Reg Braithwaite
Contributor
After a few years off, I decided to get back into it with my third trip to CZM. I decided to keep things simple, so I resolved that there would be no lessons, no drills, no checklist of dives I wanted to do, just a week of tagging along with the attitude "I go where the group goes."
There was one complication. A friend asked to join me for the vacation and expressed an interest in getting certified. Well, going along with things was the goal, so I said "Sure, and we'll dive together when you graduate." We got a cheap all-inclusive package to the Iberostar and off we went.
Regular readers will know that the Iberostar has some kind of policy about dive boats and their pier, so if you want to dive with someone like Aldora, you have to wade out to their boat across uneven coral, dragging your bindle in a dry bag. I did want to do some diving with Aldora, and indeed I did a lot of wading.
I consider it a first-world problem to wade out to the dive boat, but if that is not your cup of tea, make sure you stay with a resort that is compatible with your chosen dive operation. If you do stay at Iberostar and don't mind wading, pack a good pair of water shoes or rock boots. I would not care to try it in bare feet.
We arrived late Friday night, and it seemed complicated to get out with Aldora right away, so I went out with the Iberostar's on-site shop, Dressel. Meanwhile, my friend signed up for what was promised to be one day of study and then two consecutive days of confined and open water diving to get certified.
I had three nice AL80 dives that Saturday. Dressel's boat crew and DMs seemed competent. One nice thing about Dressel was their Nitrox pricing, it was no extra charge. That matters.
I use DIN, and they do not supply DIN tanks, they require you to use an adaptor. Not the worst problem in the world, you just have to remember to bring one of your own or borrow one of theirs. They want it back after every dive, and that feels like a potential point of failure if you forget to ask for it again. If I dive with Dressel again, I'll bring a K-valve set of regs, or pack my own adaptor.
I sorted things out with Aldora and had two morning dives on Sunday, and two more on Monday. Aldora use DIN tanks that convert to K with an insert, so if you say "DIN," they whip out an allen key and presto, the tank mates with your regs securely. CZM regulars are probably aware that Aldora also use steel tanks (they default to 100s for women and 120s for men), and you get much longer bottom times. I'm a severe air hawg, so I like that.
Meanwhile at Dressel, my friend was not enjoying the same relaxed competency I'd experienced on my one boat day with them. I am not privy to all the details, but despite her completing the coursework and watching the videos, Dressel were not able to perform the OW training on schedule, not even close. Although they quoted three full days, it actually took four and a half.
So on Sunday afternoon, I expected to join her for the first OW dives, but they didn't happen until Monday afternoon. I joined the boat but didn't dive, I trusted the instructor who suggested that students can be anxious doing their first OW dives and thinking about their buddy in the water. That doesn't seem commonplace, but I had no problem just being along on the boat to offer support and congratulations, and she was comfortable with that, so why argue?
I took Tuesday morning off and we went out on Tuesday afternoon for her third and fourth OW certification dives. This instructor was fine with me diving, but asked that my friend buddy with another student. So we got to do some "same ocean, same time" dives
Wednesday morning Dressel was still futzing about with tests and a confined water exercise they hadn't completed. Come 2:30 in the afternoon of what was now the fifth day of OW certification, they were scrambling to mark some tests and sent her back to do some quiz they'd forgotten to administer... On the dock as we're carrying our gear to the boat for her first dive as a certified OW diver.
My friend was frazzled at this point, and we did not end up doing a dive. Instead, we agreed to go out the next afternoon. To make sure I was back in time, I did just one tank with Aldora on Thursday morning, and come 1pm my friend and I were ready and raring to go.
We had a great dive. I've eschewed the dive descriptions so far, but I can't let this one go. About 40 minutes into the dive, the lights went out. My friend's air was getting low, and the DM was gathering everyone together any ways, so I confirmed with the DM that I would blow my own SMB, and we did some minimal deco together.
On the surface, it was obvious where the light had gone, there were driving seas, and the rain was coming down in torrents. I placed my friend's hand on my gear and she hung on. I made sure the SMB was sticking up as much as possible, and scanned for the boat. The captain spotted us, and we managed to board the boat without getting brained by the seas trying to drive us into the stern.
They picked everyone else up and raced back to the pier, with a half-dozen other dive boats making maximum speed. Apparently the harbour had been closed, and the 2:30 dive was canceled. We had to fly back on Friday, so that was our last dive.
All in all...
Aldora were great. It was my second time diving with them, it won't be my last. Dressel were fine as far as the actual boat was concerned. We're not happy with how the certification went. Iberostar? I don't consider wading out to dive with Aldora a major inconvenience, but I might be singing a different tune if I had to wade back to shore in a sudden storm. I doubt I'll stay there again unless I want to dive exclusively with Dressel.
There was one complication. A friend asked to join me for the vacation and expressed an interest in getting certified. Well, going along with things was the goal, so I said "Sure, and we'll dive together when you graduate." We got a cheap all-inclusive package to the Iberostar and off we went.
Regular readers will know that the Iberostar has some kind of policy about dive boats and their pier, so if you want to dive with someone like Aldora, you have to wade out to their boat across uneven coral, dragging your bindle in a dry bag. I did want to do some diving with Aldora, and indeed I did a lot of wading.
I consider it a first-world problem to wade out to the dive boat, but if that is not your cup of tea, make sure you stay with a resort that is compatible with your chosen dive operation. If you do stay at Iberostar and don't mind wading, pack a good pair of water shoes or rock boots. I would not care to try it in bare feet.
We arrived late Friday night, and it seemed complicated to get out with Aldora right away, so I went out with the Iberostar's on-site shop, Dressel. Meanwhile, my friend signed up for what was promised to be one day of study and then two consecutive days of confined and open water diving to get certified.
I had three nice AL80 dives that Saturday. Dressel's boat crew and DMs seemed competent. One nice thing about Dressel was their Nitrox pricing, it was no extra charge. That matters.
I use DIN, and they do not supply DIN tanks, they require you to use an adaptor. Not the worst problem in the world, you just have to remember to bring one of your own or borrow one of theirs. They want it back after every dive, and that feels like a potential point of failure if you forget to ask for it again. If I dive with Dressel again, I'll bring a K-valve set of regs, or pack my own adaptor.
I sorted things out with Aldora and had two morning dives on Sunday, and two more on Monday. Aldora use DIN tanks that convert to K with an insert, so if you say "DIN," they whip out an allen key and presto, the tank mates with your regs securely. CZM regulars are probably aware that Aldora also use steel tanks (they default to 100s for women and 120s for men), and you get much longer bottom times. I'm a severe air hawg, so I like that.
Meanwhile at Dressel, my friend was not enjoying the same relaxed competency I'd experienced on my one boat day with them. I am not privy to all the details, but despite her completing the coursework and watching the videos, Dressel were not able to perform the OW training on schedule, not even close. Although they quoted three full days, it actually took four and a half.
So on Sunday afternoon, I expected to join her for the first OW dives, but they didn't happen until Monday afternoon. I joined the boat but didn't dive, I trusted the instructor who suggested that students can be anxious doing their first OW dives and thinking about their buddy in the water. That doesn't seem commonplace, but I had no problem just being along on the boat to offer support and congratulations, and she was comfortable with that, so why argue?
I took Tuesday morning off and we went out on Tuesday afternoon for her third and fourth OW certification dives. This instructor was fine with me diving, but asked that my friend buddy with another student. So we got to do some "same ocean, same time" dives
Wednesday morning Dressel was still futzing about with tests and a confined water exercise they hadn't completed. Come 2:30 in the afternoon of what was now the fifth day of OW certification, they were scrambling to mark some tests and sent her back to do some quiz they'd forgotten to administer... On the dock as we're carrying our gear to the boat for her first dive as a certified OW diver.
My friend was frazzled at this point, and we did not end up doing a dive. Instead, we agreed to go out the next afternoon. To make sure I was back in time, I did just one tank with Aldora on Thursday morning, and come 1pm my friend and I were ready and raring to go.
We had a great dive. I've eschewed the dive descriptions so far, but I can't let this one go. About 40 minutes into the dive, the lights went out. My friend's air was getting low, and the DM was gathering everyone together any ways, so I confirmed with the DM that I would blow my own SMB, and we did some minimal deco together.
On the surface, it was obvious where the light had gone, there were driving seas, and the rain was coming down in torrents. I placed my friend's hand on my gear and she hung on. I made sure the SMB was sticking up as much as possible, and scanned for the boat. The captain spotted us, and we managed to board the boat without getting brained by the seas trying to drive us into the stern.
They picked everyone else up and raced back to the pier, with a half-dozen other dive boats making maximum speed. Apparently the harbour had been closed, and the 2:30 dive was canceled. We had to fly back on Friday, so that was our last dive.
All in all...
Aldora were great. It was my second time diving with them, it won't be my last. Dressel were fine as far as the actual boat was concerned. We're not happy with how the certification went. Iberostar? I don't consider wading out to dive with Aldora a major inconvenience, but I might be singing a different tune if I had to wade back to shore in a sudden storm. I doubt I'll stay there again unless I want to dive exclusively with Dressel.
