July - Diving Solo - Cozumel, then Mujeres or Holbox - Looking for Op, Advice, Etc!

[Miffy]

DD: Called them already (via phone not Skype) and left a voicemail. I'll call them again today.

Re: E-learning
Below is what the dive op is telling me:
It'll only save time and the price of the book. You don't get a physical book with e-learning.

Enriched Air: No need to do e-learning for Nitrox. It's not a huge read and apparently there's a 25 question multiple choice exam to pass it.

Rescue: is done in the afternoons while I dive in the mornings. The water portion is done on the last day of the course with a 2-tank dive

cvchief: I thought about this too and was going to do it with Aquarius here in Toronto before I go, but I get cold VERY easily (I need to wear a rash guard, a vest, and a hood when the water gets below 27/28C. All the water dives are done here in Toronto and the water here at the surface is low 20C in August (at the warmest). I really don't want to wait that long to get my Rescue either.
As I *was* going on my own, I thought it would be good for me to have a goal, something to achieve, and as I'm not too tight with my vacation time, I don' t have to worry too much about "losing so much reef time", especially when the only reef time I would lose would be 1 dive out of 27 (at max).

 

[Skittl1321]

Is what the op is charging for the nitrox class dives the same as what you'd pay for a local nitrox class + dives in cozumel? Or are the dives more expensive because they are part of a class?

Because nitrox doesn't require any in-water dives to get a certificate. So if you are paying above retail, just do the class locally, and then go on regular dives in Cozumel. If it costs the same as it would cost to do dives, then no reason to do it ahead of time, I guess.

 

[krbailey]

In my case, it's $179 (USD) including a 2 tank dive w/ nitrox.

 

[Skittl1321]

In my case, it's $179 (USD) including a 2 tank dive w/ nitrox.

To me, that's a real good deal. I'd definitely do my nitrox in Cozumel if this is the case, as my LDS charges $175 with no dives.
(Who are you using as the instructor?)

 

[cvchief]

Rescue: is done in the afternoons while I dive in the mornings. The water portion is done on the last day of the course with a 2-tank dive

Have you ever done two tank morning dives? Are you saying the two tanks on the last day is the only in water portion of the class? What do you do on the other days of rescue? I mean I get wanting to do it there. I keep thinking about that too but come back to it screwing up my Coz time. And I would say you definetly want to get Nitrox all week. We find it reduces that fatigued feeling of two long tanks of air.

This is kinda how I see it:

You:
Up early and out for two tanks.
Get back at 1 or 2 pm.
Grab a quick torta for lunch maybe. (Watch the kibbies at Caleta, the capis nicknamed that guy Cholera now!)
Get to hotel and clean up.
Start class at 3:30 pm?
Get out of class at 5:30?
Get back to hotel drop stuff, go to dinner at 7
Get back at 930
Try to email and facebook.
Fall asleep at 10.

That seem like work. Though I would love to hear your experience it might change my mind.

My schedule:
Roll out.
Arrive at Caleta late
2 tank dive.
spend half an hour discussing lunch plans.
Go to Money bar. Nurse drink until Happy hour.
Have a little nosh and 2 for 1s.
Go home and clean up.
Missus naps, I read Scubaboard.
Drink beer with feet up on the veranda
Discuss at length where we are going to dinner.
Go to dinner at 7 (late)
Come home at 930 and collapse exhausted from the long day!

And if all your afternoon class time is classroom, not in water, you *could* do it at Money Bar during happy hour? That could be win-win!! How many hours is it?

 

[krbailey]

To me, that's a real good deal. I'd definitely do my nitrox in Cozumel if this is the case, as my LDS charges $175 with no dives.
(Who are you using as the instructor?)

I'm staying at Blue Angel 8/1 - 8/10. I'm not sure who the instructor is. They had a husband/wife team who were very highly regarded but I believe they moved to Vancouver (?) recently. Overall, I've been very impressed with their operation with regards to booking and scheduling. Kudos to Sr. Garza! I'm also doing the Peak Performance Buoyancy class as my refresher since it's been several years since my last dive.

 

[cvchief]

Doesn't the 'still there' Matteo of Ohana fame teach there? He is a great guy.

 

[krbailey]

Doesn't the 'still there' Matteo of Ohana fame teach there? He is a great guy.

I seem to remember seeing a post here saying that he and his wife (Karibelle?) were leaving to work/open a shop in Vancouver/BC. I could be wrong (usually there's alcohol involved). However, I have read everything I can find here on SB regarding Blue Angel/Cozumel to keep my sanity. 56 days and counting!

 

[DandyDon]

I seem to remember seeing a post here saying that he and his wife (Karibelle?) were leaving to work/open a shop in Vancouver/BC. I could be wrong (usually there's alcohol involved). However, I have read everything I can find here on SB regarding Blue Angel/Cozumel to keep my sanity. 56 days and counting!

Different Mat. There were two. Matteo is married to a local lady, and I doubt that he would ever leave Mexico. I hope he hasn't left BA or Coz as he is a super dude - not just his belt size.

 

[Miffy]

cvchief:
According to online e-learning, it will take 10-12 hours of 'reading', so I'm going to assume the same when I do it in Coz. That matches the dive op's suggestion that it will take me 3-4 days to complete. I'll be doing my reading in the afternoons before dinner as you have suggested. So, let's say, 4 hours of reading for 3 days, or 3 hours of reading for 4 days, plus a 'scenario' dive which I will do on one of my morning dives. The course includes a two-dank dive to complete the 'scenario'.

Remember I don't have a missus (or a hubby either), I'm not really into beer, I'm not old so I don't take cat naps ( wink )…
I'm not sure about your times, but I don't think I'd take 1.5 hours to get back to the hotel and drop stuff off

M

---------- Post added June 6th, 2014 at 03:23 AM ----------

Whether you could do it all depends on your age and how much energy you have, perhaps?

(Before anyone gets their knickers in a knot, I am only joking about the age )

---------- Post added June 6th, 2014 at 03:24 AM ----------

Oh, I'll be doing my EFR first before I get there :cool2: