Well I have done some reading and now I have questions and ask for opinions

[INTRUDERDIVER]

Gordon, I had the exact same thoughts....INTRUDERDIVER, will you and your wife be newly certified divers or are you doing your advanced open water before going to Coz? If you are new open water divers, especially since your certification dives won't be in the ocean, Santa Rosa and Tunich are probably not the best choices for your very first ocean dives. Have you talked with Sand Dollar about your level of experience? Perhaps they plan on just keeping you guys in the shallow areas, but currents on these 2 particular reefs can be unpredictable. It's best to do a more "beginner" level dive first so you can get your sea legs, so to speak.

If Sand Dollar won't change the schedule to accommodate your level of experience, then I would suggest hiring a private DM, at least for the first day. I don't think it costs that much more ($30-40??) and would be totally worth it for your first ocean dives to ensure that you are comfortable and don't get into something you're not ready for.

I did my open water referral dives with Sand Dollar and enjoyed my experience. My instructor was very patient and attentive and allowed us to have fun on the dive after doing our skills. I do know that they're catering more to cruise ship crowds these days, so they're more likely to follow a rush/rush/hurry/hurry schedule rather than paying attention to individual divers. So speak up, be honest about your experience, don't do something the others do if it makes you uncomfortable and hire a private DM at least for a day or 2.

Oh yeah, and have a great time!

My wife and I will be certified divers before we go to Cozumel. Sorry about the confusion :11:

 

[ggunn]

My wife and I will be certified divers before we go to Cozumel. Sorry about the confusion :11:

That wasn't the question; are you already certified and going for your AOW (Advanced Open Water) right before going to Cozumel, or are you going to be freshly certifed with a basic OW cert upon arrival? Referring to your upcoming training as a "refresher course" made us think that you may have meant AOW instead of OW.

If your Cozumel dives will be the first "real" dives for you after certification, I strongly recommend that you do some shallow calmer Coz diving with a bottom under you before you start wall diving (i.e., Santa Rosa where you are over the Abyss) and fast current diving (i.e., Tuniche where the current can be about as fast as you can run).

Even more importantly, it is imperative that the dive op you go with be made aware what your experience level is, especially if you are new to diving.

Dive safe,