Trip Review Cozumel/Scub Club Cozumel July 2014

[an13743]

We would have told the DM to wait, except he was already in the water descended and the crew was rushing us in. However, again, if being a minute behind with that kind of viz totally lost us from the group, then a dropline should have been used and the DM shouldn't have gone in first and descended. Additionally, after the dive, he never came up to us and asked us what happened or if we were okay or even to apologize that we got left behind or explain his perspective. To me that shows a lack of wanting to learn what he might have done differently or improvement. I don't know what happened with the current. I do know that we picked up the current in one direction, got picked up by the boat and they followed the group in the opposite direction. The current could have shifted or been different deeper down. If that was the only incident with this DM, I wouldn't have really thought about it and probably blamed ourselves more, but since this was one incident among several others that added up to what we thought to be a less than safe experience, I felt worth reporting and a cautionary tale for those looking to stay at SCC. As we all know, diving if not done safely is a dangerous activity and our lives can depend on taking the right precautions and diving the plan. My buddy and I going solo wasn't the plan and we decided to abort. I am fairly confident we would have been okay if we went off solo, but it wasn't a risk we were willing to take for this dive.

As for the air, yes of course you should check your air. I figured it out right before I got in, but 2 others didn't, but it is also a small step on the crew to ensure air is turned on in the midst of hurrying to get you off the boat and easier than finding out the hard way in the water.

From my recollection, there were signs on the boat for tipping, menu in the restaurant, outside the dive shop, wall of the restaurant, reception area, actual tip box and I think a few other places. And then mentioned during sign-in process and on our last day of diving in addition to the people at reception. It was also the messaging of the strong dependency the staff has on tips I didn't care for.

Again, my review is a one week snapshot of my experience at SCC compared to other places we had been and from the perspective of how we like to dive.

Not my experience at all but things could have changed. They do have the little box to put tip envelopes in by the entrance, but I don't remember any other sign that addressed tipping.

And of course, you can abort a dive at any time for any reason. I was just curious. But I don't see how there is even a possibility of a current going in the opposite direction.

The one thing you did not address though was being a minute behind the others on splashing. If you were not ready, you should have told the DM to hold up a second.

 

[robint]

Sorry you didn't have the experience you wanted there in Cozumel and SCC. But the fact you didn't like CCV either, tells me you are very different from me. I find both places perfect for MY needs and the staff friendly and diving stellar at both.

robin

 

[jlyle]

AN13743,

I'm sorry you were disappointed with your stay at SCC. Like Robin, I beg to differ.

I look forward to your future postings and reviews.

Jim Lyle

 

[diverjen]

an13743 - Thanks again for the link and more info. I know where ever we go we will be happy to be diving and there are always tradeoffs, etc. It's hard when you find something you love on your first try (Bonaire) to try something else since these trips are a once a year big investment type thing, but hopefully we will get to go diving many places over our lifetime (knock on wood!). This time around it will just come down to airfare prices, schedules, money, etc. But since we travel to dive so infrequently it would break my heart to do less than 3 dives per day and really I think 4 is just perfect for most of the days. choices, choices....

Once again I really appreciate the detailed review!

 

[drrich2]

It's worth mentioning that tipping can be a contentious topic on the forum for reasons that are not unique to SCC. Some would argue tipping was intended to be a gift for exceptional service to people who already make an adequate wage. Others would argue that tipping gives the customer some control over the staff pay rate, encouraging better service. Others may point out that in some parts of the world tipping is not customary.

In the midst off all this are staff caught in a situation where, whether it is right and good or wrong and bad, do depend on those tips, and know that making sure everybody knows it results in more income, and not doing so results in less. If the signs are up, that tells me that this has historically been a problem of sufficient concern to require addressing, and the signs are thought to make a significant difference.

Shore diving in Bonaire doesn't usually involve tipping, other than at restaurant meals.

Richard.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Thanks for the review. FWIW, I ALWAYS check to see if my air is turned on, before I even approach the side or end of the boat; I take at least 3 good deep breaths off the Regulator, then one off my Octo before clipping it to my BC, then inflate BC just a little - enough to hear the air flow, all while watching my guage. BUT, for a Dive Op which insists on setting up the equipment to allow a Diver to jump off the boat with the tank valve off is, in my opinion, gross negligence, a disqualifying event, enough for me to put the Dive Op on my NEVER USE AGAIN list. For a DM not to wait on the bottom for ALL of his group to appear, to take off while two of his divers haven't even entered the water (for whatever reason), is a Second Big Strike against the Dive Op. A DM MUST know how many people he is supposed to be leading, and shouldn't enter the water until everyone on his group is ready to exit the boat. For those two reasons alone, I would not use the SCC Dive Op. And if either or both of those events occurred on a Dive Boat I was on, I would still Tip the DM -- with a ten peso coin. AND I would explain to him that my NORMAL tip for a 2-tank dive was $15-$20; but that for significantly subpar and potentially dangerous service, my maximum tip was Ten Pesos. If I walked off the boat without leaving any tip, the DM might think I was clueless or just forgot. If I make it a point to give him an obviously insulting tip, and tell him why, you can be certain he'll remember.

 

[Mossman]

Enjoyed your review; very practical description of the hotel, location walking distance from a grocery store, basic description of food for 2 meals/day, and the diving. If memory serves, you can stay there with a non-diver package; I assume one could book with a separate dive op. Wonder how that works?

With easily over 100 other hotels in Cozumel, why would one even consider staying at a dedicated dive resort without diving there?

---------- Post added July 8th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ----------

As we all know, diving if not done safely is a dangerous activity and our lives can depend on taking the right precautions and diving the plan.

As for the air, yes of course you should check your air. I figured it out right before I got in, but 2 others didn't, but it is also a small step on the crew to ensure air is turned on in the midst of hurrying to get you off the boat and easier than finding out the hard way in the water.

I'm trying hard to reconcile these two statements of yours. You claim that diving is a dangerous activity if not done safely, yet you blame others for a potential mishap rather than take personal responsibility for your own safety.

And then have the gall to complain about having to tip. Wow.

---------- Post added July 8th, 2014 at 12:21 PM ----------

Thanks for the review. FWIW, I ALWAYS check to see if my air is turned on, before I even approach the side or end of the boat; I take at least 3 good deep breaths off the Regulator, then one off my Octo before clipping it to my BC, then inflate BC just a little - enough to hear the air flow, all while watching my guage. BUT, for a Dive Op which insists on setting up the equipment to allow a Diver to jump off the boat with the tank valve off is, in my opinion, gross negligence, a disqualifying event, enough for me to put the Dive Op on my NEVER USE AGAIN list. For a DM not to wait on the bottom for ALL of his group to appear, to take off while two of his divers haven't even entered the water (for whatever reason), is a Second Big Strike against the Dive Op. A DM MUST know how many people he is supposed to be leading, and shouldn't enter the water until everyone on his group is ready to exit the boat. For those two reasons alone, I would not use the SCC Dive Op. And if either or both of those events occurred on a Dive Boat I was on, I would still Tip the DM -- with a ten peso coin. AND I would explain to him that my NORMAL tip for a 2-tank dive was $15-$20; but that for significantly subpar and potentially dangerous service, my maximum tip was Ten Pesos. If I walked off the boat without leaving any tip, the DM might think I was clueless or just forgot. If I make it a point to give him an obviously insulting tip, and tell him why, you can be certain he'll remember.

I make it a point not to be obviously insulting to anyone who is charged with my safety or even feeding me in a restaurant. Actually I make it a point not to be obviously insulting to anyone. Have you ever tried explaining nicely rather than acting like an a--hole? Or did they not cover that in Mensa school?

For me, a DM is a guide. I do not rely on the DM for my safety. I do not rely on a underpaid deckhand for my safety. I make sure my own air is turned on by checking the valve. If the valve is on, the air is on. If my gauge shows there is air in the tank, there is air in the tank. At the time I'm getting ready to backroll or giant stride, I put the reg in my mouth and breathe from it. Normally, in my Cozumel experiences, the group reconnoiters on the surface before the DM gives the signal to descend. If it's a roll and drop type dive, I take extra care to ensure my air is on. Otherwise, I have plenty of time on the surface before descending to adjust my mask and make sure I can breathe before spending an hour underwater. Some DMs wait on the bottom for all the divers, others start heading out when the divers are still in the process of descending, assuming that any diver with eyes can see the DM heading out and follow. The only time I've ever lost a DM was when it was a deliberate act on my part because the DM was bugging me.

 

[drrich2]

With easily over 100 other hotels in Cozumel, why would one even consider staying at a dedicated dive resort without diving there?

Because Scuba Club Cozumel has a reputation for having a decent shore dive, something not universal in Cozumel. The location also seems good in some ways. Whether those advantages are enough to make it compare well to other options, I don't know. But the option to do some shore dives to supplement my boat dives has appeal. It seems to be one of the selling points for CocoView in Roatan.

Richard.

 

[robint]

I think the big issue here is that the OP expected a Valet Service type dive op. SCC is not that. The DMs expect each diver to be competent, to carry their own dive gear on and off the boat, to set up their own dive gear before the first dive, and to check to make sure all their gear is working before entering the water. The Mate on the boat will help everyone get their tank on their back before entering the water, and I have always had him check my air as I entered, but I have already MYSELF taken 3 breaths off the tank before I enter. My own safety rule. Every diver who has been diving more than a year has entered the water with their tank off at least once, it happens. WE, me and my husband, prefer to always set up our own gear and when we have been using a "valet service" type dive op, we have always asked them to let us do it. It is MY personal responsibility for MY safety. Some people want someone to take their gear on and off the boat, to wash their gear and store it for them..... SCC does not do either. Your gear, your responsibility.

As far as safety of the dive op.... I have found SCC boats, crew, and DMs to be the safest I have dived with in Cozumel. Yes, I have used other dive ops before going there. Yes, I have been diving for 14 years all over the world, not just Cozumel. Are the SCC dive staff the best in the world? No. I give that to CCV staff. BUT that said, they are definitely not the worst or unsafe. Are the SCC staff more formal and less friendly than other dive ops on the island? Sometimes. But we have been going there for awhile and now the DMs great us with hugs and "welcome home" every time. They like us and treat us like family. FYI - Another dive op we used for years on the island had DMs that went out drinking with guests each night... then the DMs would talk about how drunk they got the next day on the boat. It made me uncomfortable. I would rather have the formal DMs at SCC who take their job more seriously, than the partyboy DMs elsewhere. MY preference.

robin

 

[cvchief]

The DMs expect each diver ... to carry their own dive gear on and off the boat, to set up their own dive gear before the first dive,

Eww....

I still want to try that shore dive, now that I know it is open to visitors.