Need recommendation for side-mount cave course in Puerto Aventuras area

[Ontwreckdiver]

CenoteXperience - Cavern, Cave and Ocean Diving in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Mexico - Home

 

[uncfnp]

Unless she has changed Natalie teaches the Razor system and yes she supplied the system without the requirement to purchase when I spent several days with her some time ago. She is a very intense but no drama, methodical and thorough instructor. First class. She even picked me up and dropped me off at the condo in PA.

 

[SandyRobinson]

Not sure about your transportation but ProTec Tulum is probably 15 miles south. I do not know if they have equipment to rent/borrow but I can ask next week and let you know.

 

[Skulmoski]

Under The Jungle

Under The Jungle - Review

GJS

 

[rongoodman]

I like the Stealth Classic and the guys at Protec helped design it. Nando was my instructor for a number of classes but I don't think he's in the area any more.

 

[TechScubaLA]

Check out BlueLife. We did full cave diving with Frank Guttierez and Hugo de la Llata. Very thorough and demanding training, but pretty fun at the same time. Great customer service too. Highly recommend them. The main shop is at Plata del Carmen, but they have another shop in Tulum.

 

[halocline]

Under the jungle is right near PA and both Nat and Vince are top notch instructors.

 

[SandyRobinson]

ProTec Tulum does have the Deep Stealth for their students and customers to use, and they will adjust it for you. Also, Tulum is 30 to 35 minutes south of PA. The Playa location is probably closer.

Also, I just saw where you wanted AM dives so you can spend time with the family in the PM. I understand training times will be different than guided dives but I normally met my guides at 8:30AM (ProTec opened around 8). We would analyze tanks, get our gear, and load the truck. We probably left the shop around 9:15 and stopped at a stand to pick up breakfast and lunch. Breakfast may have been at the stand or the dive site. Lunch was on site between dives. The earliest I got in the water on dive 1 was 11:00AM, and the earliest I got out of the water from dive 2 was 3PM. Surface intervals ranged fro 1 to 2 hours. Dive times for 2 tanks ranged from 52 to 125 minutes. The earliest I got back to the shop may have been 4PM but several times after 5:30. Regardless of who you use, I would talk to them about times. Have fun!

Forgot to mention but the busy season for cave diving is approaching. If your plans are in the next few months, you may want to contact someone earlier than later. Seems like they said said it would start around Thanksgiving but not sure for how long. Between training and guiding, they (ProTec Tulum and ProTec Playa)were swamped when I was there from 11-5 through 11-13.

 

[kensuf]

I'd recommend Natalie Gibb.

 

[rjack321]

Also, I just saw where you wanted AM dives so you can spend time with the family in the PM. I understand training times will be different than guided dives but I normally met my guides at 8:30AM (ProTec opened around 8). We would analyze tanks, get our gear, and load the truck. We probably left the shop around 9:15 and stopped at a stand to pick up breakfast and lunch. Breakfast may have been at the stand or the dive site. Lunch was on site between dives. The earliest I got in the water on dive 1 was 11:00AM, and the earliest I got out of the water from dive 2 was 3PM. Surface intervals ranged fro 1 to 2 hours. Dive times for 2 tanks ranged from 52 to 125 minutes. The earliest I got back to the shop may have been 4PM but several times after 5:30. Regardless of who you use, I would talk to them about times.

Yea I have never heard of a course running only in the mornings. You might be able to arrange something that is closer to a "1 guided AM dive per day" type of arrangement but its going to be a custom course and require more days and money than average.