Cozumel Discover Scuba?

[hkolln]

Anybody done Discover Scuba tours in Cozumel? We are seriously

thinking of trying it out as we really love snorkeling but want to

go deeper! Any suggestions on good dive shops in Cozumel that offer

this type of tour? Thanks!

[bruce-r]

Anybody done Discover Scuba tours in Cozumel? We are seriouslythinking of trying it out as we really love snorkeling but want to

go deeper! Any suggestions on good dive shops in Cozumel that offer

this type of tour? Thanks!

 

Read this thread from the Cozumel ports of call section.

[tkd]

Please get certified before you go. That "intro" that is described as only going to 25ft and "spending a few minutes getting you familiar with breathing underwater" scares me.

 

Did you know that at depths as shallow as 10-15 feet you can suffer air embolism, overexpansion (burst lungs) and ruptured ear drums.

 

For the person that talked about the "bends" and "nitrogen narcosis". They are the same thing and only come as a result of longer deeper dives. It would be difficult to get "bent" at 25 feet unless you were down there a long time (read hours).

 

My training involved over 10 hours of pool time before I went for the open water skills session. That does not include the 10+ hours of classroom time.

 

Do you think that in a "few minutes" they can explain what to do when your BC valve sticks open and you rocket to the surface in an uncontrolled assent? How about what happens if your regulator fails and you can't breath at 25ft? What about if you get caught in an downward current?

 

I'm not trying to scare you, but these are all things that can happen. I always wanted to dive. I nearly did the intro to scuba on a trip once. I didn't and when I got home, I got a full certification. I have never been so glad I did. I feel safe now that I know the dangers and have been trained to deal with them if necessary. Chances are you will go on the intro and be just fine as I am sure they will pick a very easy dive and keep it short, but I thought you should know some of the realities.

 

Oh, one more thing, if you do go, do not get a massage for at least 24 hours afteras that can promote the break-up of built up nitrogen in the bloodstream and *could* promote the bends. Doubtful unless doing strenuous diving, but hey, why risk it. Many will say I'm overly cautious, but hey, it's my life and I'm ok with that

 

Good Luck!

[BurBunny]

Hmm, bends and nitrogen narcosis same thing? Not. One is a physical result of nitrogen bubbles in the blood expanding as you surface and is debilitating to the point of life threatening after surfacing (or in the case of other expansion injuries the result of other gasses, including oxygen, expanding without being expelled as you surface), the other is a psychological and somewhat physiological impairment at depths which hamper judgment and slow response times. Nitrogen narcosis can begin to be detected at relatively shallow depths, but is more apparent and potentially debilitating as you go deeper. Both are caused by nitrogen absorbtion, but they are very much NOT the same. The bends are the same as decompression sickness. Nitrogen narcosis is the same as "rapture of the deep".

 

It is possible to have a decompression illness after short dives at depth, as the embolisms you mentioned are one part of the entire repertoire of issues which come under the heading of DCS - it's not just about getting bent. They are far less likely, but not unheard of.

 

While I absolutely advocate full training in diving, I also frequently recommend discover scuba to people who want to see if it is for them before they invest hours of time and hundreds of dollars in training. A good shop will give you careful instruction and monitor you closely. Likely your experience will get you excited to become certified and go further with the sport and adventure.

 

In Cozumel, I've observed Eagle Ray Divers on multiple occasions and feel they give a nice course which covers the essentials, plus they are very good with fearful and apprehensive divers. They don't gloss over things and give a great first experience. Bruce has given you other good options as well.

 

By the way, you do run similar risks with snuba as you do diving - the expansion injuries can happen regardless of where your air supply is located. Personally, I'd rather not be tethered to the surface - you'll get a much better appreciation of the sport, not to mention a more thorough safety instruction. Perhaps the poster on the other thread was thinking of the BOB option?

[joy21]

We did the beginners scuba tour in Cozumel last year. We had a 45 min. class before entering the water. Then we started in waist deep water to get use to it. We eventually went about 30 feet. It was not deep enough to worry about things going terribly wrong. The instuctor was with us at all times. We were in a group of 3 beginners, my husband was with us and he was already certified. The experience was so great that my son, 13 at the time, and I earned our certification when we got home. Now we can dive as a family. We never would have tried it if it wasn't for the tour we took. We booked it through the ship excursions for $89 per person.

[hkolln]

Thank you everyone for your information!

 

We have decided to do the Royal Swim with the dolphins in Cozumel and Discover Scuba in Grand Cayman instead (if we don't get certified before we go).

 

I'm going to the local dive shop where we bought our snorkeling gear and get their scuba certification information. The lady there told us about it when we were there in January but we didn't think we'd want to do it so soon!

 

Thanks again!

[tkd]

Nitrogen Narcosis is also known as the "Eurphoria of the Deep". This is true. However, it is a result of increased Nitrogen in the blood stream caused by exposure to increased pressures. It affects the neurological side of the physic, however, it is still the early stages of "the bends". In fact, I've known several experienced divers who were "narced" and could actually control it consciously be watching depth. I've been narced once, didn't care for it. But it was on a fairly deep dive (125ft+). The point I was trying to make is that diving is a dangerous sport that should not be taken lightly. Just because you can suck on a regulator in 6ft of water doesn't mean your ready.

[ucatchme25]

I have dove with Chelli and Antonio of Eagleraydivers.com and they are the best. Will be there next month. If you contact them, let em no I sent u!

Richard Whiteman

[cram33]

I am an Advanced Open Water Certified diver, and yes you should do it. ESPECIALLY IN COZUMEL!!!! You are cruising there, but 90% of cozumel's visitors sre divers. Cozumel is ranked in the top 3 places in the world to dive.

 

Go to www.scubaboard.com There you will find limitless info from divers who have been to Cozumel. They will recomend a dive shop near the cruises. The only dive shoo I have used there is Sand Dollar. But they are on the south part of the island. Most shops in Cozumel are safe to use because diving is the bulk of there tourism. Please do it.

 

Don't pay to get certified first, because why invest so much money (diving is a very expensive hobby) if you don't know if you will really like it so much you want to get certified? You are already paying for your cruise. Just add to it with this excursion. Then, when you get home you will be searching local dive shops. Please leave a review of your Discovery Scuba dive.

 

Besides scubaboard you can find reputable dive shops at www.PADI.com look under travel and dive centers.

[bruce-r]

Nitrogen Narcosis.... it is still the early stages of "the bends". In fact, I've known several experienced divers who were "narced" and could actually control it consciously be watching depth.

Sorry, But I have to disagree. Getting Bent and getting Narc'd are 2 completely different things. Nitrogen Narcosis is the effect of nitrogen in the nerve synapses in the brain. It only is an issue at depths of around 100ft (more or less) and deeper. It depends on a couple of factors, temperature being one. Different people are affected different ways. I've enjoyed being narc'd but not everyone enjoys it. If you don't like it, just ascend a bit and the feeling goes away.

 

Getting bent is when the dissolved nitrogen in your tissues returns to the gaseous state faster than the bodies ability to expel it. Nobody likes to get bent as this can be a permanent injury or fatal. This can happen after deeper dives, but can happen with shallow dives if the diver is down a long time and ascends quickly. Getting certified includes learning how to avoid the bends.

 

The point I was trying to make is that diving is a dangerous sport that should not be taken lightly. Just because you can suck on a regulator in 6ft of water doesn't mean your ready.

 

I will sort of agree that diving can be a dangerous sport if a person is wreckless, but doesn't have to be IF the person is educated (certified) AND follows his/her training by not exceeding their ability or comfort level.

[Hilary]

Excellent explanation Bruce-r. It is very common to get Narc'd on deep dives, but very uncommon to get bent. Please feel confident in doing a Resort Course (aka Discover Scuba) and have a wonderful time exploring the marine environment. If you love it and just have to do it more, go find a good instructor and take an Open Water course when you get home to become certified.

 

I have a friend who goes on a tropical vacation every year and does the resort course each time. He feels no need to get certified since he knows that's the only time he'll ever dive, so has done something like 6 resort courses all over the Caribbean.

[eguiney]

Doing Discovery Scuba courses in Roatan and Cozumel convinced me that I wanted to get recertified. I had gotten a YMCA "C" card back in 1978 but went 25+ years without diving. I am now Advanced Open Water going for Master and then onto Dive Master.

 

Did a Discover course in Cozumel with Eagle Ray divers and got my wife who is not a great swimmer and a little clostrophobic to do it also. The folks at Eagle Ray were great. Took plenty of time with her and she did the dive with no issues. Even looking back now I felt very comfortable with the way they handled the training and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone wanting to "test the water"

[tkd]

Well, we can agree to disagree. I personally do think diving is a dangerous sport. If you are trained properly, then yes, you minimize the risks. But the danger still exists, you are just better trained to deal with it. The bottom line is you are in a medium that the body was not built for. Most people who do an intro to scuba are fine because they use common sense and listen to the instructors who have taken them on the easiest dive they could find. BUT, problems with equipment (even when meticulously maintained) can arise, panic can set in, and things can go wrong. It sounds like you have some good training. I personally hold an advanced open water card and a stress & rescue card. I will be starting my Divecon training this fall (hopefully depending on scheduling). a very good freind of mine is a level III techinical dive instructor who just recently completed some beta testing on a rebreather system (part of a 6 man team). They decended to 450ft--to cool, no deco stops!. Another is a master instructor with over 1000 dives. Now, according to them, diving is a dangerous sport. I'll take their word for it. Besides, we have at least 1-2 divers a year lost in local dives due to unexpected circumstances. (flowergardens in the gulf).

 

From personal experience, my wife is also a diver. During her 2nd dive, the weight belt buckle broke (it was brand new and her own). She lost all her weight at 40ft. You can imagine the ascent. Fortunately, due to training she knew and had the presence of mind to dump the bc and flare. One of the dive masters saw this and grabbed her fin. We got her down and all was fine, but without the training, it might have been another story. There is a saying around the dive shop I use ":if you haven't had an equipment failure of some sort,then you just haven't been diving long enough, it's gonna happen". That's where training comes in. I'm the type that when I do an activity that can potentially be life threatening, I want the best training and knowledge I can have. But that's just me.

 

For those who read this and are thinking about scuba, It is a great sport. If you do the resort course, try to make certain they keep the instructor/student ration low. (my ratio was 5:1 and that was a full certification with much one on one time).

 

Have fun.

[starsjohn]

I am following this debate and find it instructive. I am new diver with just 16 dives in the bag. I first did a discovery dive off Bora Bora and enjoyed it way too much. Other members of the group did not do very well as this dicovery dive seemed a little extreme. First, everyone had to do the backward-roll off the boat. It freaked half the group out. Others had leaky masks and had to quickly remeber how to clear their masks while heading down to the 30 ft bottom. I was the only one to actually reach the bottom with no problems. Finally one more made it down and we did a short tour with our very good dive master.

Returning to the boat, I saw several people being brought back to the side using the tired swimer tow.

 

I then got my certification on the Princess Dawn on a B2B trip allowing plenty of diving time the second week. It was just me and a young enthusiastic PADI instructor. We had a great time.

 

This Summer I joined by local dive center who is very well known and is a Marine Corp beta test center as well. I am now doing my Advanced Open Water. I found my training, on the cruise, to have been rather incomplete as I am learning much more from my dive instructor of some 20 years. Most of what I am now learning is about safety and techniques where safety is the main concern. My dive lessons are very meticulous compared to my cruise training.

 

I have purchased top line equipment and yes I had a gear failure just last week. I had a connector failure and sprung a leak. My training allowed me to remain calm and return to the shore from my shore dive without having to drop my weights. My lesson learned, is too take more responsibility in checking and maintaining my equipment. I have my dive center show me how to do things first.

 

As far as being a dangerous sport, I would like to see percentages and numbers of accidents among PADI divers. In the sport of Mountaineering, there is a yearly annual called Accidents in Mountaineering that lists every known incident and then does an analyisis of the accident. The finally verdict in almost every case is climber error.

 

If I had not done the Discovery dive, I would not now be certified and having so much fun. I am planning to go to Fifi with the dive center on a photo trip. Also I was encouraged on by this CC group as I am 57 and now in the group called "oldies" by all the younger pax.

 

Get WET,

 

John

[Hilary]

Okay, the doom and gloom of how 'dangerous' diving is should be put into a little bit of perspective here. YES, everyone who dives will agree that it's a dangerous sport, however, it certainly isn't as dangerous as TKD is trying to portray here. We aren't talking about wreck diving, technical diving, or deep diving...we're discussing recreational diving with supervision to 30' or less. No matter how you manipulate the dive tables, you aren't going to need a decompression stop on a 30' dive.

 

Let's get real here. First of all, on a 30' resort course dive, you can realistically have complete equipment failure and still ascend to the surface safely. Even if you rocket to the surface, you are not going to get DCS (the bends). According to DAN (Divers Alert Network), unsafe behaviors and hazardous conditions are the two biggest factors in DSC incidences. Additionally, only approximately 1% of all reported DCS incidences occurred in less than 30' of water, and those were not the first dives of a multi-dive day/week. These are statistics gathered from decompression chambers all around the world.

 

Of the 53,315 dives that were reported to DAN, in 5% there were problems. Out of that 5%, 3.8% were because of equalization problems. Equipment failure accounted for the rest with weight belts and fins having the most at 0.3% each, and BC and exposure protection being 0.2% each, as the "big ones".

 

There are literally millions of certified recreational divers in the world, and yes, there are accidents and fatalities. Even amongst the most highly trained divers in the world (technical divers) there are fatalities. I remember John Chatterton (famous East coast professional diver and explorer) said that if you dive deep wrecks, you will either have an incident yourself, you will be diving with someone who does, and eventually someone you know will die.

 

I know a lot of recreational divers who have logged hundreds of dives, and just about everyone I know has had at least one incident of equipment failure, yet the most serious injuries amongst all of them have been stings or scrapes.

 

Resort course divers don't ride doubles, don't go deep, and have very little risk of injury at a depth of 30' or less. Is there a risk of injury? Sure, but more likely to the marine environment and coral because of lousy bouyancy than to the diver.

[Adowning]

I was all set to take a Discover Scuba excursion this January but my coworker, about my same age and fitness level, came back from a Cozumel resort with a bad scuba experience. It was her daughter's wedding on the beach and she and the father gave everyone a paid trip on a private scuba company for Discover Scuba. Her husband was rejected due to bad sinuses at the time but she went ahead without him, a small group diving. They spent about 45 minutes in instructions and shallow water then headed off for a fairly shallow dive spot. She was a bit scared and not comfortable with the whole thing but braved the experience and ended up feeling quite paranoid deep underwater and came up with painful ears and sinuses for the rest of the week. She was pretty uncomfortable and was really disappointed in the experience. I then decided to just do a good scuba experience in Belize and a beach day in Cozumel instead of a SNUBA or Discover Scuba. For that fast, expensive excursion where things could go really wrong, I just wasn't comfortable with the chance to put a damper on the rest of my cruise time.

 

I think the way to go (for me) would be to try to it at home in a pool and get some time before trying something on a vacation with fast instructions. Just my opinion.

[bruce-r]

I think the way to go (for me) would be to try to it at home in a pool and get some time before trying something on a vacation with fast instructions. Just my opinion.

 

This is an excellent suggestion. My local dive shop offers discover scuba in a local pool for $15. They show an instructional video at the shop, answer any questions, then fit everyone with the gear. After a short drive to the pool, the instructor and the DM set up the gear for everyone, then everyone gets in the shallow end. They review the instruction then they kneel on the bottom of the shallow end. Lots of practice at the shallow end then it is play time. The dive shops do this because they are hoping that people will like scuba enough to sign up for certification, so they have a strong interest in make it a fun experience. Let me tell you, it works.

[starsjohn]

I know the Princess ships, that have PADI scuba centers onboard, offer a free discovery dive in their big pretty fresh water pools.

 

For the last two weekends, I have observed a large class of some 35 students with many dive masters, do their open water certification drills at Divers Cove in Laguna Beach, California. All came out of the water with smiles on their faces completing the program and having made many new friends. There are only three of us in the advanced class, and we have two dive masters taking care of us. As the other two members of my class were a couple, we split off in the drills where I had my own private instructor.

 

Its like any other sport, training improves confidence and performance as well as safety.

 

John

[Linthorn]

I know the Princess ships, that have PADI scuba centers onboard, offer a free discovery dive in their big pretty fresh water pools.

I never heard of this. Is this true? How do I find out about them.

[starsjohn]

www. newwaves.com will take you to the Princess dive program. Enjoy!

 

John

[starsjohn]

That's http://www.newwaves.com

 

John