First Timer Advice

[Dave Dillehay]

WE go 365 days to support our divers. Pay a bunch extra for our staff…but no night dives on Christmas Eve or New Years.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[FT]

Late to the party here, but may I suggest you consider staying on the mainland if you’re flying via Cancun anyway and you only have a few dives’ experience? Both Puerto Morelos and Akumal offer easier diving for novices + easy shore snorkelling + beaches. It must be understood the diving is not as spectacular as Cozumel. But easier. And there are many options for amusing yourselves in the majority of your time that you will spend not diving, including cenotes, Mayan ruins and adventure parks. Haven’t tried Puerto Aventuras or Playa del Carmen, but those may also be options.

 

[ggunn]

If diving is the prime motivator for the trip I would not recommend staying on the mainland. I would hate to get that close to some of the best diving anywhere and not get to experience it. My first dives after certification were at Cozumel and I had no problems.

 

[sefuchs]

I agree with ggunn, you cannot get that close to fantastic diving @ Cozumel and not dive it. The diving on the mainland sucks in comparison to Coz. Maybe a day or two on the mainland is okay, but dealing with the traffic, crowds and expensive tourist traps will really make you appreciate the "island" life of Coz. Granted there is tons more nightlife, the ruins are a must see and the adventure parks are okay but if diving factors in the equation at all Coz is the hands down choice.

 

[LimitedSlip7]

Okay, so I've got the GF talked into (it was not easy!) trying a DSD in a pool on vacation. What would be the best outfit to do this with? I want to make sure she has a very positive experience so maybe she will try a DSD in the ocean (possibly) or maybe even get her OW cert (unlikely).

 

[cicopo]

Very few of the pools are deep enough to do anything more than learn what it's like to breath through a regulator. She's most likely going to need to do this from the shore at a shallow area.

 

[lionfish-eater]

aldora has a deep pool, oceanside at their villa.

 

[FT]

Cannot comment on the Cozumel options for a DSD, there are certainly operators who will take good care of a nervous learner but others on this board will have to chime in re pools.

At the risk of getting snorted at again, here’s where I have twice taken folks who were a bit nervous about getting (back) in the water and did not want a strictly dive-focused trip: Akumal, with Blue Experience Diving. There is snorkelling from Akumal Beach and Yal-ku Lagoon. Blue Experience offer DSD starting in a pool, guessing it would be at their base in the Grand Sirenis Resort.(have not tried either.) Tim and Kathrin will let you know if they can offer a suitable experience.

Then you can ferry across to Cozumel and get some more thrilling diving in for a few days?

Good luck!

 

[LimitedSlip7]

She would probably prefer a shallower pool. Maybe 4-5 feet deep to start would be ideal. Really just looking for a good, patient instructor who isn't going to scare her away from it.

 

[MMM]

She would probably prefer a shallower pool. Maybe 4-5 feet deep to start would be ideal. Really just looking for a good, patient instructor who isn't going to scare her away from it.

That's really how I got into diving. Our hotel had "free" try-out diving in their pool in Aruba. Some op came in and did this with guests in about 5 feet of water. I would suggest that you find some hotel, with a pool, and an on-site dive op. (I believe I first suggested Blue Angel to you in an earlier post and it would still check all the necessary boxes.) The on-site op may be willing to do this (for free or for a small fee). These sessions last less than 1/2 hour and you don't learn much except that you can breathe underwater with the right tools. I tried it and thought "hell, yes, I can do this".