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

[Germie]

that really depends on the day. My experience has been he’s a huge a-hole which others who have worked with him have confirmed. He treated two of my female friends awfully. So much so that we no longer use Protec even though I love Protec and their instructors like Kim, Jaime, and Skanda. I tell people to avoid Rob because there’s a good chance he’ll be an a-hole. First time I met him he was nice. Every time after that not so much.

I met him several days. And after our trip I still have sometimes contact. So I have different experiences. He knew I will not rent a guide or take course.

 

[rddvet]

I met him several days. And after our trip I still have sometimes contact. So I have different experiences. He knew I will not rent a guide or take course.

Word is he got straightened out of his bad attitude by some local instructors that are respected. So hopefully it sticks. He’s on my list of people I’d like to give a swift kick in the ass when I see him. My two female friends still takk regularly about what an obnoxious a-hole he was on multiple occassions.
We’re all capable of change so hopefully he has.

 

[Soldado]

that really depends on the day. My experience has been he’s a huge a-hole which others who have worked with him have confirmed. He treated two of my female friends awfully. So much so that we no longer use Protec even though I love Protec and their instructors like Kim, Jaime, and Skanda. I tell people to avoid Rob because there’s a good chance he’ll be an a-hole. First time I met him he was nice. Every time after that not so much.

Hey , Good morning "rddvet" Its Rob here. Please do me a favour, and give me some examples of me being a huge a hole please to you and these female friends. Did I fail you on something? And can you tell me, who the local instructors were that "straightened me out" are please? I am just curious to whatever lead you to believe these thoughts are.
Have a great day, looking forward to speaking soon

Rob

 

[rddvet]

Hey , Good morning "rddvet" Its Rob here. Please do me a favour, and give me some examples of me being a huge a hole please to you and these female friends. Did I fail you on something? And can you tell me, who the local instructors were that "straightened me out" are please? I am just curious to whatever lead you to believe these thoughts are.
Have a great day, looking forward to speaking soon

Rob

I won't go into all of the details here, but no I never took a course from you. Several years back we were regular clients at Protec (Tulum) We came back one morning to get our gear ready and it was all gone. We started going around the office trying to figure out what happened. When I came back 2 of our female divers were talking to you and they were very pissed. You had taken our stuff out of our locker and moved it so your client could have a locker. That part I could care less about. The issue is how you spoke to our female team mates. You were exceptionally rude and derogatory. We literally talk about "that time Rob was an ass-ole to us" and laugh now. But at the time it wasn't funny at all and the way you spoke to them and treated them was much worse than slightly rude. Your way of handling this was probably much worse than you realize, considering 4+ years later we still talk about it. After the incident we had a long talk with Kim and Kelvin (who worked there at the time) and they were pretty appalled as well, but definitely didn't seem surprised (at least that was my impression at the time based on their responses). We crossed paths a couple more times since then and you didn't recognize us, but still was definitely not friendly. Your behavior at Protec was one of the reasons we chose to stop using Protec (after using them 3-4 times a year for several years before we left). We were recently in Tulum and you happened to come up to say hello to a few instructors we were sitting with having dinner. When you left, we and one of the instructors laughed about the previous incident with you. A couple of the local instructors told us that at some point (I don't remember if it was them or the owners of Protec) they had a conversation with you about your attitude issues (unrelated to my incident) and supposedly they've improved since. There's some other stories some of your peers (who you know well) have told, but they are hearsay and I won't get into anything other than my own story. If you want more information, then go ask Kim or Kelvin. They both know the whole story. I will just say that one of the women you insulted is one of the nicest, most tolerant people I've ever met (Kim and Kelvin know who and will conmcur). I've never seen her say a nasty word or express anger. She still turns red to this day when your name comes up. Again, I highly doubt you remember the incident, as it was probably insignificant in your eyes. Had it been just that incident and then everybody told us "Rob had a bad day"it would be one thing. Unfortunately multiple of your peers were not surprised in the least, and had other stories to share, which tells me at least back then it wasn't a solitary incidient.
Tell Kim or Kelvin Richard D. sent you. You'll hear the whole story over again. Unless I'm mistaken and there's two Rob Bartletts teaching in the Tulum/Playa, but I know there isn't.

 

[Soldado]

I won't go into all of the details here, but no I never took a course from you. Several years back we were regular clients at Protec (Tulum) We came back one morning to get our gear ready and it was all gone. We started going around the office trying to figure out what happened. When I came back 2 of our female divers were talking to you and they were very pissed. You had taken our stuff out of our locker and moved it so your client could have a locker. That part I could care less about. The issue is how you spoke to our female team mates. You were exceptionally rude and derogatory. We literally talk about "that time Rob was an ass-ole to us" and laugh now. But at the time it wasn't funny at all and the way you spoke to them and treated them was much worse than slightly rude. Your way of handling this was probably much worse than you realize, considering 4+ years later we still talk about it. After the incident we had a long talk with Kim and Kelvin (who worked there at the time) and they were pretty appalled as well, but definitely didn't seem surprised. We crossed paths a couple more times since then and you didn't recognize us, but still was definitely not friendly. Your behavior at Protec was one of the reasons we chose to stop using Protec. We were recently in Tulum and you happened to come up to say hello to a few instructors we were sitting with having dinner. When you left, we and one of the instructors laughed about the previous incident with you. A couple of the local instructors told us that at some point (I don't remember if it was them or the owners of Protec) they had a conversation with you about your attitude issues (unrelated to my incident) and supposedly they've improved since. There's some other stories some of your peers (who you know well) have told, but they are hearsay and I won't get into anything other than my own story. If you want more information, then go ask Kim or Kelvin. They both know the whole story. I will just say that one of the women you insulted is one of the nicest, most tolerant people I've ever met (Kim and Kelvin know who and will conmcur). I've never seen her say a nasty word or express anger. She still turns red to this day when your name comes up. Again, I highly doubt you remember the incident, as it was probably insignificant in your eyes. Had it been just that incident and then everybody told us "Rob had a bad day"it would be one thing. Unfortunately multiple of your peers were not surprised in the least, and had other stories to share, which tells me at least back then it wasn't a solitary incidient.
Tell Kim or Kelvin Richard D. sent you. You'll hear the whole story over again. Unless I'm mistaken and there's two Rob Bartletts teaching in the Tulum/Playa, but I know there isn't.

HAHAHA, sorry mate, but its not worth it.I just wanted to hear whatever reasons you decided to bad mouth me thats all. FYI, all I read here was, "I heard this" or "he/she said that" Please don't think I'm being rude here. but no one at any time spoke to me. Both K & K didn't speak to me at all. At the time you should of spoke to me direct, instead of talking behind peoples back with which ever local instructor it was. Far too many people like to talk behind peoples back. If you/they cannot directly talk to someone face to face and discuss the issue. then you shouldn't say anything at all. It is very bad mannered. I am 100% direct and honest, if people do not like that. They shouldn't be so sensitive. Im never rude. just direct. Next time your in Tulum with your instructor friends and would like to "break bread", just let me know. But please cease with the bad mouthing, especially on social media its very childish.
Have a great day, and I please again, I mean no disrespect.

 

[rddvet]

HAHAHA, sorry mate, but its not worth it.I just wanted to hear whatever reasons you decided to bad mouth me thats all. FYI, all I read here was, "I heard this" or "he/she said that" Please don't think I'm being rude here. but no one at any time spoke to me. Both K & K didn't speak to me at all. At the time you should of spoke to me direct, instead of talking behind peoples back with which ever local instructor it was. Far too many people like to talk behind peoples back. If you/they cannot directly talk to someone face to face and discuss the issue. then you shouldn't say anything at all. It is very bad mannered. I am 100% direct and honest, if people do not like that. They shouldn't be so sensitive. Im never rude. just direct. Next time your in Tulum with your instructor friends and would like to "break bread", just let me know. But please cease with the bad mouthing, especially on social media its very childish.
Have a great day, and I please again, I mean no disrespect.

You can swing it and try to read my post however you like. There was no hearsay here. I gave you a direct interaction I was part of (though I walked in on the tail end of what you said to the ladies). I still heard the derision coming from you towards them as well as me when I walked in, and they both told me word for word what you said in the first part that I missed and both of their versions are identical. I also didn't say it was Kim and Kelvin who spoke to you about your behavior. We told them about how you acted that same day. I wasn't told exactly who the instructors were that talked to yoiu about your attitude issues (not stemming from our interaction) I just heard the story. So sure you can claim it's hearsay, but considering the people who told me and the number of coroboraters, I highly doubt it.
I was going to say something to you directly that day, but I was asked not to by my wife and our friends because it wouldn't have gone well. I was very fired up and you were being a prick (even to me when I walked in on the tail end of your comments). So had I said my peace it would not have ended well and they didn't want me to cause a bigger scene since I don't hold my tongue when people are being ass-oles.
I've only told people here that I don't recommend you as there's better options in the area, that don't have a history of a sh-tty attitude. I'm not a pissed off client writing bad reviews all over the internet. I still hold by my opinion and will continue to enlighten people that there are better options in the area if they ask me. Had you responded with something like "hey sorry you felt I treated your friends badly I'd like to apolgize,I had a rough day or my attitude has changed etc. etc. etc." maybe I'd say lets let bygones be bygones. Unfortuntately your response is pretty much on par with what I expected. Next time I'm in Mexico and I see you I will nake sure to introduce myself and we can talk about it further if you like. I'm a forgiving person if someone gives me a reason to forgive them. So far I'm not seeing that, and the fact that on the rare occassion this comes up while I'm in Mexico somebody has a new "rob story" to tell me doesn't help me think I need to reverse course and forgive.
You obviously are trying to flip this to make it look like I'm the one in the wrong, which is fine if you want to believe that. People can take what we both wrote and decide for themselves, since there's always 3 sides to a story. But there are 4 of us that were directly involved in the interaction that walked away feeling exactly the same, and another handful of people (your "friends" mind you) that have shared their similar experiences.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

Ron Bartlett taught me Cave and Cave Stage. He has been a great guy and a great instructor for me. He is tough and thorough as I would expect from an instructor teaching at this level.

 

[NothingClever]

I feel like I’ve been transported in time back to high school.

 

[alphahorn]

I'm very biased, but MIchel is the best. http://www.cenotescuevas.com/portfolio/side-mount-course/
FULL CAVE COURSE – Cenotes & Cuevas