Help me choose the right Coz Dive op for us...

[goofygirl]

My husband and I are going to Coz April 17-24th!!!! We're sooo excited to get back underwater! We're newbies. We just got our OW certification in Oct. on our honeymoon so this will only be our second dive trip.

Just to give you all an idea of our experience level-
We logged about 8-10 dives on our honeymoon, so we're still a little green around the gills, but we're not air hogs (gotta love Yoga!) and we've got pretty good buoyancy control for newbies (if I do say so myself.) We did one drift dive on our honeymoon, but I don't think that qualifies us as experienced drift divers. We would also like to use this opportunity (not to take a course but) to improve our dive skills thoughout this trip. We don't want to be diving with the pod people and resort course-ers, but we also don't want to be with really experienced divers where either we're holding them back from diving their experience level, or we're being peer pressured to dive beyond our abilities.

We had a great experience on our honeymoon with a smaller dive op, and liked the personal relationship that we developed with that experience. We'd like to go with a smaller more personal op again. This way we can improve our skills, and as we start making the rounds of the major dive destinations, when we start going back for return trips we have someone to 'go home to' so-to-speak.

After fairly extensive research here on these boards (and even a little elsewhere) I've narrowed it down to these 3 dive ops (in no particular order):

Careyitos
BlueXTSea
Anita Divers

Considering our experience level and desires who do you think we should go with???

PS and incidentally how soon do I need to make reservations with them???

 

[Walter]

Consider Bonaire, it's a better location for beginners. No ripping currents, no live boating, it's much better for your experience level. Go to Coz when you have a lot more experience. You'll enjoy it more.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Consider Bonaire, it's a better location for beginners. No ripping currents, no live boating, it's much better for your experience level. Go to Coz when you have a lot more experience. You'll enjoy it more.

DITTO with a capital "D"

 

[goofygirl]

Consider Bonaire, it's a better location for beginners. No ripping currents, no live boating, it's much better for your experience level. Go to Coz when you have a lot more experience. You'll enjoy it more.

Um, too late, it's already booked. We got certfied in Aruba doing boat dives and I posted a while back asking if Coz is appropriate for divers of our level, no one discouraged me. As a matter of fact everyone ENCOURAGED me! I was told that with the right dive op we'd be fine. We don't plan to go to the more advanced or deeper sites with 'ripping currents'.

I saw the 'scary dives in Coz' post. Belive me, it scared me. 130' and Devil's Throat are way beyond our ability and I'm not stupid enough to try to dive it at this point in my experience. From my research of the various dive sites in Coz there are plenty of sites that would be appropriate for newer divers and those are the ones we'd stick to.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I never got the impression that Cozumel was off limits to new divers.

 

[5615mike]

It's certainly not off limits. Walter is just giving you some very sound advice. New location, drift diving, boat diving, heavy boat traffic during your stay since it still high season. All these things are task loading on a new diver. You could do fine but with only knowing how many dives you have is no indication of how prepared you are. I know people with over 100 dives who I would not dive with because they don't know or understand what they are doing. I also know some divers with under 20 dives who have been propertly trained and I would dive with. I would stick with a six pack boat so you can be assured to be able to stick with your DM. Be honest with them and let them know your a new diver and want/need that extra set of eyes on you for several dives. If you have never had an.......an.......issue at depth, then you have no idea how you will react. Deep dives are proabably a miss for you guys this trip but I really should not say that without diving with you. Be careful, pay attention to your buddy at all times as well as the DM and stay close. Maybe next trip you'll be ready for some adventures but just pay attention.

 

[goofygirl]

It's certainly not off limits. Walter is just giving you some very sound advice. New location, drift diving, boat diving, heavy boat traffic during your stay since it still high season. All these things are task loading on a new diver.
... If you have never had an.......an.......issue at depth, then you have no idea how you will react. Deep dives are proabably a miss for you guys this trip but I really should not say that without diving with you. Be careful, pay attention to your buddy at all times as well as the DM and stay close. Maybe next trip you'll be ready for some adventures but just pay attention.

Mike-I know Walter is being protective, and I appreciate that, but WHOA he's pretty adamant! Perhaps it's a communication thing, but your approach is much more thoughtful and brings up good points that I will certainly remember to take into consideration and plan for. Part of the reason these particular Dive Ops are on this list is their good reputation for education of new divers and their dedicaiton to helping even experienced divers become better divers.

I'm quoting this from my response over on the 'scary dives' thread:
"I would NEVER attempt to dive so deep or such an advanced site at our current experience level. I've looked at various lists and descriptions of the various dive sites on Coz and there seem to be plently of shallower (30-80') sites to keep us happy and safe and those are the sites we plan to stick to. Unless of course you think even that is unwise."

I know there are some pretty unsafe gung-ho cocky new divers out there, I'm not one of them. Being a nurse I have a VERY healthy respect for the potential dangers that diving incurrs. We logged one dive to 80' in Aruba and let me tell you, it only took one look up at the surface from the bottom for me to know this was serious stuff. I don't really plan on going ANY deeper than that on this trip or any other until we log some more bottom time and get some more training.

I know I sound defensive, but I've posted several threads on our trip to Coz on this board (including our experience level on every post) prior to booking our trip and NO-ONE discouraged us as newbies from going to Coz and diving. Now, after I've PAID for the trip all of the sudden nobody thinks we should go. Come on guys, what gives???

 

[Walter]

goofygirl,

I just did a search and found your post, Cozumel- All-inclusive, dive resort (or both), or hotel (with no meal plan)???. It's not the type of title that would ordinarily cause me to think beginners were getting in over their heads, so I wouldn't ordinarily read it. Having read it, I don't see where you asked "Cozumel- All-inclusive, dive resort (or both), or hotel (with no meal plan)???" or even where you said what your level might be. I saw where you cross posted your questions in another forum (BTW, that's not allowed under SB rules), but still no question about should you be planning to head to Cozumel or any info as to your experience level. Looking further, I see where you asked about switching from October to April. In that thread, three days ago, you said, "We're newbies." Sorry, but that's the first clue you gave that Cozumel might not be an appropriate choice for you.

Cozumel isn't off limits to new divers, but it should be. Lots of instructors actually take their students to Cozumel for their OW check out dives. I don't think it's a good idea.

If you can, I'd suggest switching plans. If it's too late to back out, you can reduce your risks. Take a safety sausage and deploy it prior to surfacing on all dives. You'll need to learn this skill, it wasn't likely something you learned in your class. Practice in a pool now. Don't dive deeper than you have previously. Don't follow the DM blindly. Make sure the dive operation knows you are beginners and tell them you want shallow dives. Go back to the thread that scared you and read it several times. Learn the lessons. Unfortunately, this type of situation is not rare in Cozumel.

If I can help you prepare, please feel free to call on me.

 

[gj62]

Go, but take some obvious precautions.

You are almost certainly going to be diving in a current, so take signaling devices (for EACH person). Both audible and visual would be best. You are probably renting equip, so an audible device may be limited to a whistle (better than nothing). It is very easy for novices (and even some experienced divers) to get separated from their buddy or swept apart from the group in a strong current. You must pay CLOSE attention to where everyone is. I cannot tell you the number of horror stories, even from experienced divers, regardin getting separated in Coz...

Cozumel has many great wall dives - you have to watch your depth. You indicated that you read coppermaus' post about her dives there - understand that you may be in the same/similar situation. It could be very difficult for you to tell from talking to a DM/Op if they are right for you. Be upfront. Tell them your level of experience and that you don't want to exceed your comfort zone (and what that is). A good shop will work with you - a bad shop may say you are ready for a dive, even if it does not sound like it to you. If you aren't 100% comfortable, don't do the dive - even if you are on the boat.

Once in the water - follow your training. If "everyone" is going too deep for you (or exceeding the plan), or if they are ascending too fast or not doing the safety stop you are comfortable with - dive YOUR plan. Abort the dive if you are not comfortable. Work out CLEAR signals with your buddy about how to inform each other of your level of comfort.

Remember, diving is not a "no-pain, no-gain" sport!

 

[5615mike]

Mike-I know Walter is being protective, and I appreciate that, but WHOA he's pretty adamant! Perhaps it's a communication thing, but your approach is much more thoughtful and brings up good points that I will certainly remember to take into consideration and plan for. Part of the reason these particular Dive Ops are on this list is their good reputation for education of new divers and their dedicaiton to helping even experienced divers become better divers.

I'm quoting this from my response over on the 'scary dives' thread:
"I would NEVER attempt to dive so deep or such an advanced site at our current experience level. I've looked at various lists and descriptions of the various dive sites on Coz and there seem to be plently of shallower (30-80') sites to keep us happy and safe and those are the sites we plan to stick to. Unless of course you think even that is unwise."

I know there are some pretty unsafe gung-ho cocky new divers out there, I'm not one of them. Being a nurse I have a VERY healthy respect for the potential dangers that diving incurrs. We logged one dive to 80' in Aruba and let me tell you, it only took one look up at the surface from the bottom for me to know this was serious stuff. I don't really plan on going ANY deeper than that on this trip or any other until we log some more bottom time and get some more training.

I know I sound defensive, but I've posted several threads on our trip to Coz on this board (including our experience level on every post) prior to booking our trip and NO-ONE discouraged us as newbies from going to Coz and diving. Now, after I've PAID for the trip all of the sudden nobody thinks we should go. Come on guys, what gives???

Go and have a good time Goof. You'll be fine. Just as several have said, I would be extra careful and sensitive to your personal needs for diving and make sure to have good meaningful conversation with your DM and not just the shop. The shop is not there and the DM is. You'll love it and go back. Myself, I could go once a month. Twice a year is all I can do at this point. Enjoy it while you can before it changes too much. Certainly has changed in even the last 4 or 5 years.

 

[wetbehindtheear]

why don't you call the dive ops you listed, explain that you're relatively new, and ask how they'd take care of you? then when you get there, make sure the dm on the boat knows you're new and that he should keep an eye on you. if that's not enough, the cattle boat dive ops at most resorts are pretty strict about times & depths if you're worried.

have a great time.