What dive ops let you dive your tank and come up solo?

[SETX scuba]

I have a favorite shop in Cozumel (3P) but from what I am hearing the 2 dm’s I really liked are no longer there. What other dive ops let you dive you own tank and come up solo if you are an experienced diver? Prefer smaller boats like 10 or less.

 

[rmssetc]

I have a favorite shop in Cozumel (3P) but from what I am hearing the 2 dm’s I really liked are no longer there. What other dive ops let you dive you own tank and come up solo if you are an experienced diver? Prefer smaller boats like 10 or less.

3P, of course. Why not try the new DMs?

Liquid Blue

 

[SETX scuba]

I have heard they are now limiting bottom time to 60 minutes no matter what… on the shallow dives I usually get 70.

 

[AdivingBel]

I really try not to be a dive shop fanboy. There are lots of good options in Coz and searching out a new shop is certainly your prerogative. That said, I’ve not seen 3P put limits on an experienced, no drama diver once they’ve seen them in the water. They do run multiple boats and try to match experience levels. It’s possible due to scheduling you could find yourself on a boat with less experienced divers and may hear a more conservative dive briefing, but if you’re known to them you can quietly go ahead and dive your tank. While I, like many others, enjoyed diving with Jorge, I’ve found their current DMs to be excellent and willing provide whatever level of service/assistance requested. I’ve dived with them multiple weeks per year for the last several years. All IMHO, YMMV.

 

[Rob9876]

I've also dove with 3P a number of times, and never had any time limit -- just dive your computer and at 700 psi shoot your DSMB and do your safety stop.

I've also been out with their new DMs on several trips, and like them a lot. They're as helpful or hands-off as you prefer, and they've been flexible to help us get in extra dives after weather caused us to miss some earlier in our trip.

But that said, if you want to dive with their former diver master, Jorge/Cubano opened his own dive op: Punta Sur Divers.

 

[ggunn]

The ops I have dived with require that you ascend at least as a buddy pair.

 

[SETX scuba]

Well thanks for the feedback y‘all. I will probably stick with them on my next trip and see how it goes. Jorge was great but glad to hear the new guys are good as well.

 

[brsnow]

A lot of it has to do with how well am op knows you.

 

[Altamira]

The last two times I dove with Sand Dollar, when someone needed to ascend under non-emergency situation, the DM shot a DSMB, and that diver surfaced staying near the line and marker buoy until the boat arrived on scene. As other divers hit ascend air remaining, they too surfaced, either singly, pairs, or whatever. It worked great.

 

[manta_man]

Well thanks for the feedback y‘all. I will probably stick with them on my next trip and see how it goes. Jorge was great but glad to hear the new guys are good as well.

This is Steve the owner of 3P. I just want to clarify that our dives are not limited to a 60 minute bottom time. We do ask that that divers ascend to safety stop after 70 minutes of bottom time. We ask this because of shallower dives such as Columbia Shallow will allow some divers to go up to and over 90 minutes of bottom time.
One reason for this is because of our afternoon schedule. The guys need time to return to the marina, gas the boat and change out empty tanks for full ones. Then have a chance to eat lunch. Another reason is --and some divers seem to forget this---the residual nitrogen that has built up from a first more deeper dive. A dive to Columbia Shallow is typically followed by a dive to one of the deeper sites further south. Cathedral, Punta Sur or Maricabo. We certainly want our clients to get the most bang for their buck, but we also want to continue to be recognized as a safe dive operation.
For your information, our Dive Masters are not new. Jose and George both worked at the Blue Angel dive operation for years along with Jorge. Jose is an instructor and is very patient. He and George have a competition going to see who can find the most sea horses. George found three on a dive two weeks ago.
Both George and Jose know the reefs very well. Just tell them what you would like to see or explore and they can take you to the most prolific site available to fit your needs. George is a bit quieter than Jose, but watch him in the water. He barely uses his fins and stays as long as his air allows. Jose will take our shorter air breathers up to the surface then return to the group. George just puts his buoy up and continues the dive.
Lastly once we know your experience level, we have no problem letting you dive your own profile SAFELY. This may seem a bit unsafe to some, but PADI is now offering a Self Sufficient Diver course. It allows a diver to dive solo. Even if you do not have this certification, we feel that we can do this because of all the other boats that are on the surface. We tell clients the name of the boat and the radio channel we operate on. When on the surface another boat close by will ask and then radio to our boats if our captains are far away. Most of the time, if our divers have to wait on the surface, it is because the boat is picking up other divers.
WELCOME BACK. we have missed you. Hasta luego, Steve