his dream—he would never get to do it. He has plans to start his own business I assume in the dive business. Needless to say I was stunned but understanding the desire of a person wanting to better themselves who am I to stand in their way. I told him—good for you and I wish you all the luck in the world.

I have known Jorge for over 14 years. I felt the anxiety it must have taken him to tell me this. I put his anxieties to rest and we were able to chat like always. He was totally surprized that I was not mad. He stated that any other employer down here would have been angry> I just knew that friendship goes much farther than employment. I told him that during his life he has made some tough decisions. Leaving Cuba at an early age—going off to Spain—then to Mexico and eventually Cozumel. Now this. All hard decisions. I told him that he made all of thos decisions work and he would do the same with this one.

He allowed a weeks notice and we were on the boat together for three more days. It was some of the best times we ever had. Saturday was bitter sweet as they say because it was his last day. I believe it was then that he told others about his decision.

To say this Covid era has proven difficult is an understantment. Over the past four months Ihave lost half of my staff. Edgar and Jorge wanted to do their own thing and Campeche needed more work. He evidently was not getting enough trips with us as I was trying to give all the guys equal amounts of work. I had three captains rotating one day at a time. I believe Campeche is now captain on Julio's boat. Now we have Pony and his brother Julio in the shop. Jose and George are DM's and Chan Fran is captain. Our secret weapon JEANIE—is still with us too. Cathy will be returning soon.

I just want all of you to know that WE will remain committed to making Tres Pelicanos one of the premier dive operations on the Island. We are not a new enterprize starting a business with a web page and a laptop. We have three very nice boats , an established dive shop and our valet operation will continue to run as it has. That being said I will be looking for inovative ways to improve the shop. I believe that these changes of our old staff may prove to be benificial. We will be looking for another terrific DM. I told Jeanie that we needed a person with the communicative skills and easy smile of an Edgar and the latin charm of a Jorge. She replied that we already have one but he (me) is too old.

I have also started to receive questions about Jorge leaving from clients. Your loyality to stay with 3P is very much appreciated. However it is enivitable that some will want to go and dive with Jorge or Edgar. It is just the nature of the business and I harbor no ill feelings about that. We built our success on treating each client as a person we wanted to welcome into our Pelican family. I believe that philosophy has worked rather well. We are still here and will remain for a long time.

In closing I want to add this. Those of you who donated to help our employees through this pandemic-- and now suddenly they have left—Well it just doesn't seem right to me. I feel as if I have defrauded you since the funds were for those individuals who are no longer here. If any of you feel that you would like your donations returned I will be happy to do so.
STINGER OUT

Steve Belmont
907 978 1796
belmont433@gmail.com
Tres Pelicanos Dive Center Cozumel Mexico

 

[deepsea21]

Employees come and go over time just as divers come and go over time. Everyone has to do what they feel is best for themselves. Pretty certain things are changing at a lot of dive ops right now. Heck, things are changing and have changed everywhere now. Reminds me of post 9/11 to some degree. We'll be sticking with 3P's. There's no shortage of great DM's and Captains on the island to staff up with when demand returns. Many have gone freelance/on-call these days anyway and are looking for an op to call home again full time. They are all professionals and highly skilled at delivering quality experiences and service. It's a shame to see what this pandemic has done but let's hope it is a relatively short term problem that can be overcome or effectively dealt with sooner than later. I wish all of those who are heading out on their own and trying to start their own businesses the best. Starting a business is tough even in the best of times. These days? I can't even imagine how tough it's going to be.

 

[Hethen57]

We are planning on diving with Tres Pelicanos in mid October and are looking forward to a great week of diving with them and hopefully will be able to report no change to the great reputation that they have with many here on ScubaBoard.

 

[ggunn]

Jorge is a class act; I dove with him for many years when he was at Blue Angel.

 

[ReefHound]

It seems like a really odd time to be starting off on a new business venture.

 

[Hethen57]

It sure does seem like an odd time to be starting a new business venture. As far as I can tell, Scuba Club hasn't even reopened as well as other well established businesses on the island. In my experience, the best dive shops run really good service oriented business operation and great DM's compliment that, but they aren't sufficient to make the business. That is to say, best of luck to the departing DM's and I trust that Steve has or will reload with other friendly and competent DM's to keep his business running successfully.

 

[BRT]

Employees come and employees go. The tone of the business is set by the management. Best of luck to Jorge and others. Steve should have good shopping right now for quality people. We have a trip set up in February.

 

[deepsea21]

It seems like a really odd time to be starting off on a new business venture.

At first I thought the same thing but someone mentioned that the island is full of small dive boats that aren't going anywhere right now. So, maybe those DM's who go on their own can rent boats with captains that aren't being used for say $100 for a 2 tank trip or something with tanks included? I've no idea. But, if he can land say 2 divers for a trip that would be maybe $160 excluding tax so maybe he makes $60 plus tips that get split with the captain? More divers obviously = more $ but this only works as long as there are boats available that can be rented cheap. When demand returns the dive ops that own the boats will be using them in lieu of renting them out cheap. I dono. Still seems like a terrible time to be trying to start a small business in Coz of any kind... Not just in Coz for that matter, anywhere. I mean, how can people walk away from being employees at the island's top dive shops and try to go it alone in this mess? When the divers return I think most will be returning to the dive ops they've been diving with. As another said, it takes more than being a quality DM or Captain to run and build a quality business. It takes time and a great deal of capital. I fear many who try and go it on their own right now are in for a long, hard haul regardless of what industry they work in but tourism especially.

 

[ReefHound]

I'm always concerned when I see multiple employees leave at the same time. It reminds me of how TP got started. If what you say is true, then how will they get customers? I guess ultimately we'll see if anyone can find out what the departed DMs and captain do end up doing. The captain not getting enough work is also odd, as if there is an alternative source of full time work.

 

[deepsea21]

I'm always concerned when I see multiple employees leave at the same time. It reminds me of how TP got started. If what you say is true, then how will they get customers? I guess ultimately we'll see if anyone can find out what the departed DMs and captain do end up doing. The captain not getting enough work is also odd, as if there is an alternative source of full time work.

It's no secret that a defection from BA years ago played a significant role in 3P's founding but 3P's had (and has) an owner with capital that could launch it properly and fund it through the early growing pains and capital requirements that every new business experiences. Not only that, it was the BA staff that wanted to defect that led to the formation of 3P's in the 1st place I believe.

Anyway, what do they say? However much you think it will take to start a new business multiply that by 3x because that's what it will actually take to carry it until it reaches break-even? Reaching B/E can take a long time. Maybe those who elect to go it on their own now have outside investors willing to bank roll them and get them started? Wouldn't be the 1st time a wealthy gringo who likes to dive bankrolled a start-up as a silent investor/owner instead of as an active and involved owner. Steve is an active owner of 3P's who maintains a home on the island and retired from HEAVY construction in Alaska. If someone can lay pipeline and direct crews year-round in Alaska I'm pretty sure that person can run a dive op in the tropics without a problem and handle any staffing issues.

There's no question that Jorge will have some 3P's divers who follow him but will there be enough? As ggunn posted, "Jorge is a class act; I dove with him for many years when he was at Blue Angel". The key word in that sentence is "dove" (past tense). I take it he didn't follow Jorge to 3P's. Jorge is a great DM and my wife and I have enjoyed 6 years of diving with him. I wish him all the best we hope he succeeds. I also hope that on this new venture he has a plan to get out of the water at some point. One of our favorite prior DM's (Chino) with whom we dove for about 10 years before moving to 3P's ended up with ear problems and lost all hearing in one ear permanently, then he took 2 hits within the span of maybe a year. Age catches up with ya. The Dr. said he couldn't dive anymore.

We all think diving is all fun as we're all dive tourists on vaca and the quality people who serve and take care of us are always happy to see us. The reality is there are lots of days the last thing a DM wants to do is wake up and get wet again but they do it day in and day out with a smile on their face. It's their profession and they work in the service industry but thousands and thousands of dives take their toll.