Geting Paid to Dive in Cozumel

[Mossman]

Sure, I'd like to ensure that the boat is safe before boarding, just like I'd like to be sure before boarding a ferry, bus, van, taxi, plane, etc. but there's not much I can check. The one time I requested Oxygen for a diver was at Coz and it failed, but should I start requiring every boat to demonstrate that their O2 kits are onboard and actually work? Why don't you all there take whatever actions that you can to improve safety in that area so as to protect the name of the island.

I am already boarding boats with as much gear as I can carry in one trip, including my own floatation vest I wear while the boat is moving and the DM is strapping my BC to a tank - yeah I'd wear it on your boat too, I'm checking every tank for CO levels for good reason,* carrying all the safety devices on dives I can - far more than most, and I think I'll start checking my tanks for O2 too since I have seen divers on Nitrox who thought they were on air for a deeper dive. I'm doing all I can I think, and hope Cozumel will do their bit.

Definitely make sure the O2 is full, test to make sure the reg works, and make sure there's no CO contamination. Might as well analyze it to make sure it's 100% O2 while you're at it.

Test the boat's radio, check to make sure they have sufficient fuel, and do a breathalyzer on the boat driver. Bring a copy of a DM or instructor final exam to test your DM before getting in the water and also have him demonstrate CPR on the boat driver to make sure his skills are up to par. I would also audit the dive operation to make sure they are financially solvent, get a complete background check on the owner, and perform an HIV test on all the crew and other divers on the boat with you in case you might have to engage in mouth-to-mouth and someone has an open sore. Urine testing is also a good idea as you certainly don't want to be on the boat or underwater with drug-crazed loonies.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure there's more you can do.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot: tinfoil to protect against alien mind-rays that can be intensely focused in the clear waters of Cozumel. Use the good quality Reynolds Wrap broiler foil, not some cheap generic crap. You don't want to trust your brain to cheap foil

 

[Thalassamania]

Not sure about the uncertified allegation. However, I would like to see more female DMs in Cozumel as a part of the effort to right to decades of unjust repression of women all over the world.

Sounds like it had less to do with opportunity for women than it did with opportunity for jiggle.

 

[Mike]

Huh? Simply pick your favorite dive computer, then look for it on google shopping. You can pay less or more, but you get the same thing.

Oh please - same manufacture warranty.

I can shop for a new car locally, find the open I want, then sent requests describing the car to all dealers of that brand - and get a wide variety of prices on the same, exact vehicle parked on a lot.

Sure, good values are worth paying more for. No, paying more is no guarantee of value.

Don, just so we're all on the same page, both of your examples are about buying the same new identical product from a re-seller, where no matter who you buy from you end up with the same product.

Truer to the discussion would be in your examples comparing purchasing a Sunto vs Oceanic dive computer or purchasing a Ford vs a Chevy.

We aren't talking about buying the same dive ops services from two different dock side resellers, where in the end no matter who you buy from you'll end up diving with the same dive op anyways, but that's what your examples both are.

Regardless, it's all good and I'm glad somebody like Dave actually put out some real information on the realities of what really goes on in the dive industry on Cozumel. Maybe some people don't want to hear it and would rather keep pretending those cheap deals they get diving have no consequences. However, the recent tragedy with Scuba Mau and how Gabi has nothing to fall back on after all these years being a loyal employee because his employer was skirting the legal issues all these years, shows that real people do get effected by all this.

 

[cvchief]

Where did you hear about this? I've heard about another pier but not the aspect of it being a home port. Not sure this makes sense to me as I don't believe Cozumel has the infrastructure to resupply a cruise ship.

I don't know how 'final' it is, but por esto has had abunch of stories. It does say up north. Supposedly I think it cleared a federal permit process. The mayor is definitely saying home port.

And who doesn't love saying "chandler"....

 

[scubawife]

Definitely make sure the O2 is full, test to make sure the reg works, and make sure there's no CO contamination. Might as well analyze it to make sure it's 100% O2 while you're at it.

Test the boat's radio, check to make sure they have sufficient fuel, and do a breathalyzer on the boat driver. Bring a copy of a DM or instructor final exam to test your DM before getting in the water and also have him demonstrate CPR on the boat driver to make sure his skills are up to par. I would also audit the dive operation to make sure they are financially solvent, get a complete background check on the owner, and perform an HIV test on all the crew and other divers on the boat with you in case you might have to engage in mouth-to-mouth and someone has an open sore. Urine testing is also a good idea as you certainly don't want to be on the boat or underwater with drug-crazed loonies.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure there's more you can do.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot: tinfoil to protect against alien mind-rays that can be intensely focused in the clear waters of Cozumel. Use the good quality Reynolds Wrap broiler foil, not some cheap generic crap. You don't want to trust your brain to cheap foil

Good thing dive shops don't turn away divers based on how much space all their crap-in-tow takes up on the boat. Or can you imagine a shop who took you on a shore dive and then decided, based on what they saw, whether or not the diver was up to their standards? And what if they wanted to run a credit check on us, make sure we were good for a healthy tip?


IMO, it's not my place as a customer to stick my nose into the financial or organizational operations of a dive shop. If I like the level and quality of service I get, I feel the diving is done safely, the boat is in decent shape and the captain and crew know what they're doing, then I'll keep diving with them. It's not my business how an owner pays his or her staff, or what benefits they get or don't get. That's between them.

 

[DandyDon]

And who doesn't love saying "chandler"....

1: a person who makes or sells candles and sometimes other items of tallow or wax, as soap.
2. a dealer or trader in supplies, provisions, etc., of a specialized type: a ship chandler.
3. a retailer of provisions, groceries, etc.

Must have been a candle supplier who branched out.

 

[deepstops]

And who doesn't love saying "chandler"....

Guilty




Posted using Tap-to-talk....

 

[Thalassamania]

Then I would suggest that all of those DMs & Instructors insist on legal contract work. It'd be nice if we customers could confirm compliance before doing business, and one member did actually suggest a possible way to do so - but not a reasonable one. Cozumel has come a long ways since the WWII vets came back to their old airfield with tanks and portable compressors to hire fishing boats to take them diving, including too many cruise piers in my opinion, and there is no apparent reason why Cozumel cannot resolve with Cozumel issue.

DAN Mexico coverage is unfortunately not much, $5,000 USD for local coverage I think, but if the pros have SS Medical coverage - they seem well covered, as well as possible. You all should see to that as much as possible.

As far as boat safety, other than Operator error, I don't know of any accidents. Sure, I'd like to ensure that the boat is safe before boarding, just like I'd like to be sure before boarding a ferry, bus, van, taxi, plane, etc. but there's not much I can check. The one time I requested Oxygen for a diver was at Coz and it failed, but should I start requiring every boat to demonstrate that their O2 kits are onboard and actually work? Why don't you all there take whatever actions that you can to improve safety in that area so as to protect the name of the island.

I am already boarding boats with as much gear as I can carry in one trip, including my own floatation vest I wear while the boat is moving and the DM is strapping my BC to a tank - yeah I'd wear it on your boat too, I'm checking every tank for CO levels for good reason,* carrying all the safety devices on dives I can - far more than most, and I think I'll start checking my tanks for O2 too since I have seen divers on Nitrox who thought they were on air for a deeper dive. I'm doing all I can I think, and hope Cozumel will do their bit.

* Yeah, the big fill station has Analox inline CO monitors thanks in large part to Dave here, and I hope they run them correctly, but there are a lot of compressors on Coz. I'd test tanks even from the big place with the monitors, but dang sure am going to test the others too.

Thanks for the info...!

Don, I'd love to dive with you ... but I'd have to pass on the ride out.

 

[DandyDon]

Don, I'd love to dive with you ... but I'd have to pass on the ride out.

Funny how many people die in boat accidents from not wearing life vests but dives think it can't happen to them? We had a Roatan Op who wanted to take us across the channel to Utila without any but I grabbed a couple off of the FIBR boat, and it went worse from there...

 

[cvchief]

Don, I'd love to dive with you ... but I'd have to pass on the ride out.

Oh there is plenty of room... most of his stuff is coast guard certified life boat he requires them to tow behind..... :lifesaver: