Need a little push (dwm)

[pidgiepoo]

No more free night dives..but a free video with certain dive packages. Night dives are still cheap(I think $30.00).
Don't know who your DM was, Stortkey, but they do have one person we had a few years ago that did exactly what you mentioned as far as cutting the bottom time short. We haven't been with him recently, so I am not sure if he still does this. The rest of the DM's have always been good about letting you have adequate time.
Yes, you can bring a bag of clothing/ shoes to donate to Share with Martin and get a free dive. I suggest you read the requirements on their web page. Last visit we brought two bags of new shoes and they gave us two free DVD's of two different dives (instead of a free dive). Their videos are super, so we think we got the best end of that deal.
Paddi Davies(sp?) is the contact here in the US. You can email her and she is good about answering your questions and setting up a dive voucher. See the DWM website for the DWM@gmail address. I'd request Orlando, David, or Tony for your DM when you set up your dives.
PM me if you want more info

 

[billmosel]

I would check out aldora divers. The shortest dive might be 1:15. the longest was 1:45. They charge a little bit more but it is worth it. If you do a per minute charge you come out ahead. They use large steel tanks and your bottom time is fantastic. They have small boats usually no more than 5 divers at a time. One time the harbormaster closed the diving down unless you had a big boat which aldora has and we were able to do our dives where most shops could not.
Check it out aldora.com. You won't be disappointed.

 

[deepstops]

Regarding "limited" bottom times: People need to remember the logistics of running a two trips per day dive operation. Divers picked up at 8am, in the water by 830, an hour dive (930am), a 50 minute SI, back in the water by 1030am, an hour fifteen dive (1145am), and back to the dock just after twelve, time to unload, reload, grab a bite, and back out at 1pm to repeat the above.

To expect longer dive times than this (or a longer SI) is simply unrealistic.

 

[MMM]

Regarding "limited" bottom times: People need to remember the logistics of running a two trips per day dive operation. Divers picked up at 8am, in the water by 830, an hour dive (930am), a 50 minute SI, back in the water by 1030am, an hour fifteen dive (1145am), and back to the dock just after twelve, time to unload, reload, grab a bite, and back out at 1pm to repeat the above.

To expect longer dive times than this (or a longer SI) is simply unrealistic.

True 'nuff when you are going out with the budget ops. That's the trade-off. If you want longer dive times, you need to go with the boutique ops.

The budget ops are perfect for people who want to dive 45min-1 hr., aren't diving nitrox, and need to get back to the non-diving families at the resort. Unless they know you, you're a long-time client, and they can match you to divers of similar ability/interet and/or will allow divers to ascend during the dive as they run out of air and/or deco time.

 

[deepstops]

True 'nuff when you are going out with the budget ops. That's the trade-off. If you want longer dive times, you need to go with the boutique ops.

The budget ops are perfect for people who want to dive 45min-1 hr., aren't diving nitrox, and need to get back to the non-diving families at the resort. Unless they know you, you're a long-time client, and they can match you to divers of similar ability/interet and/or will allow divers to ascend during the dive as they run out of air and/or deco time.

Then the "boutique" ops aren't running two trips a day from the same boat, end of story.

 

[pidgiepoo]

Regarding "limited" bottom times: People need to remember the logistics of running a two trips per day dive operation. Divers picked up at 8am, in the water by 830, an hour dive (930am), a 50 minute SI, back in the water by 1030am, an hour fifteen dive (1145am), and back to the dock just after twelve, time to unload, reload, grab a bite, and back out at 1pm to repeat the above.

To expect longer dive times than this (or a longer SI) is simply unrealistic.

I was commenting on dives by a DM that were way less than 1hour(first dive) and 1hour 15(second dive). Even though I am not a "nitrox boutique" diver, granny still likes a long enough BT that I am not comng up with 1500 left in tank. But, you are correct about the logistics for sure..and the Cozumel DM's do a wonderful job in my book.

 

[billmosel]

I would rather do 2, 80 minute dives than 3, 45 minute dives. To me its all about how much bottom time you have rather than how many dives you have.

 

[pidgiepoo]

One time the harbormaster closed the diving down unless you had a big boat which aldora has and we were able to do our dives where most shops could not.
Check it out aldora.com. You won't be disappointed.

I don't understand this..I thought once the harbormaster closed down the diving...it was closed to everyone. I've not heard of any provisions, like "having a big boat"or what ever else might qualify. I'm not trying to argue, I would just like to know things for future reference since we do mostly dive Coz. Guess I thought when the harbor was closed it was for the safety of the boats/divers due to weather/current conditions etc. and noone went out.

 

[Jupiter31]

I dove with DWM for many years, originally only switching to Blue Angel because of the hotel/dive package, but now we dive with BA because we like the op as much as I did DWM and have the on-site convenience.

the DM's at DWM were always friendly, knowlegable, safety minded and generally good guys. I particularly like diving with Orlando and David. Orlando has a dry sense of humor and is very comfortable in the water, David is extreamly enthusiastic, keeps a good eye on his folks and does the cool "air ring" trick thingy

I never had an issue with bottom time, we always dove our air or computer limits, which ever came first, usually air.

If you feel you are being "cheated" out of bottom time, you need to convey to it the DM's. It could be that they are cutting some dives short because there are inexperienced divers in the group, or because the first dive is so deep, they are trying to save surface interval time before the second dive, although it doesn't seem like it, ALL dive ops are running on some sort of schedule...at any rate, it has never happened to us.

Don't know if they still do it, but they used to throw in a free night dive and/or video with so many booked 2-tank day dives or if you bring some items; reading glasses or shoes, for charity they would do the same.

The price is right for sure, they have some of the lowest rates on the island.

I put a lot of faith in my friend Brian's (Deepstops) recommendations, and I have dove w/ Aldora, Living Underwater, Divehouse and probably one other that does not come to mind in 20+ trips down there - never dive w/ Martin, however.

But have to agree w/ you re Blue Angel - the price is more than fair - pay cash it was $53 a trip last year - they have fast, small boats - and while outfits like Aldora will give you a longer dive (b/c of much larger tanks) the actual time spent at depth, on the wall, is about the same - I don't care about bobbing at 10 feet just to say I got an and hour and a half dive, plus, for me, paying $30+ more to dive w/ Aldora or LUW a trip was not worth it - to me at least, having experienced both operations.

I've gotten away from Coz (was going 4 times a year) somewhat because it seemed there were always a lot of new divers whenever I went - plus, I live in S. FL, and cannot get enough of Jupiter, even after 2- 6 dives a month for the past 4 years - I would prefer 2 walls a day.

Was always told, "put together a group, charter a boat, and we will take you wherever you want to go - great idea; but I'm not in the charter business.

Sill, like Blue Angel and give them strong recommendations.

 

[blue steal]

Just returned from Blue angel. did the 2 tank am dives. My times were anywhere from 59-67 minutes on the first dive, using AL80's, and close to 60 minutes on the 2nd dive, (ran out of time before air). How can you get 100+ minutes on a second dive without approaching deco? Assuming you are not using Nitrox or staying less than 30 feet or just hovering at a safety stop for 40 minutes......or a 2 hour SI........