Discovery Scooby in Cozumel

[alowderphoto]

I've been reading around and saw a recommendation for Eagle Ray for snorkeling in Cozumel. I have always wanted to scooba and used to play around with my dad's tank in a pool but I've never been certified. I noticed on the eagle Ray sight a discovery dive. Looked affordable and fun. But I'm wondering, has anyone tried it? What were your thoughts? Would you do that over snorkeling our do you think we would get more out of snorkeling?

 

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[Capt_BJ]

dd and I did Discovery dives in Coz and Cayman b4 she took the open water class

 

 

The dive is a 'standard course' in the PADI system and there are standards for the training etc, so it is safe and fun (if the operator plays by the rules). Of the two locations we did it I MUCH prefer Cayman (Sunset House) but the Coz experience wasn't BAD, just IMO not as good. We used Sunset Beach Club (thru the cruise line) in Coz.

 

The down sides of a Discovery dive is the time spent doing the training part and often you are restricted to a nearby dive site due to the total time you have. The shore dive we did as a Discovery in Coz was just not as good as the shore site in Cayman. (Is Coz' your only port??). If you go on a snorkel trip you'll not spend time training for SCUBA safety and they will probably take you to a nice® site.

 

dd liked her experience enuf to continue driving tho. She spent 6 weeks in Roatan this summer on a research team at CocoView resort. I've been certified for 40 years . . .

 

Edited January 1, 2014 by Capt_BJ

[alowderphoto]

dd and I did Discovery dives in Coz and Cayman b4 she took the open water class

 

 

The dive is a 'standard course' in the PADI system and there are standards for the training etc, so it is safe and fun (if the operator plays by the rules). Of the two locations we did it I MUCH prefer Cayman (Sunset House) but the Coz experience wasn't BAD, just IMO not as good. We used Sunset Beach Club (thru the cruise line) in Coz.

 

The down sides of a Discovery dive is the time spent doing the training part and often you are restricted to a nearby dive site due to the total time you have. The shore dive we did as a Discovery in Coz was just not as good as the shore site in Cayman. (Is Coz' your only port??). If you go on a snorkel trip you'll not spend time training for SCUBA safety and they will probably take you to a nice® site.

 

dd liked her experience enuf to continue driving tho. She spent 6 weeks in Roatan this summer on a research team at CocoView resort. I've been certified for 40 years . . .

 

 

Thanks so much for your reply! We will be at Falmouth, Libadee, and Coz on RCI. I talked to DH and he said this time around we can just do snorkeling and we'll get certified and go again another time. I want to go scooba diving but I also want to get the most out of our experience. I think we'll just do snorkel this time around. That way maybe we can see Chichanitza as well (sp?).

 

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[Capt_BJ]

scooba diving

 

SCUBA . . .

[alowderphoto]

Lol you caught me. I'm a horrid speller and obviously very unobserved especially while typing in bed sick. ;)

 

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[divinmule]

I am interested in this as well.

Just booked a family cruise and I have several nondivers going that are quite interested in diving. Two have already done a discovery and loved it, 3 will be trying for the first time. And I'm sure that I will have a couple that want to come and just hang out while we dive.

 

I was thinking about booking privately so perhaps we could bring our gear and rent some tanks and then tag along at a distance on their discovery shore dives.

 

We are stopping in Grand Cayman so I was thinking about Sunset house since they have that nice semiconfined area for them to get started in. But also thought about Eden rock due to proximity to the ship. Any other ideas or suggestions?

 

We are also stopping in Cozumel so the same questions apply there. But I thought the shore diving would work better with Grand Cayman.

[Capt_BJ]

I was thinking about Sunset house since they have that nice semiconfined area for them to get started in. But also thought about Eden rock due to proximity to the ship.

 

Yes, they have the sea pool for easy entry with the gear for newbies .. plus they'll do the training in the swimming pool .... I'm not sure where Eden does their 'training' part but IMO it is much easier to start in a pool then move to open water. (our Coz experience everything was done on the beach and I thought that 'lacked')

 

and assuming you are certified .. no problem to 'tag along' on the Discovery Dive at Sunset IME so long as you are current: the house rules are

 

If you haven’t dived {sic} for more than 2 years, you’ll be asked to complete a Refresher Course which consists of a pool session and a dive.

 

You CAN take the Discovery and use it as a refresher .. exactly what I did a few years ago after a diving hiatus. Just e-mail the dive shop and tell them what you'd like to do. I just tagged along while dd did the full discovery. I got in the pool and demonstrated the skills they were teaching dd ... easy peesy; then we jumped into the sea pool and paddled out to the reef.

 

You can also arrange a second dive for the Discovery folks .. it just has to be escorted by a dive master .. also easy to arrange. You won't get to see much on the Discovery time line, but a second dive could be as long as the tank lasts . . .

 

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IMO

 

yes Eden is closer and an easy walk .. but can be more crowded for this very reason

 

Eden has the Grotto which is a very nice site .. dunno if they'd take a Discovery thru the swim thru's tho . . .

 

Eden does not have a pool as I recall but could be wrong on that.

 

Sunset is about 1/3 mile farther down the road. If walking with gear, that may be an issue (but I do it) ... taxi ride is only a couple of minutes (but silly $ cuz it IS Cayman)

 

Sunset has a swimming pool and the sea pool for training and entry. (your watchers will be allowed to use the pool IME, just ask)

 

For non divers: it don't get better than My Bar for hangin' out and watchin'. Caybrew and conch fritters (the chowder is super good too but during the day probably you don't want soup . .)

 

Sunset: easy to Discovery, lunch and still do another dive on most cruise schedules (but no beer if diving!)

 

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Cayman vs Coz for the Discovery - no contest IMO. The BEST diving in Coz is going to be a boat & deeper drift dive and that is NOT Discovery territory. My shore dive experiences in Coz have been very unimpressive altho I'm sure there are good ones to be found ... I just haven't in a dozen trips there.

 

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either way - enjoy and tell us how it went when you get back what ever you decide to do.

[divinmule]

Thanks Capt BJ

 

Sunset was highest on my list and your opinons seemed to support what i was thinking. I have emailed them and am just awaiting a reply.

 

Will post what we end up doing...but the trip is not till April. I am just and early planner.