Operator / Certification for 13 yr old?

[mrputtputt]

We plan to spend 1 week Cancun (hotel zone area) in mid-June and another week after that at Playa del Carmen. S.O. and I want to expose kid to diving and he's still 13 but at least can qualified for junior OW. We prefer to get it done in first week vs. 2nd week. Eons ago, my first attempt to get certified at a resort in Cozumel... it was too late in the week that the shop only did the whole resort certification because I was going to be on a flight a day after the final dives. Ok.. safety related but I didn't really fully vet time required between dive and flight time. Just took their word for it and I just did it locally in the US the later that year.

What operator/shop are recommended that can deal with teens? My S.O. got certified with Coconut Divers eons ago but the contact is no longer there (maybe manager or co-owner). Plus we'd like something where it's teen friendly if possible that can communicate to a teenager in digestible way vs. like talking to an older adult.

Recommendations would be great at/near Cancun Hotel Zone! Open to Padi, SSI or Naui if the latter 2 allow certification for teens. Padi has a junior OW version.

 

[tursiops]

I would think that Blue Dive Cancun could do it for you, along with many others. The key is to talk to the instructor and find out what his/her style is. An try and find a place that does neutrally buoyant instruction. Not all do. Note that the PADI, SSI, and NAUI OW course is the same for adults and teens; it is just a different cert card and has different instructor-student ratio requirements. Kids and adults may be in the same class. If this does not appeal to you, consider a private class.

 

[mrputtputt]

ok thanks @tursiops . I also posted in case others have experience since we may not have time going around interviewing / contacting dive operators to see how they and in person.

 

[Landau]

I’d consider doing the theory and pool work at home then just the ocean dives on vacation. Much easier to find an instructor good with kids at home without time constraints.

I’ve only taught a dozen or so of 10-14 year olds, but have found the pool sessions the most important for them and also where the kids and adults didn’t mix as well and a different approach was needed for some of the kids.

In the ocean they mixed fine, especially the 13 year olds and up.

 

[tursiops]

ok thanks @tursiops . I also posted in case others have experience since we may not have time going around interviewing / contacting dive operators to see how they and in person.

You can do some of the research in advance by email....for example asking about neutral buoyancy.

 

[landphil]

Your profile says that you’re in the SF Bay Area. There are lots of great shops from North of SF to Monterey to get the classwork and pool sessions completed. Then you’ll only spend 1-2 days of your vacation doing the open water checkout dives. It’s a super common path among people who don’t want to dive in some weird lake or quarry. If you go this route, it’s probably easiest to do it all with PADI shops.​

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In the spirit of stress-testing our kids, you could also do the entire class local; since Monterey would be your OW dive site. And it certainly isn’t a weird lake or quarry. But it does require a pretty motivated kid. My daughter was 12 when she did her checkouts in 48 degree water. But she’d wanted to dive since she was 8, so definitely wasn’t going to be deterred by a little hypothermia​

 

[tursiops]

Then you’ll only spend 1-2 days of your vacation doing the open water checkout dives.

2 days; can't do more than 3 dives in a day, and need 4 dives. Most commonly done as 2 dives per day for 2 days. Doing the confined water on site adds a day, but usually adds a lot of comfort to the student, since it all fits together nicely. You would still do the "classroom" stuff at home, in advance, as eLearning.

 

[USdiver1]

Jr. divers [ages 12 - 14] have a maximum depth limit of 60 ft [18 mtrs], those ages 10 -11 have a maximum depth limit of 40 ft [12 mtrs]. These limits are set due to physiological concerns of growing bodies [bones]. Enjoy Coz.

 

[mrputtputt]

@landphil @Landau I certified in Monterey. i would prefer the same route and he learns in a more challenging situation but it was too late plus he still is in school. we're leaving not long after he graduates. just a little slow decision making at home with his parents, unfortunately. great idea on pool though i never came across nor searched for private instruction. he already swim and has been in the water at 7 mos old though stopping him for about 9mos - 1 year since there's not much a 1-2 yr old is learning, he was crying all over the place until we got him interested in the water again with some trepidation at a vacation one time. then straight to the pool lessons again while accustomed.

@tursiops thanks for tips on email and maybe call. i wasn't sure how effective since can't see facial and body movements and easy to just say what they think we want to hear (or read). nonetheless we're on our way. i'll have to just figure it out once we get there pronto. maybe just go up / down the hotel zone blvd talking to the shops and hopefully a class is available while we're there in 1 week. hate to have to bus over from play del carmen back to cancun to finish his dives.

appreciate all the feedback!