Checkout dives in Cozumel

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I am looking for a good operator to book some checkout dives with in Cozumel. My wife is getting certified, and she's a bit nervous, so I'd really like recommendations on a good, patient instructor. I've heard about a lot of flaky DMs and instructors there, and I really want to avoid that. I want her to have a really positive experience. If it's a good dive op, I may book a week's worth of dives with them as well.

If it's boat diving, I'd like to find a place that I can go out with her too, even if I on't dive with her.

BTW, Blue XT Sea isn't going to work. They cannot accomodate our schedule, so I'm looking for someone else.

Thanks for any ideas.

Gregg

 

[diveborg]

I've only heard good things about www.scubawithalison.com , including Christi's recommendation

 

[Bill Schindler]

I've used Dive Eco Cozumel (also goes by the name of Blue Bubble). You can contact Roberta (the owner) and she will work to accomodate your schedule. I've referred folks through them and they've been real happy. I also dove with them during two trips this last year and love them.

 

[sharky60]

I have been using Dive with Martin www.divewithmartin.com for the past couple of years and have been very happy with them. Although I don't know whch of the DM's are instructors, I would think they would treat you and your wife very good.

I would think that the cert. check out dives would be shore dives not boat dives and you would be allowed to go along. My wife did her cert. dives in Maui and the Maui Dive Shop instructor was more than happy to have me tag along.

Another recomendations would be Raul Plates www.bottomtimedivers.net he is an excellent, very safe, very patient DM, although I don't know if he is an instructor and can do cert. dives.

BTW, tell her not to worry about being nervous, this is natural. I remember being very nervous about doing my skills, especally buddy breathing, even though I had made several dives prior to actually doing my checkout. It's like taking any other test, sometimes the anticipation is worse than the actual thing. Having you along should help.

Best of luck to her and welcome to the family!!

 

[Christi]

I would think that the cert. check out dives would be shore dives not boat dives and you would be allowed to go along. My wife did her cert. dives in Maui and the Maui Dive Shop instructor was more than happy to have me tag along

Mark, you are correct. Most shops do not offer check-out dives from the boat. If they do, it is in the afternoon which is all I have available. I conduct all training dives in the afternoons generally speaking.

The reason for this is that there are very few sites that are suitable for OW check-out dives, which obviously limits other divers on the boat as to which sites they can dive...regardless of the fact that the student is with an instructor. Since I have other divers already scheduled for the mornings those days, I cannot compromise their experience by putting a student on the boat, and obviously I cannot take their spaces away from them.

Another recomendations would be Raul Plates www.bottomtimedivers.net he is an excellent, very safe, very patient DM, although I don't know if he is an instructor and can do cert. dives.

Raul is great, but not an instructor.

If Alison is not available, I recommend Laura Manajarrrez at Dive Palancar which is the onsite op at their hotel. She speaks perfect English, and has been an instructor here and in Cancun for over ten years.

Good luck, have fun, and be safe

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

BTW, tell her not to worry about being nervous, this is natural. I remember being very nervous about doing my skills, especally buddy breathing, even though I had made several dives prior to actually doing my checkout. It's like taking any other test, sometimes the anticipation is worse than the actual thing. Having you along should help.

Best of luck to her and welcome to the family!!

Thanks! I think she's just nervous about the unknown. She's going to be a whiz at it, and I think a bit of caution is a really good instinct when diving. She's a fish in the water, and snorkels a lot, so I know it'll come very naturally.

I think you're right about the anticipation being much worse than the event. Safe diving!

 

[O'Malley]

we dove with Tony and Suzanne Castillo's Emerald Dolphin Dive (http://www.cozumel-diving.net/edds/) this past June...larger boat, 4 to 5 divers on most days and only once, had 7 divers. One particular day, gentleman (certified) dove with the group/DM while his other half did her check-out dives separately with the dive op's owner, Tony. I've only dived with Emerald, therefore, I cannot provide comparative info...but we could'nt have been more pleased with Tony and Suzanne.

 

[sharky60]

If Alison is not available, I recommend Laura Manajarrrez at Dive Palancar which is the onsite op at their hotel. She speaks perfect English, and has been an instructor here and in Cancun for over ten years.

I'd go with Christi's recommendation, she lives there and is probably more in touch with this sort of thing than most of us 'tourists'. Especially since it looks like she was your first choice anyway.

BTW, how does a Northern Californian get the Hawaiian state fish for a handle? and how do you know when to stop 'umu'ing anyway?

 

[halocline]

I second Roberta's Eco Dive cozumel. There's a woman instructor that teaches for her, I believe she's either German or Dutch, and she taught my nervous niece a discover scuba class. She was quite an instructor, and I'd highly recommend her. Just email Roberta and ask her about it.

 

[Diver Kat]

Check out Scuba with Alison .... she's wonderful. She'll definitely make sure your wife is comfortable and having fun. And along with that she's a blast to hang out with!