Overwhelmed by dive operators in Cozumel

[JustinLoos1985]

Hello,

My brother and I are scuba diving in Cozumel, Mexico for the first time. We are staying at the Occidental Cozumel resort in mid April. We are currently doing our advanced dive planning and there is such a vast amount of dive companies. It has become overwhelming.

Our tentative plan is to dive 5 days (2 tank dives each day). We specifically are interested in reef dives as my brother is a wildlife photographer. Here is a link to his Instagram if your curious: Jeffrey A. Loos (@jloosphoto) • Instagram photos and videos

Any advice or suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.

 

[flyboy08]

For ease, use ProDive on site! Free Nitrox...$34/ Dive! Only issue is afternoon dives, you miss the beachside lunch buffet usually

Lots of great operators on the island and doing a search will lead you to many similar threads on this very topic.

 

[ReefHound]

Everyone does reef dives. There are pros and cons to onsite operators versus outside ops. You will have enjoyable dives with any of them. Main difference is larger boats larger groups versus smaller boats smaller groups. My advice is to just pick one and not focus on trying to pick the absolute "best" according to some kind of deep analysis. As you see, that can be overwhelming. Read some threads here and some of the most popular names will start to stick in your mind. Then go eeny-meeny-miney-mo...

 

[uncfnp]

Consider this too...

Occidental Pier Fee

And this might also have some useful info for you...

Best dive operators for still photography?

If he is very serious about his photography and since you are Coz newbies I recommend hiring a private DM no matter the operator.

 

[mcohen1021]

Hello,

My brother and I are scuba diving in Cozumel, Mexico for the first time. We are staying at the Occidental Cozumel resort in mid April. ...

there is such a vast amount of dive companies. It has become overwhelming.

Our tentative plan is to dive 5 days (2 tank dives each day).

Go with a private divemaster, your experience will be amazingly better, I will not use a commercial op in CZ again.

 

[JulieM]

Simone at Careyitos Divers is a professional photographer and leads dives daily. You will not find a better dive operation in Cozumel. They let you dive your tank so no surfacing when the first person is low on air. Check their reports on TripAdvisor. They are accurate. You will learn a lot about photography from Simone,

 

[drrich2]

Does your brother just like snap-shooting wildlife, or is he a 'real' photographer in the sense of having knowledge and skill to competently compose shots, takes time, maybe brings a SLR camera in a big house, etc...? I ask because if so, a smaller boat and maybe even private guide might appeal. Not an issue if you guys just want to do snap shots.

How many dives/day do you want to do?

How 'bad' on air consumption are you? Would big 120-cf steel tanks be highly appealing? If so, that'd narrow the options way down.

Richard.

 

[JustinLoos1985]

Does your brother just like snap-shooting wildlife, or is he a 'real' photographer in the sense of having knowledge and skill to competently compose shots, takes time, maybe brings a SLR camera in a big house, etc...? I ask because if so, a smaller boat and maybe even private guide might appeal. Not an issue if you guys just want to do snap shots.

How many dives/day do you want to do?

How 'bad' on air consumption are you? Would big 120-cf steel tanks be highly appealing? If so, that'd narrow the options way down.

Richard.

He uses a Canon Powershot G9X Mark II + Fantasea FG9X housing + Sea & Sea YS-03 strobe. We would probably prefer a smaller boat, we are tentatively planning on 10-12 dives during our trip in April 2019. As far as air consumption we generally ascend because our dive time limit by the DM expires, not because of low PSI.

 

[drrich2]

If you want 2 dives/day, and tend to last till the guide calls time, I wonder if perhaps the longer dive times averaged (from what I've read) diving with Aldora would suit you well?

On my Cozumel trip, I chose Tres Pelicanos and did 4 dives/day, probably not quite a long per dive but more dives may've meant hitting more sites. Someone wanting 2 dives/day, but a lot of dive time, perhaps a 120-cf steel tank providing operator would be the ticket. Living Underwater, Aldora & at least one other dive op. offer those.

Richard.

 

[deepsea21]

I personally dive with Tres Pelicanos and I beat the 3P's drum here but if you are staying at a southern AI (the Occidental that is way south), contact Dive With Martin without a doubt. DWM's furthest south pickup point is the Iberostar that is just south of you so you get the luxury of a little more breakfast time. DWM is a top quality dive op and if you aren't bringing your own dive gear with you DWM offers FREE gear with your dives. A friend of mine (who for one reason or another likes staying at the distant AI's south of town which I do not) has been diving with DWM for 2 decades. Contact DWM and your email will be responded to by Paddi Davies in no time. Ask her anything and everything as you are looking for UW photo dives... she'll respond and address all questions/concerns.

Isn't Pro Dive the house dive op for the Occidental? YUCK! I say DWM will blow them away for what you are looking for but, as always, this is just my personal opinion.

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