Non Scuba Mom w/ Jr Diver requests info please

[DogLover]

Hi there,

I will be cruising with my son (15) and daughter (13) on the Explorer July 4th. Both kids are Jr. Divers, they got certified with their dad and we are since divorced. My son has expressed extreme interest in diving whilst in Grand Cayman. I have emailed several dive operators to check options (ones recommended here as well as the place they were taught), but my question is really one of safety. Since I do not dive, is it a prudent thing to even allow him to do so? I don't want to come across as a "nervous Nellie" but at the same time, I want to be sure he is properly supervised. What about the option of a shore dive? I have very little diving knowledge and want to make the right decision.

Thanks so very much in advance for all replies!

[w&k]

DogLover-

(love the name - my spoiled-rotten DD is in his bed at my feet)

The best solution is to get certified and make it a family trip, but I'm assuming that is a difficult option with the short timeframe. You could be ready for next time, though. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Diving is a wonderful sport, and could be a key to keeping the 'terrible teens' livable for you. (My mom and I fished and skied together)

I think you would probably have to accompany the kids on the dive boat from an insurance standpoint. The only jr. divers I have been diving with have been buddied with parents/stepparents, and were under my watchful eye as well.

Sorry I don't have more info for you.

Hope you have a great trip - diving or not!

Wendy

[brucejr]

I would like to suggest the option of a guided shore dive. You can stay on shore while your son does a dive with the guide, one on one. [url="http://www.edenrockdive.com/4.htm"]Edenrockdiving.com[/url] is one place that offers a guided shore dive at Eden rock (duh) for $55 including equipment.

If you feel up to it [url="http://abanksdivers.com.ky/"]Abanksdivers.com[/url] also offers a guided shore dive with 1-4 people, but costing less. Don't know if that includes gear.

Personally, $55 for a personally guided shore dive seems reasonable and safe.

I would strongly advise against sending him on his own with the ships operator, but then again, you don't sound like that is in your plans.

Good luck and have a great cruise.

<font color="FF6600">
if there's a way to construe my post as non-argumentative, please do so.</font>
Cruise photos on my [url="http://www.brobertson.org/"]Home page [/url]<font color="990066">
Spring Break was on the Grand Princess </font>21, March 2004
So when is the next cruise?

[DogLover]

w&k: appreciate your reply. Yes, don't we all spoil our pooches! My Weimie does not seem to understand that she is a dog, tho (lol). Unfortunately, you are correct that I don't have the time to get certified prior to our cruise. I've spent the past 2 months planning my daughter's Bat Mitzvah (was June 5th) and am still recovering. Maybe next trip, huh?

brucejr: thanks for your input. You are correct that I have no intention of sending my son on his own on a boat dive, be it with a ship operator or otherwise. I had already emailed Eden Rock and they responded that he would indeed be able to do a guided shore dive whilst I am waiting on the beach. I have emailed Abanks as well, but have not received a reply yet. I am thinking the Eden Rock option is the best bet. Have you used this company yourself and done this dive? I presume it's in shallow enough water to meet the requirements of my son's Jr. diver limitations. Forgive my ignorance, please. I am trying to strike that fine balance between giving my 15 yo old enough freedom to do what he enjoys whilst keeping him safe & supervised.

Sharon in AZ

[Searanger]

Brucejr hit the nail on the head. Go to Eden Rock and rent what equipment you need and hire a D.M to go with your son. You can swim overhead. Edenrock dive centre is far better and closer to the dive sites (more professional) then Abanks..It's a 5 - 10 minute walk from the tender dock. Turn right and you will see the blue building. (they have a flag) I love to dive there...I only rent the tanks and some weights and for $18.00 I get two great dives in. (It's a maximum 40'dive)

Michael

[brucejr]

Searanger, thanks for backing me up. It's always nice to have someone agree with you.

Sharon, the answer to your question is no, I haven't been diving there. I had planned to do it as an afternoon dive where when we were in Grand Cayman, but after the morning dives, the invitation to have a free beer with some dive buddies was just too enticing. It should be an easy, fairly shallow dive. It would be a [I]long[/I] swim out to the wall and the guide wouldn't take him there anyway. It is the closest thing to perfect to your situation that I can imagine. He could do 1 dive first thing when you get there and you'll still have time to just about anything else.

I had another thought. I know that you aren't a diver, but are you interested in snorkeling? You could both go to stingray city. It is a perfect dive for him as it is no deeper than 15 feet. And it is a dive that can only be done at GCM. You could go with him and snorkel a bit and watch. He'll probably flood his mask from smiling so much (smiling creates lines on your face and lets the mask leak, laughing makes the flooding worse).

If you haven't already, you, or he, might enjoy seeing my underwater photos from Grand Cayman [url="http://brobertson.org/GCM-underwater/index.html"]click here[/url]

Is one of your stops Cozumel? The diving there is fabulous. Easy guided shore dives there at Chankanaab park. There are 3 dives shops onsite at the park so you can do it as a walkup. It would be a great addition to doing the dolphin swim if that is in your plans.

[DogLover]

brucejr:

Thanks for all your input. I will look into a stingray city combo for all of us. Yes, our cruise does stop in Cozumel, and we have a Dolphin Discovery Reservation at 1pm (my daughter is gaga for Dolphins and attends camp at SeaWorld every summer). Perhaps my son could do a shore dive at Chank. Park in the morning. For a shore dive in Grand Cayman, is it possible to make advance reservations for a guided dive, or is it on a walk up basis as well. Also, any experience with Bob Sotos? Our local dive shop suggested I contact them, but didn't know if anyone had used them.

One last question, please. I saw in your photos that your daughter had her hair braided in Costa Maya ... where exactly did you get that done. My daughter very much wants to have her hair done again (has on every other cruise). Great pics, btw ... thanks for sharing.

Sharon

[DogLover]

Wups ...

Also meant to extend a "thanks" to searanger for your reply ... in my haste I hit "send" before I finish the post.

Thanks again! Any other useful info you guys can share with me is greatly appreciated!

Sharon

[brucejr]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DogLover:
bruce J.R.:
For a shore dive in Grand Cayman, is it possible to make advance reservations for a guided dive, or is it on a walk up basis as well. Also, any experience with Bob Sotos? Our local dive shop suggested I contact them, but didn't know if anyone had used them.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

For the shore dive, who would you be using? Contact them directly and ask if they recommend a shore dive reservation. I'll bet they would appreciate knowing. At least they can be sure to have a guide available.
I haven't used Sotos and I haven't heard anything about them either way. They are a large operator on the island. It wouldn't hurt to contact them.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>One last question, please. I saw in your photos that your daughter had her hair braided in Costa Maya ... where exactly did you get that done. My daughter very much wants to have her hair done again (has on every other cruise). Great pics, btw ... thanks for sharing.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

She had her hair done in one of the big palaps in the middle of the buildings at Costa Maya. The reason she had it done there was she prepared in advance to have it braided. She washed it that morning and used lots of conditioner so she could comb it easily. I think it cost around $20~25.

And thanks for the compliment on the photos

[sea-jay]

Doglover - I notice you are a fairly new poster.

FYI you can recall a message for up to 30 minutes after you post it. Look for a little pencil eraser symbol at the bottom of your post, click that, and you can edit (change, add, or delete) stuff. I tend to type too fast and when I re-read what I've done, I recall the post and correct all my typos. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

BTW - You really need to get certified to dive with the family. Its great! Have you investigated if there is a 'discover scuba' course you can take at any of your ports of call? Often you can get under up to 20-25 feet, after some initial shore instruction and with an instructer without being certified. That way, you could go with the kids-

In any event, Have a great cruise.

John
sea-jay at cfl dot rr dot com

First Cruise:
Explorer of the Seas 8/31/02 Western Caribbean
Then:
Sovereign of the Seas 8/28/03 Nassau
Last Cruise:
Mariner of the Seas 11/23/03 Eastern Caribbean


Next Sovereign of the Seas 9/24/04

[simonv]

Go with your son and snorkel while you wait for your son to come back up. Any responsible dive master will keep an eye on inexperience divers. If it's been a while since he last dived, you might have him take a refresher course before you go.