November in Cozumel - where to stay?

[MMM]

I am going to disagree with you slightly waynel. While I can "make do" with a less than stellar dive guide trying to make my own "finds" I TREASURE a guide who goes out of his way to find me unusual things I might not spot on my own. Maybe it's my aging eyes... I'm a bit of a princess so for me it's the total experience...putting me in my favourite spot on the boat, someone handing me a towel as I get back on the boat, and then a jacket. Helping me get my wetsuit off. Treats on the boat. Fun and laughter and camaraderie. Someone passing me my camera etc. etc. Like I said. Princess.

 

[DandyDon]

It comes down to first things first. First, you need to pick a dive op.

Well, sorta true, waynel - but not completely. If you have your heart set on one, then yes - but there are top rated ops available wherever you decide. Alison's big, comfy boat is too costly to run up and down the island picking up, and she often fills up as she's still only allowed 8 customers - unless she wanted to have 2 DMs for 10 customers I think it is, so she has many loyal customers who will do whatever it takes to get to the marina. I travel alone and don't like spending big, so I go with others - depending.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Waynel, if you are going to be diving with Dive with Martin this week, tell Miguel Estrella that I said Hi. Like you, I like Dive with Martin, but primarily because of the Dive Master - Miguel is great for a relaxing dive while showing you things that you might easily miss, I've been diving for 25 years now, with several hundred dives, and though I can occasionally find a Splendid Toadfish on my own now, I'm going to miss more than I find, and a really good DM can add a lot to a dive. Indeed, if it weren't for the DM, I'd put a lot more weight on other factors. I love HP Steel tanks, and the Steel 120s provided by Aldora mean lots longer bottom times and better buoyancy characteristics - with a Steel 120, I can use 6 lbs less lead. And while DWM will provide an AL100 (for an extra charge), its just not the same, as the Aluminum tank still goes positively buoyant at 500 psi, meaning I need to take extra weight with me.. And if I want Nitrox for my second dive because of the extra safety factor, with DWM, Nitrox is only available in AL 80s, while with Aldora I can get it in any size tank I want. And I really like the long SI at a beach club offered by Aldora - long SI means longer and safer second dive. So while I like DWM, and I really enjoy diving with Miguel, if I have a choice, I'll spend more and dive Aldora.

 

[WaterDance]

Thank you everyone for such detailed information! I currently have emails out to Blue Angel (a strong leader at this point), Aldora, and Tres Pelicanos. I appreciate you all sharing your passion for such a great island.

 

[waynel]

Well, sorta true, waynel - but not completely. If you have your heart set on one, then yes - but there are top rated ops available wherever you decide. Alison's big, comfy boat is too costly to run up and down the island picking up, and she often fills up as she's still only allowed 8 customers - unless she wanted to have 2 DMs for 10 customers I think it is, so she has many loyal customers who will do whatever it takes to get to the marina. I travel alone and don't like spending big, so I go with others - depending.

Well, this is my first year traveling alone....come dive with me! I need a dive buddy.

---------- Post added May 25th, 2015 at 01:47 PM ----------

Absolutely MMM, like I said in my post, if the guide is important to you, then factor that in. My wife loved the "princess" treatment as well. Ya'll deserve it!

 

[gopbroek]

Thank you everyone for such detailed information! I currently have emails out to Blue Angel (a strong leader at this point), Aldora, and Tres Pelicanos. I appreciate you all sharing your passion for such a great island.

WaterDance if you do go with 3P during the first half of November I hope to see you there, I bid my vacation for that period each year (plus Greto Delores and early December) and during that period we normally have a really great group of 'repeat offender's'. The last couple years during this period the diving has been awesome. Overall the island is just spooling up for the 'high' season but the pace is still relaxed.

You mentioned the idea of being allowed to dive you computer, I just got a new dive computer because the last one was acting up after 18 months. I recorded the history before I sent it in and this evening I went ahead and did the basic math. Other than a small set of 'group time limited' dives during SB's Roatan invasion last year the rest were on 3P. Over 238 dives on that computer, 220 were on 3P, the average bottom time was 71 minutes. 3P really does allow me to dive my tank (AL 80) dive after dive without watching the clock and these are not 'bunny' dives.

 

[DandyDon]

Well, this is my first year traveling alone....come dive with me! I need a dive buddy.

I arrive Wednesday.

 

[Okie Mike]

(Edit: I've been told Servando isn't with TP anymore.

Where did Servando go?

 

[jonhall]

In the event you find yourself staying toward the north end of the island, as I did a few years ago in November, without a rental car, I could find only one dive shop that provided transportation (taxi) to get me somewhere to dive. That was ProDive. All others I contacted said I would have to get my own transportation to a pier. It was nice that ProDive took care of that. They gave us an envelope with cash for trip there and back.

Also ProDive has their own pier at the Occidental Allegro Resort toward the south end of the island. There is a nice beach there also if any non-divers into that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Skittl1321]

Where did Servando go?

Sounds like he might be freelancing.