do all cozumel boat dives start at 80 feet (approx.)?

[fishbowl]

hi, im a new diver who is a bit confused. my open water training said that open water certification qualifies you to go a maximum of 60 feet. but the moment you step out of training & sign up with a 2-tank boat dive with any operator in cozumel, it seems they all do 1 "wall dive" at about 80 feet, and then a shallower dive of 40 to 60 feet. should i be concerned about the fact that i can't get on a dive that will max out at 60 feet all day? or is this just standard safe operation in cozumel? i've gone to 80 feet with the group & not had problems, i don't even feel uncertain about it, but i'm just trying to reconcile the PADI certification training suggestion of "up to 60 feet" with the real-world commercial options that seem to be available in cozumel. many operator websites claim to try to group people by experience, but it doesn't seem like that actually happens. am i missing something / doing something wrong? thanks!

 

[scubafanatic]

The day PADI pays for my scuba vacations will be the day PADI gets to tell me how to dive.

 

[Keith.M]

I showed up in Cozumel with 20 dives under my belt. I had been to 74 feet before arriving so I had already gone further than the 60'.

Listening to my first dive briefing, he said, this dive will be to 90 feet... I knew right then I was "not in Kansas anymore"

If you don't feel comfortable, don't do the dive. I had no issue with it and had a great time.

 

[cobra269]

Just because the DM goes to 80 or 90 ft is no reason you need to. I just finished 39 dives last month and there was always a few divers who would dive shallower. Just ask your dive buddies in the boat before hitting the water and let your DM know. Sometimes everyone wants to do two shallow dives.

 

[Lorenzoid]

'm just trying to reconcile the PADI certification training suggestion of "up to 60 feet" with the real-world commercial options that seem to be available in cozumel. many operator websites claim to try to group people by experience, but it doesn't seem like that actually happens. am i missing something / doing something wrong? thanks!

First of all, you seem to be more aware than many newly certified divers that PADI's "60 feet" is just a suggestion or recommendation. PADI doesn't use the word "rule" or something of that sort. For my very first few OW dives after certification, I really did stay above 60 feet, because I was diving in Australia, and they were more strict about keeping OW divers shallow than most places in the world. I appreciated the fact that they seemed so safety conscious. But just about everywhere else in the world, the dive operators don't really care about PADI's suggestion. If you feel comfortable doing an 80-foot dive, then do it. If you don't feel comfortable with it, then tell the dive operator (and more importantly, the divemaster on your boat as well) that you will limit yourself to 60 feet (or whatever personal depth limit you tell them you have).

I believe you are incorrect that "it doesn't actually happen" that Cozumel dive ops group people by experience. I think MOST dive ops make every attempt to do that and most actually do achieve it. But some dive ops seem to be better at achieving it than others. Keep in mind that they are constantly juggling divers, trying to accommodate people who sign up at the last minute or whatever. If it is something that is very important to you, because you do not feel comfortable diving to 80 feet, that is even more reason to make sure the dive op (and more importantly, the divemaster on your boat) is aware that you will not descend below 60 feet (or whatever you state is the maximum depth at which you feel comfortable). Whatever you decide, stick to your guns. Do not let the divemaster bully you into doing something you do not feel comfortable with.

That said, you state you ARE comfortable diving to 80 feet. So the point is moot. In this case, then it's back to the very first thing I wrote: You seem to recognize that PADI's suggested depth limit is just that--a suggestion.

 

[cvchief]

PADI would like you to put another dollar in and get Advanced Open Water, so you can feel trained. It is hard to stay at 60 on a first dive. It sounds like you are not really worried about 80 feet, so I would go with that. That being said, I think AOW can be done for just a couple dollars more than the cost of the included dives. I would do that if you have the chance. It is fun and can easily be done right after OW.

 

[kmurray719]

Sure, go ahead and break PADI's rules, just keep an eye out for these guys...


As others have said, if you're comfortable with that depth, there's nothing inherently wrong with going to 80 feet. Just keep a close eye on how much air you have so we don't also have a thread from you in "near misses" soon

 

[Skittl1321]

I do not dive deep. I'm still a relative beginner but have 21 dives in Cozumel and have never gone beyond 75 feet, my absolute hard limit. Even those dives didn't stay at 75 for long, they usually gradually get shallower.

I would say it would be difficult to stick to a 60 foot dive limitation without getting a private DM.
However, when I booked with ops, I emailed and made it clear that I WOULD NOT go beyond 75 feet, and would that be a problem with how they led their dives. The ones who regularly do 90-100 foot wall dives, I ruled out. But many had no problem at all with that limitation. Sometimes I am slightly above the group, but near enough that the currents don't sweep me away past them. At Santa Rosa I stay on top of the wall instead of going over the side.

If you are comfortable at 80 feet, you really shouldn't have any problems. Even if the group is at 90, you can be at 80.

 

[cvchief]

I and have never gone beyond 75 feet, my absolute hard limit.

And you can also pick an arbitrary number that feel good for you and go with it. Nothing wrong with that as it tends to give you confidence in staying inside the limit you set because you have control.

I remember setting my personal deepest depth of 115-120ish when I went to the Devil's throat. To me 120 felt just like 60 0r 80. Only difference I feel is less ear pressure with the minor depth changes at 80 than at that those same changes at 30.

 

[Ron Lee]

There are not that many "wall" dives like Santa Rosa that you will be exposed to. In my view, the majority of dive sites have relatively flat bottoms or sloping terrain such that if you sank out of control, you would soon be stopped by the bottom.

Given your experience level, I suggest hiring a private dive master for your first day of diving. You can learn the skills needed to dive Cozumel currents, expand your depth comfort zone and many other useful skills.