I recently went to Tulum and met up with Third Dimension Diving for a MOD1-level certification on a backmount Fathom unit. There aren't many reviews of 3D here on Scubaboard, so I wanted to offer my thoughts on the experience.
First of all, the travel: the hardest part of getting there was the packing, which turned out to not be bad at all. I had previously purchased a used Fathom and managed to fit it and the various spares, regulators, MAVs, analyzer, etc. in a normal, hardside spinner. The only CCR-related thing that didn't fit was the backplate and wing, which I put in another spinner along with my drysuit/boots, lights, spools, and slippers, and checked it. To complicate things, I was also tacking on a couple days of OC cave diving at the end. The other stuff like masks, fins, primary reel, sidemount rig, undergarments, tools, non-diving shorts/shirts/underwear, etc. went in a larger checked suitcase. Chargers, batteries, OC computers, and OC regs (SM, stage, deco, inflation, and a spare) went in a carry-on backpack. So fully-loaded, it was two checked bags, the CCR spinner in the overhead, and the backpack by my feet. No issues with the Denver TSA, MX customs, or Cancun baggage claim. The Cancun airport had free luggage carts available everywhere, so I loaded up and went out to find my ride.
I had previously arranged transport online from CUN to Tulum with Caribe Shuttle ($88 each way for a private ride). When I connected to mobile data upon arrival in CUN, I had a WhatsApp message waiting for me from their coordinator giving details of the driver and location. Very seamless pickup, and off we went. The driver Luis was friendly, helpful, and spoke English. I'm not fluent in Spanish, but I know a bit. So we chatted about numerous topics on the 90 minute drive as I tried to resurrect my vocabulary. Fast forward to the return trip home, my driver was punctual and spoke English plenty well enough for anyone to understand. Zero issues with CUN check-in or security, though I did take advantage of one of the porters. He made the check-in an absolute breeze, and I will ALWAYS choose that route in the future.
3D facilitated the lodging arrangements in a one-bedroom apartment essentially next door to their shop. They had the key waiting for me, and Ivo (one of their instructors) helped me get the bags into the room. Very clean, and the welcome benefit was a ceiling fan in the living room that managed to dry all the undergarments each night without issue. There was a small refrigerator, stove, glasses/plates/etc., but I just ate breakfasts & dinners at one of the nearby restaurants. Within a 3 minute walk were several excellent ones: Loncheria Leo (very inexpensive, usually open at 7 am), Taqueria Maya (always open at 7 am), Mil Amores (which had a bar), and Don Tomas (breakfasts were fantastic). I grabbed a sandwich and Poweraid drinks from the OXXO (like a 7-11 convenience store) each morning for lunch. Just one Bohemia Oscura was the call most nights as I didn't want to overdo it. The final night, though, I did have a couple mezcal mojitos at Mil Amores -- highly recommended.
The CCR instruction was handled primarily by Giovanni (Gio) with Kelvin Davidson (El Jefe) weighing in on some of the more esoteric questions. (For example, how does one calibrate a HUD when diving at altitude since it assumes a PO2 of 1.0?) They also generously loaned me a Fathom head when my Nerd battery was DOA and I couldn't find the charger. (Mine is wired for a Nerd and a handset.) I distinctly remember putting the charger in a "safe" place weeks before the trip. Of course, I found it after returning home and ordering a replacement. Yea, a spare.
In hindsight, I think it was actually a good thing, as I was exposed to a HUD, which I found... comforting. My OC background: hypoxic trimix and stage cave. I went with the "heavy" configuration for this class with manifolded AL40s on either side of the canister (backmounted) so I have a "boat" rig in the short term. At some point, I'll pursue Cave CCR , but I'm in no rush for that.
Gio is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese (hailing from Brazil), with all the instruction in English. (He was kind enough to also give me a few Spanish tips during some of the longer drives to the dive sites.) If I could sum up Gio in one word, it would be "patient". Believe me, I tested him... including forgetting the box of gear and my drysuit at the shop. He even turned it into a teaching moment by pointing out how easily things can go wrong when our normal routine is interrupted. I drafted a new acronym to be evaluated before leaving the shop each morning: DUMB (Drysuit, Underlayers, Meshbag (with lunch and batteries I was charging each night), and the Box (large milkcrate with everything I wasn't trying to dry like masks, fins, boots, DSMB, etc.). In the water, he was an excellent example of the precision and control that you want in an instructor. He was also good at the non-verbal feedback: for instance, if we were at a simulated deco stop but I had drifted 2 ft lower before I gave the "ascend to next stop" signal, he simply didn't respond until I put myself where I was supposed to be. He did a great job at letting me work things out (including one valve drill where I closed the left Lola manifold a second time instead of the left post, so the regulator purge that didn't stop was a bit of a surprise).
Although I was pursuing this CCR certification through IANTD (CCR-Adv. Rec. Trimix), 3D is also a GUE shop, and their teaching is certainly influenced by that across the board. This was my first exposure to a bonafide GUE instructor, and I was a bit unsure what to expect regarding the formality / rumored inflexibility that one occasionally reads about online. My dive planning in the past, for example, was typically someone in the team spearheading the planning and coming up with something feasible in advance (gas constraints, etc.). Then discussing it together the morning of, after seeing where the gas analysis had landed and discussion as to the purpose/mission of the dive, often adjusting things slightly to reflect increased individual desired margins or something cool to see that wasn't in the original draft plan. After confirming the revised plan works with gas constraints, a thorough in-water bubble check of everyone and long-hose display before descent, then off we'd go when everyone gave the descent sign. (Typically a walk-in entry rather than a boat.) I rather liked the additional "process" that 3D imposed, where in addition to the group discussion I'd always done, things were summarized in the GUE-EDGE fashion immediately before descent. We did "PTE-EDGE", but it was the same: brief recap of the Plan, Team assignments, Equipment inventory, Exposure (depth/time limitations), Deco, Gas strategy, Environmental concerns. Being a class, I especially appreciated the last minute recap of the intended drills (the "Plan"). They did insist on a hard Goodman handle on the left hand. (History time: I use a cordless light and previously found the hard Goodman to be a bit floppy. I eventually migrated to a soft glove which effectively mandated placement on the right hand due to frequent buoyancy control with the left. I was well versed at the presentation of the reg during an air share without blinding my partner as well as a "piston" movement when using a reel to avoid freaking out everyone in the cave with a flashing light. In other words, no issues.) However, Gio had some tips to make the hard handle significantly more secure (mainly the use of a fingerless glove), so back to the left hand the light went with the right doing all the gas additions (wing/suit/dil/o2). In truth, it was going to happen anyway if I ever started using a DPV; it'll stay on the left moving forward since the primary issue (floppy grip) is solved. As for gases, I've always gravitated toward using standard mixes, but going through the "theory" discussion (on Day 1), I gained some additional insight into why they are what they are and various advantages thereof. (It's not just because they're easy to mix and have a nice MOD spacing.) As you might guess, there was also a large emphasis on team communication and awareness. Letting the eyes/head drop, for example, while doing valve drills was a no-go, even if you hold depth and are decently quick at it. What I hadn't fully realized (or at least forgotten) was that the various valve drills, dil flushes, positioning, etc. are actually easier to do when looking at the team or spool or whatever reference -- it was a good reminder. Ultimately, I found the GUE influence to be positive with very clear rationale given for the various choices made. It was most definitely NOT a "'because I say so" or "because that's how we do it" situation, which I greatly appreciated.
<continued below>
First of all, the travel: the hardest part of getting there was the packing, which turned out to not be bad at all. I had previously purchased a used Fathom and managed to fit it and the various spares, regulators, MAVs, analyzer, etc. in a normal, hardside spinner. The only CCR-related thing that didn't fit was the backplate and wing, which I put in another spinner along with my drysuit/boots, lights, spools, and slippers, and checked it. To complicate things, I was also tacking on a couple days of OC cave diving at the end. The other stuff like masks, fins, primary reel, sidemount rig, undergarments, tools, non-diving shorts/shirts/underwear, etc. went in a larger checked suitcase. Chargers, batteries, OC computers, and OC regs (SM, stage, deco, inflation, and a spare) went in a carry-on backpack. So fully-loaded, it was two checked bags, the CCR spinner in the overhead, and the backpack by my feet. No issues with the Denver TSA, MX customs, or Cancun baggage claim. The Cancun airport had free luggage carts available everywhere, so I loaded up and went out to find my ride.
I had previously arranged transport online from CUN to Tulum with Caribe Shuttle ($88 each way for a private ride). When I connected to mobile data upon arrival in CUN, I had a WhatsApp message waiting for me from their coordinator giving details of the driver and location. Very seamless pickup, and off we went. The driver Luis was friendly, helpful, and spoke English. I'm not fluent in Spanish, but I know a bit. So we chatted about numerous topics on the 90 minute drive as I tried to resurrect my vocabulary. Fast forward to the return trip home, my driver was punctual and spoke English plenty well enough for anyone to understand. Zero issues with CUN check-in or security, though I did take advantage of one of the porters. He made the check-in an absolute breeze, and I will ALWAYS choose that route in the future.
3D facilitated the lodging arrangements in a one-bedroom apartment essentially next door to their shop. They had the key waiting for me, and Ivo (one of their instructors) helped me get the bags into the room. Very clean, and the welcome benefit was a ceiling fan in the living room that managed to dry all the undergarments each night without issue. There was a small refrigerator, stove, glasses/plates/etc., but I just ate breakfasts & dinners at one of the nearby restaurants. Within a 3 minute walk were several excellent ones: Loncheria Leo (very inexpensive, usually open at 7 am), Taqueria Maya (always open at 7 am), Mil Amores (which had a bar), and Don Tomas (breakfasts were fantastic). I grabbed a sandwich and Poweraid drinks from the OXXO (like a 7-11 convenience store) each morning for lunch. Just one Bohemia Oscura was the call most nights as I didn't want to overdo it. The final night, though, I did have a couple mezcal mojitos at Mil Amores -- highly recommended.
The CCR instruction was handled primarily by Giovanni (Gio) with Kelvin Davidson (El Jefe) weighing in on some of the more esoteric questions. (For example, how does one calibrate a HUD when diving at altitude since it assumes a PO2 of 1.0?) They also generously loaned me a Fathom head when my Nerd battery was DOA and I couldn't find the charger. (Mine is wired for a Nerd and a handset.) I distinctly remember putting the charger in a "safe" place weeks before the trip. Of course, I found it after returning home and ordering a replacement. Yea, a spare.
In hindsight, I think it was actually a good thing, as I was exposed to a HUD, which I found... comforting. My OC background: hypoxic trimix and stage cave. I went with the "heavy" configuration for this class with manifolded AL40s on either side of the canister (backmounted) so I have a "boat" rig in the short term. At some point, I'll pursue Cave CCR , but I'm in no rush for that.Gio is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese (hailing from Brazil), with all the instruction in English. (He was kind enough to also give me a few Spanish tips during some of the longer drives to the dive sites.) If I could sum up Gio in one word, it would be "patient". Believe me, I tested him... including forgetting the box of gear and my drysuit at the shop. He even turned it into a teaching moment by pointing out how easily things can go wrong when our normal routine is interrupted. I drafted a new acronym to be evaluated before leaving the shop each morning: DUMB (Drysuit, Underlayers, Meshbag (with lunch and batteries I was charging each night), and the Box (large milkcrate with everything I wasn't trying to dry like masks, fins, boots, DSMB, etc.). In the water, he was an excellent example of the precision and control that you want in an instructor. He was also good at the non-verbal feedback: for instance, if we were at a simulated deco stop but I had drifted 2 ft lower before I gave the "ascend to next stop" signal, he simply didn't respond until I put myself where I was supposed to be. He did a great job at letting me work things out (including one valve drill where I closed the left Lola manifold a second time instead of the left post, so the regulator purge that didn't stop was a bit of a surprise).
Although I was pursuing this CCR certification through IANTD (CCR-Adv. Rec. Trimix), 3D is also a GUE shop, and their teaching is certainly influenced by that across the board. This was my first exposure to a bonafide GUE instructor, and I was a bit unsure what to expect regarding the formality / rumored inflexibility that one occasionally reads about online. My dive planning in the past, for example, was typically someone in the team spearheading the planning and coming up with something feasible in advance (gas constraints, etc.). Then discussing it together the morning of, after seeing where the gas analysis had landed and discussion as to the purpose/mission of the dive, often adjusting things slightly to reflect increased individual desired margins or something cool to see that wasn't in the original draft plan. After confirming the revised plan works with gas constraints, a thorough in-water bubble check of everyone and long-hose display before descent, then off we'd go when everyone gave the descent sign. (Typically a walk-in entry rather than a boat.) I rather liked the additional "process" that 3D imposed, where in addition to the group discussion I'd always done, things were summarized in the GUE-EDGE fashion immediately before descent. We did "PTE-EDGE", but it was the same: brief recap of the Plan, Team assignments, Equipment inventory, Exposure (depth/time limitations), Deco, Gas strategy, Environmental concerns. Being a class, I especially appreciated the last minute recap of the intended drills (the "Plan"). They did insist on a hard Goodman handle on the left hand. (History time: I use a cordless light and previously found the hard Goodman to be a bit floppy. I eventually migrated to a soft glove which effectively mandated placement on the right hand due to frequent buoyancy control with the left. I was well versed at the presentation of the reg during an air share without blinding my partner as well as a "piston" movement when using a reel to avoid freaking out everyone in the cave with a flashing light. In other words, no issues.) However, Gio had some tips to make the hard handle significantly more secure (mainly the use of a fingerless glove), so back to the left hand the light went with the right doing all the gas additions (wing/suit/dil/o2). In truth, it was going to happen anyway if I ever started using a DPV; it'll stay on the left moving forward since the primary issue (floppy grip) is solved. As for gases, I've always gravitated toward using standard mixes, but going through the "theory" discussion (on Day 1), I gained some additional insight into why they are what they are and various advantages thereof. (It's not just because they're easy to mix and have a nice MOD spacing.) As you might guess, there was also a large emphasis on team communication and awareness. Letting the eyes/head drop, for example, while doing valve drills was a no-go, even if you hold depth and are decently quick at it. What I hadn't fully realized (or at least forgotten) was that the various valve drills, dil flushes, positioning, etc. are actually easier to do when looking at the team or spool or whatever reference -- it was a good reminder. Ultimately, I found the GUE influence to be positive with very clear rationale given for the various choices made. It was most definitely NOT a "'because I say so" or "because that's how we do it" situation, which I greatly appreciated.
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