PADI Drift Diver Course, private guide, neither, or both?

[DougieG]

Hello all,

From my previous posts you may know my 15 year old daughter and I are going diving in Cozumel in April,. We are both PADI Advanced Open Water certified and have done about 50 dives each, but no drift dives.

We are excited to try drift diving in Cozumel, but I am a little nervous, given we are relatively new to diving. I was considering doing the PADI drift diving course and/or getting a private guide while we are in Cozumel. I know this may not be necessary, but want to get everyone's opinion if these would be reasonable things to consider. Thanks for the free advice!

DougieG

 

[ReefHound]

Forget the course, do get the DM guide. Drift diving has only a few but important specific aspects to it. Your private DM should be able to cover these in your pre-dive talk and in-water guidance. I believe that you will end up with about the same skills from a couple of days diving with a private DM as a couple of days taking a course, sans the "card". Unless you're into card collecting, in which case take the course down there. (Your DM may very well be an instructor.)

 

[DjDiverDan]

Personally, I LOVE drift diving in Cozumel. It is the easiest, most relaxing, least physically exerting diving you’ll ever do. AND since I’m following a DM for the whole dive, and the boat is going to pick me up when I surface, I don’t have to worry about my compass or dive navigation (I do practice those skills on shore dives, however). That having been said, there are some simple yet important rules of drift diving to follow: (1) DON’T fight the current, it is your friend, it’s doing all the hard work for you. And everyone in your dive group is going that way anyway, so what’s the problem with just floating with the current? (2) DON’T get out ahead of your DM. He may stop off from time to time, lead the group through a swim-through, hide behind a coral head to show the group something interesting. If you have to swim back against the current to return to the group, you’ll use up a lot of energy, AND a lot of air to do so. (3) DON’T helicopter above the group, thinking that if you keep to a shallower depth you’ll preserve air. Currents can vary in speed by depth, being just 15-20 feet above the group you can find yourself swept right past the group, violating rule (2) above. (4) There are a number of ways to minimize the effect of the current or get out of it entirely. Learn good buoyancy control and good trim, get absolutely horizontal to present the smallest cross-section to the current. With really good trim, you can hover nearly motionless in Cozumel’s generally gentle currents with little effort. Currents generally move slower very close to the bottom, so if you are in a shallow dive site, you can minimize the current by getting very close to the bottom (but be CAREFUL not to reach out and touch anything that can hurt you, like coral, a fire worm, or a scorpion fish!); if there is a nice clean sandy spot on the bottom, you can stick just a finger or two into the sand to anchor yourself. Also, there are generally coral heads that you can duck behind to get out of the current all together. Follow these rules and then just relax; let the current do the heavy lifting and just follow the DM - easy!

I really don’t think that you need a PADI Course to teach you the ins and outs of drift diving. A private DM for one day might not be a bad idea if you think you need a security blanket for an unfamiliar dive experience.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Myself, my wife, and our two daughters' very first openwater dives were drift dives in Cozumel. You will be fine. Pick an op with 6 pack boats, let your DM (and you op) know that these are your first Cozumel dives and stay reasonably close to him/her. Being new to Cozumel, the DM will not drop you in to conditions that are beyond your level.

Dial your buoyancy in and enjoy the ride!! Get the card if you want....a private DM would not be a bad idea...but certainly not necessary.

Safe travels,
Jay

 

[DiverN2H2O]

My very first dive in Cozumel 24 years ago I was feeling the same.
The DM Miguel (can’t remember last name)
gave the one most important tip I’ve ever heard.
“ do what the fishes do”

You’ll enjoy Cozumel, get out and see the island after your dives!

 

[DjDiverDan]

My very first dive in Cozumel 24 years ago I was feeling the same.
The DM Miguel (can’t remember last name)
gave the one most important tip I’ve ever heard.
“ do what the fishes do”

You’ll enjoy Cozumel, get out and see the island after your dives!

Was it by any chance Miguel Estrella - this guy? One of my very favorite DMs and a great guy!

 

[Bob DBF]

If it was an either dive guide or cert, I'd check the price difference. If it wasn't much I'd do the class. In either case it shows your daughter that getting help in a new diving situation is a good idea.



Bob

 

[tursiops]

be CAREFUL not to reach out and touch anything that can hurt you

...or that YOU can hurt

 

[DjDiverDan]

...or that YOU can hurt

YES! I really should have thought of that.

 

[ReefHound]

If it was an either dive guide or cert, I'd check the price difference. If it wasn't much I'd do the class. In either case it shows your daughter that getting help in a new diving situation is a good idea.

Bob

My bet is that by the time you add in book and card fees required by PADI, the course is going to run around $200. Per person. A private DM will run about $50.