If you could only dive in one spot for the rest of your life...

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I surely would not pick Cozumel because you would be stuck on Cozumel Island.

Better would be Key Largo. Also quite affordable there, to retire.

I think Coz is great and would pick it over Key Largo. The people of Coz are wonderful and retirement there will be cheaper than Key Largo.
 
I think Coz is great and would pick it over Key Largo. The people of Coz are wonderful and retirement there will be cheaper than Key Largo.

But then you would be stuck on Cozumel. You can't drive to the Grand Canyon anymore, or DC on the 4th, or NYC on New Year's Eve, etc.

I love Mexico too, and yes the people are wonderfully nice. But not to be stuck there all the time.
 
That's funny, because except for island fever, I would think the big island of Hawai'i rates way up on the list close to #1.
It's good, but as I said in an earlier post:

This was one of those great days, bright sun and 60-foot visibility. On a day like this Blue Fin Cove is one of the most spectacular dive sites in the world. Let the tourists have Palancar Reef, the wall on Cayman Brac, Rosh Muhammad and Heron Island, all the frenetic neon of those underwater Times Squares. Give me the kelp forest, subtle greens broken by shafts of light that look like they came from a Sunday school painting, that's for me.
 
But then you would be stuck on Cozumel. You can't drive to the Grand Canyon anymore, or DC on the 4th, or NYC on New Year's Eve, etc.

I love Mexico too, and yes the people are wonderfully nice. But not to be stuck there all the time.

It's not like I would be banished there for life. I could leave Coz to travel almost as easily as you could leave Key Largo.
 
I just returned from Cozumel and the diving was beautiful but. I find Mexico lacking in safety. The rental equipment they where putting divers in I would not use in a swimming pool (why I own all of my equipment). We had some newly certified divers on the boat an his BCD malfuncted and would not hold air. He did not do the second dive because he was scared so badly. They asked for a recommendation for a place to dive. I told them the Florida Keys. Because honestly if I had to pick one pleace where I had to dive for the rest of my life that would be the place. Certified dive boats,licensed boat captains and certified dive masters and instructor working on all the boats. Scuba tanks that are serviced, regulator and BCD that are serviced. Safe enjoyable diving and everyone speaks english too. So buy American and dive in the USA.
 
Catalina.
 
The Seychelles, but don't tell anyone. This was a few years ago, mind you, but we had most dive sites to ourselves.

-Bryan
 
I just returned from Cozumel and the diving was beautiful but. I find Mexico lacking in safety. The rental equipment they where putting divers in I would not use in a swimming pool (why I own all of my equipment). We had some newly certified divers on the boat an his BCD malfuncted and would not hold air. He did not do the second dive because he was scared so badly. They asked for a recommendation for a place to dive. I told them the Florida Keys. Because honestly if I had to pick one pleace where I had to dive for the rest of my life that would be the place. Certified dive boats,licensed boat captains and certified dive masters and instructor working on all the boats. Scuba tanks that are serviced, regulator and BCD that are serviced. Safe enjoyable diving and everyone speaks english too. So buy American and dive in the USA.

You can't be serious! You are basing your comments on ONE trip to Cozumel with ONE dive operator...but ALL of Mexico is lacking in safety?

FYI...
  1. Boat Captian's here are ALSO fully licensed and governed by the HArbor Master
  2. Per marine park regulations here, ALL dive guides must be certified DM's or higher AND have local marine park credentials
  3. I can't speak for your dive shop, but our rental equipment is brand new and serviced regularly by authorized techs
  4. Our cylinders are regularly cleaned and inspected when required if not before
  5. Most dive crews here are bi-lingual...but you WERE in Mexico and you chose the destination. It is a courtesy for them to speak your language. Do you speak Spanish when Spanish speaking visitors come to the US? I didn't think so!

Some of your comments in your other post about nitrox diving, being properly weighted, etc. do not make sense coming from an instructor with so many years of experience...and according to your profile, you have less than 50 dives.

You have peppered the board in different forums with complaints about the lack of dive safety in MEXICO and complained about the service you received in an American franchise chain in Cozumel...yes, I think you will be best served by not leaving the US again.

Sorry, but this mentality is precisely why Americans have the poor reputation that we do!

So just what axe do you have to grind?
 
Boat Captian's here are ALSO fully licensed and governed by the HArbor Master
How does that compare to USCG licensing? What dioes that mean in terms of actual legal liabilty?

Per marine park regulations here, ALL dive guides must be certified DM's or higher AND have local marine park credentials
We all have our own opinions concerning what being a DM or higher in other countries (and our own) means, but what does it take to get "local marine park credentials?"
Do you speak Spanish when Spanish speaking visitors come to the US? I didn't think so!
Ppor qué no creerlo?
 
I just returned from Cozumel and the diving was beautiful but. I find Mexico lacking in safety. The rental equipment they where putting divers in I would not use in a swimming pool (why I own all of my equipment). We had some newly certified divers on the boat an his BCD malfuncted and would not hold air. He did not do the second dive because he was scared so badly. They asked for a recommendation for a place to dive. I told them the Florida Keys. Because honestly if I had to pick one pleace where I had to dive for the rest of my life that would be the place. Certified dive boats,licensed boat captains and certified dive masters and instructor working on all the boats. Scuba tanks that are serviced, regulator and BCD that are serviced. Safe enjoyable diving and everyone speaks english too. So buy American and dive in the USA.

You can find bad service and unsafe ops anywhere - including the Florida Keys - just like you can find great service and great ops. Don't trash Mexico because you had one bad experience. My first experience in Coz was pretty shaky, with an op that tried to put us on a boat to Devils Throat when we only had 17 dives under our belt. We were smart enough to say no. It didn't stop us going back and giving Coz another try. We went back, choose a different Op and had a tremendous time. I think we're up to trip 9 or 10 come March ... we've come to love the place like a 2nd home.

As for the Florida Keys - we travel there every year or two. Last trip we booked with an op - nice guy - but not a clue about safety. Luckily we were only booked for one day.

If I had to pick just one place I could dive for the rest of my life - it would be Coz - hand down.
 
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