renting air/nitrox tanks in cozumel

[nodakdive]

Don't know when you checked at Casa del Mar, but I stayed there the last two weeks of April and tried to get tanks from Del Mar Aquatics to shore dive. They didn't have enough tanks for at least half of the time we were there because they had over 80 divers staying at the hotel and diving with them. I didn't try to get any tanks later in my trip, but I wound up going down to Scuba Shack and got tanks from them. The two shops are probably about 50 yards apart? I can't remember if I was asked or not asked about where we were going to dive, but we dove right in front of the Scuba Shack shop, and somewhat in front of Casa del Mar. Del Mar Aquatics was very nice in explaining why they didn't have tanks, and Julio and Roberta (Scuba Shack) were very nice about renting tanks to us. (I was taking my friends out for a "get wet" dive as they came into town, and before they went on boat dives, so I was over there on 3 different occasions to rent tanks.) I've rented from Del Mar Aquatics in the past, and they've always been helpful, it's just that they actually didn't have enough tanks due to the large number of divers with them at the time. I can't imagine either shop would have let me take tanks and drive off with them, but I wasn't after that anyway.

For the public record, a big Thanks to Scuba Shack for their help. They rented us the tanks and weights, put the ladder in their entry point for us, watched our stuff while we were under and were all around very friendly and helpful. Roberta also gave me some nice restaurant suggestions. Very nice people at that shop. If you're staying at Casa del Mar, Scuba Shack is also ultra convenient.

-Blair

 

[scubawife]

Those locations that come to mind off the top of my head are:

Coral Princess (Pepe Scuba)
Blue Angel (Blue Angel)
Barracuda (Dive Paradise)
Villa Blanca (Dive Paradise or Papa Hogs)
Casa del Mar - (Del mar/Dive Palancar)
La Ceiba (Babieca)

In December, you could also do a shore dive from Hotel Fontan. If I remember correctly, Scubadu was the shop running a kiosk there. Aquaworld at the Cozumel Palace will also rent tanks for shore dives (and if you're staying at El Cantil, you could return the tank and just get back in the water swim over to your own dock right next door )

We checked out all the options in Dec for prices (didn't dive at all of them), and they ranged from $6-10 for tank and weights. Dive Paradise at the Barracuda will let you dive solo during the daytime. They insist on buddy pairs only for night dives. If the shop isn't going to open in the evening, you can get your tank and weights before they close and then just leave it when you're done. The plane and other stuff that's sunk in front of Jenny's (right next door) where the snuba tours go is a great spot for an easy, long, shallow dive if you want to get in some camera practice. There was plenty of marine life.

Dive Paradise did tell us they try and keep shore diving from Hotel Cozumel for hotel guests and people who are doing boat diving packages with them.

If you want to shore dive and don't have a buddy, call the shop and ask what their policy is before you go. Some will let you out with a marker and ask you to keep within a certain distance of shore, with other's it's a no go, and a couple will let you out if you have even just a snorkeler with you who can be above you on the surface.

I did find that a couple shops aren't too keen to rent you a tank if you aren't diving with them for boat dives, or aren't signing up for a boat dive. They will do it, but they let you know it's usually something they do for their divers, and they will try and get you to book a boat dive.

 

[cicopo]

You've wrote Dive Palancar in the above message but I think you mean Dive Paradise. I stay at Hotel Cozumel regularly & have no problem renting tanks for shore dives done right there even though I don't usually dive with Dive Paradise. Nothing wrong with them as an op but I've just got too many friends at other ops that I enjoy seeing again.

edited to add 2 more people replied before mine hit the page so I mean message # 10

 

[Christi]

mike is correct

---------- Post added May 10th, 2012 at 09:13 PM ----------



all great advice and info. thx
just so everyone understands.......the plan was to dive close to our entry point. not to be drifting or exploring far from where we entered. we wanted to go in once in daylight and get a feel for the location and then hit it at night. we wanted to focus on a small area to really get a look at all the small life that we usually don't have time to watch on boat dives as guides always keep you moving. also wanted to hopefully capture some of those smaller critters etc on film.
we were using dive palancar btw and they suggested the casa del mar site to us. you have them listed as an op that services that location and yet they still would not give us tanks. and this is after we had done several dives with them. odd.
thx for your input. hopefully we will be back to coz and can put some of this info to use.

They would not give you tanks to dive right there in front of Del mar???? Were you trying to rent the tanks from your resort or onsite at Casa del mar? I've never known ANYONE to have trouble renting tanks there if diving right there. That is strange.

 

[Diver Kat]

We've rented tanks from Dive House when we stayed at Fiesta Americana. We were not diving with them, but they had no problem renting to us for shore diving in front of the hotel. I think it was $6 or $7 a tank, weights included.

 

[rick00001967]

They would not give you tanks to dive right there in front of Del mar???? Were you trying to rent the tanks from your resort or onsite at Casa del mar? I've never known ANYONE to have trouble renting tanks there if diving right there. That is strange.

we stayed at sabor and used dive palancar. they suggested casa del mar. dive palancar would not give us tanks at sabor. del mar aquatics were the ones that said they had no tanks. but as an above poster said, maybe they were short tanks with all the divers they had and just wanted to make sure they had enough for their own customers. if that was the case, all they had to do was say that. that would be perfectly understandable.

 

[fred3798]

We rented from ScubaDu for a dive at Presidente. While we stayed within the tame buoy markers, there was nothing stopping us from going further afield (other than fear of boat traffic)

 

[nodakdive]

we stayed at sabor and used dive palancar. they suggested casa del mar. dive palancar would not give us tanks at sabor. del mar aquatics were the ones that said they had no tanks. but as an above poster said, maybe they were short tanks with all the divers they had and just wanted to make sure they had enough for their own customers. if that was the case, all they had to do was say that. that would be perfectly understandable.

I'm remembering a little more now that I've had some time to think. In addition to all the divers, their compressor was down. As I mentioned, I got my tanks from Scuba Shack, so I'm not sure when/if they got their compressor fixed, but that would have thrown another wrench in their works in terms of providing shore tanks to walk-ins.

I can relate to the "....all they had to do was say that..." When I couldn't get a tank the first day, no-one offered a reason right away so I think I said something like, "...Oh? I've gotten tanks here before. You don't rent tanks anymore?", and that's when I got the info about all the divers and a downed compressor.

-Blair

 

[PeterNBiddle]

For the public record, a big Thanks to Scuba Shack for their help. They rented us the tanks and weights, put the ladder in their entry point for us, watched our stuff while we were under and were all around very friendly and helpful. Roberta also gave me some nice restaurant suggestions. Very nice people at that shop. If you're staying at Casa del Mar, Scuba Shack is also ultra convenient.

-Blair

Roberta is good people.