Scuba Diving

[dbpowell]

Going to the Caymans Jamica nad Cozumel in late Janurary laeving on the 29th. Thinking about taking my 14 year old son and myself on a beginner scuda diving class. Need some advice:

 

1. Any suggestions on companies.

2. What will the water temp be like. Will we have to worry about suits.

3. Best locaton to dive at Caymans or Cozumel.

 

I have already checked with one company in Caymans that people have talked about on the boards. Thnaks for any advice and guidence.

[Fourseventeen]

Cayman I would do either the Kitiwake wreck or Stingray city. For a beginner stingray city would be the better choice since depths average 20'. Company I would use Diver Down.

[grrlscout]

Just got back on Sunday. We did the discovery diving course on Grand Cayman with Living the Dream. Our group of 11 had the boat to ourselves. In fact, they usually cap it off at 9.

 

The instructors were fantastic - very patient, clear, concise, and friendly. First, we listened to a presentation, while they went through some flip cards. We had to learn 3 really basic skills.

 

When we were out a ways (maybe 20ft deep?), they geared us all up, and we swam to the front of the boat, and held onto the tether, all in a row. One by one, we did the skills, then went back to the boat.

 

We cruised out a bit further, and we all able to dive for about 45 minutes (30 if you went through your air quickly) at a 45ft depth. The whole experience was mind-blowing!

 

Well into November, the water was quite tolerable. After about 30 minutes under, I did start to get a little bit of a chill. I couldn't say how it would be in January.

 

Anyway, here is the company:

http://www.livingthedreamdivers.com/

 

I believe our instructors name was Scott. Here he is getting the gear ready, as we head back to shore after our dive:

 

[dbpowell]

Thaks to all for the information. I was also looking at Eden rock as we have kindda an early departure on feb 2nd at 4 pm.

[Capt_BJ]

I took my daughters to Sunset House for their 'discovery dive'

 

they were the only students ... them and an instructor and I just hanging around. Sunset House has a pool so things for the skills are very controlled. Then you enter the ocean in their 'sea pool' which is cut into the iron shore giving a protected area to get settled, then you swim out (underwater) to the reef eventulay we got down to around 40 feet. Schedule wise I contacted 'em e-mail, we got off the tender, taxi'd over and they were waiting to gear us up when we arrived.

 

I've been diving with Sunset House since the early 80's .... very friendly, very professional (but not the least expensive). The boat dive described above sounds like a lot of fun ... but it scares me. I'm a safety freak and have been diving since the 70's. That many people off a boat hanging on a line for a discovery dive is way outside any discovery dive I've experienced - just my opinion. I recently escorted youngest on another discovery in Cozumel, this was all beach diving and that added the problem of a little wave action while learning those basic skills - and there just wasn't much to see where the dive went. But she still loved it just cuz it was a dive and she saw fishies!