Isla Mujeres dive shops?

[travelure]

I have been diving Isla for over 12 years now. I always dived with Coral until Tino sold out the shop to Gilberto. On the wall at Coral were all his DMs and Inst. certificates, so I can assure the folks here that isla has many PADI certified inst/DMs not just one.

There are many certified instructors on the island (not just one), and any that I have met follow the PADI program. I know this as I am PADI instructor.

If you are in doubt about your instructor/DM just ask to see their cert card. It should have a current year sticker.

The only shop I know of that is not on the water rally is Aqua Adventures. They are the only shop on the island that has a PADI Resort label.

Enriques Unique Dives is on the beach, Cristal Divers and Carey are across the street from Velaquez pier on the beach. Sea Hawk is around the corner from Na Ba Laam and Squalo is on the beach behind Sergios Bar.I think even Mundaca divers is on the beach at the Avalon Reef , and a couple of others like Tarzan etc.

So for choice there are lots of shops.

I personally dive with Enrique's Unique Dives and have done so since Coral closed.

I will be there diving every day the port is open from Dec. 14/09 to Jan 08/10. If you need a buddy drop by and enjoy.

regards

 

[jerryscuba]

Sorry Travelure but I disagree. Aquadventures just pays the annual fee to Padi as resort but uses lots of different free lances that spend a while there and than they desapear because the management of the shop and the standards are too poor.
And the sticker doesn't exist since the beginnig of 2009. Now you have to check on the padi website if an istr./dm is renewed. Anyway that's a consistence difference between a divemaster and an instructor. Last thing... Tino didn't sell the shop to Gilberto, but the shop was closed because during a dive they lost a diver last year. Greetings
Jeremy Trouver

 

[joeabroad]

Last thing... Tino didn't sell the shop to Gilberto, but the shop was closed because during a dive they lost a diver last year. Greetings
Jeremy Trouver

Hold on--lost a diver? Last I heard Gilberto was indeed the new owner and operating.

Are you saying that Caray is no longer in business? Can anyone confirm this?

 

[travelure]

Don't worry. I am on the island now and will be for the next month. I was talking to Gilberto this morning and he is still alive and running the shop.

And Jerry, I stay with Tino every time I'm down here and he did pass Coral (now Carey divers) on to Gilberto.

As far as a lost diver is concerned I have heard all the stories about why he closed (1/2/3 divers lost) but Tino told me why he sold/settledup with Coral. If you want to talk to him about it he is fairly open for his reasons.

My point in my original post is that there are lots of good DMs / instructors and good shops on the island not just one.

Also there is no law stating you must be PADI cert. DM to lead dives. In my experience it is sometimes better to dive with someone who has 500 + dives and has been living in an area their whole lives (even if they are only OW) than a DM with 30 dives who has never dived the area before.

There are always unscrupulous people in this business (just read PADI Quality stats) but I have never read anything about DMs or Instructors from the island being bounced for misrepresenting themselves.

As far as Aqua goes,yes they use freelance, it is a common practice in many countries.

My error on the sticker..I'll eat that, oh and I am OWSI, EAN, EFRI all in good standing insured until June 2010.

Sam

 

[jerryscuba]

I'm not on the island now. I'll be there perhaps in march. Travelure if you are in Isla now, of course you know better than me the situation. Maybe I was confused by the rumors last time I was there. I apologyze to you and Joeabroad.
By the way for sure I meet people on the island that doesn't respect the basic standards at all... I did almost all my courses with a very scrupulous instructor so I take a lot of care to the standards because as pros it's the only way to be protected and covered in an emergency situation. For example it's not true at all that each diver with or more than 500 dives can lead a group...!!! The program discover local diving MUST be conducted at least by a local divemaster and it's trough that after that there are no laws that say that certified divers must be leaded necessarly by a divemaster... but in case of emergency or accident can you tell me how an OWD gives the basic cares or emergency oxygen or rescue a victim? And more... I saw (this time with my eyes and not from rumors) absolute beginners leaded by simple Ow or Advanced divers... that's the approximation that I found on the island and that's the reason because me and my wife (advanced with 260 logged dives) prefer to dive with titled professionals also if I am a professional too... my best regards and sorry again for the missunderstanding
Jerry

 

[Sushi Boy]

Would y'all be willing to share your impressions of the diving from Isla Mujeres? I've been to Cozumel enough times that I'd like to find a good alternative. How does the diving on Isla Mujeres compare?

 

[Balam Nautic Center]

Hola Sushy boy. I've been in Cozumel one year and half and in Isla Mujeres almost two years.
Dives in Isla are very interesting. On the west-south side it's all natural park and dives are nice and easy. On the north side there is the sleeping shark's cave, Medialuna and other very nice drops. I have my personal spots on my "precious" gps, sites with no name but very amazing also for the most experienced divers. At least 6/7 miles far from the shore. Of course, in Isla there is not the wall that is an incredible coral gap unic in the world, and sometime visibility is a little bit worse than Cozu, but if you are looking for an alternative try Isla and you'll be not disappointed. Of course, you have to select your DC to avoid a double tank with four discoveries
But anyway it's so easy to get on the island that it doesn't coast too much time and money to try the experience once! Have a nice day.
Guido Cocchia
Padi MI 964959

 

[traciedee]

Maybe I'm confused, but the only dive shop I see on the padi dive site for IM is Aqua Adventures. Balam I don't see your dive shop on there. Also Aqua Adventures says in their website they have padi certified dive masters. Am I missing something?

 

[travelure]

Hi Tracidee,

As stated in some posts above there are many dive shops on Isla. They are run by PADI certified DM's and instructors. Some are better than others, but it ends up being personal preference in the end. I have complete confidence and would recommend Enrique's Unique Diving (for advanced divers), Cristal Divers and Carey. All their staff are very professional.

I have been diving Isla for 12 years and I have not dived with any other shops on the island so I won't comment on them.

You don't have to be listed on PADI's resort site to have PADI cert. staff and offer diving.

As far as Aqua Adventures go, as Jerry Scuba pointed out they are basically a store front. They either set you up on a dive and hire a boat/DM or take a commission and put you with other shops. Yes they are on the PADI site, but that is more of a designation they purchased. As far as I know they don't have boats or permanent dive staff.

I have heard good things about Squalo Divers as well, but never dived with them. I think the owner (Andreas?) is the son of the person who owns the dive shops for the Cancun Moon Palace and the Isla Mujeres Palace. I have dived with some of the staff that work there when they worked at other shops and can say that they were very professional. They are located across from the Nauti Beach Hotel by the Playa Sol beach bar.

Hope this helps. Guido can answer questions about his shop.

Regards,

Sam

 

[traciedee]

Did not know you could buy a padi certificate. Kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it? I also just assumed that a padi shop would only have padi certified dive masters/etc and follow padi guidelines. I guess that's why I always come here to get recommendations for the best/safest dive shops to wherever I am going. Thanks for the info.