Can't I simply rent a tank in Cabo???

[jbobst]

We just cruised on the Elation last week, and I was hoping to do a little scuba diving in Cabo. I was travelling with a couple friends, who aren't divers. On our last cruise, which also went to Cabo, we spent the day at Lover's Beach, and really enjoy snorkelling, and swimming (not on the pacific side of course). On our cruise last week, my friends and I planned on doing the same thing in Cabo again. However, I thought it would be nice for me to do a little diving around the areas we snorkelled at last year around Lovers Beach (and toward the "arch" area along the rocks). So, I brought all my scuba equipment and I was hoping to just rent a tank from one of the dive shops near the marina, and take it over to the beach area and do some shallow diving while my friends were snorkelling. I went to the dive shop by the marina (I don't remember the name, but it was behind that shopping Mercado) and asked to rent a tank. They dive shop guy looked at me like I was crazy and said there was no beach diving, only boat diving. It was a calm day, and all I wanted to do was be under the water 20 feet instead of having to hold my breath while snorkelling. I wasn't looking to do anything extreme or go very far away from the beach. So, they turned me away and told me I could only do boat diving. Now, I understand that they don't want to be responsible for some guy killing himself, but it's Mexico, they should have paper work that I can sign that says I won't hold them liable, and I am a certified diver.

 

I ended up hauling all my scuba gear to the beach and ended up just snorkelling...wishing I could be below the water 20-30 feet with the fish. Why is it that I can go to Catalina, San Carlos, or any other area that I have been diving and rent a tank? Cabo somehow restricts single tank rentals??? Anyway, I guess I should have checked into it more, but I didn't want to pay the money for a full boat dive and then be by myself the whole day. I also didn't check out any other dive shops, but there didn't seem to be any other shops close by the water taxi area. I should have talked to the dive shop guy a little more and asked what the problem was, but he seemed pretty ticked off that I would even ask to just rent a tank.

 

Any thoughts on why this happened and why they won't let me dive along the rocks next to Lover's Beach?

 

Thanks,

[scubaran]

We just cruised on the Elation last week, and I was hoping to do a little scuba diving in Cabo. I was travelling with a couple friends, who aren't divers. On our last cruise, which also went to Cabo, we spent the day at Lover's Beach, and really enjoy snorkelling, and swimming (not on the pacific side of course). On our cruise last week, my friends and I planned on doing the same thing in Cabo again. However, I thought it would be nice for me to do a little diving around the areas we snorkelled at last year around Lovers Beach (and toward the "arch" area along the rocks). So, I brought all my scuba equipment and I was hoping to just rent a tank from one of the dive shops near the marina, and take it over to the beach area and do some shallow diving while my friends were snorkelling. I went to the dive shop by the marina (I don't remember the name, but it was behind that shopping Mercado) and asked to rent a tank. They dive shop guy looked at me like I was crazy and said there was no beach diving, only boat diving. It was a calm day, and all I wanted to do was be under the water 20 feet instead of having to hold my breath while snorkelling. I wasn't looking to do anything extreme or go very far away from the beach. So, they turned me away and told me I could only do boat diving. Now, I understand that they don't want to be responsible for some guy killing himself, but it's Mexico, they should have paper work that I can sign that says I won't hold them liable, and I am a certified diver.

 

I ended up hauling all my scuba gear to the beach and ended up just snorkelling...wishing I could be below the water 20-30 feet with the fish. Why is it that I can go to Catalina, San Carlos, or any other area that I have been diving and rent a tank? Cabo somehow restricts single tank rentals??? Anyway, I guess I should have checked into it more, but I didn't want to pay the money for a full boat dive and then be by myself the whole day. I also didn't check out any other dive shops, but there didn't seem to be any other shops close by the water taxi area. I should have talked to the dive shop guy a little more and asked what the problem was, but he seemed pretty ticked off that I would even ask to just rent a tank.

 

Any thoughts on why this happened and why they won't let me dive along the rocks next to Lover's Beach?

 

Thanks,

 

Hi,

 

Couple things I can think of... Did you have a dive buddy trying to rent a tank as well? They may have strict no solo diving restrictions. Next, there may be currents on the bottom that he was afraid you'd find while under the water. Undertows may not be obvious on the surface or a few feet below. He may have been trying to get you to buy a boat trip (tank rentals don't provide a lot of income). You may have not seen competent to him (I'm just giving possible solutions, no judgements either way). He may have just been a jerk.... There's lots of reasons that come to mind. It probably would have been best to just ask. Sorry, best I can come up with the info.

 

Randall

[cusyl]

Is it possible that the water is too shallow unless you go out further in a boat?

[jbobst]

Good points, and I didn't have a dive buddy. Although, I was with my friends as we were all on our way to the beach. He didn't mention anything about a dive buddy being needed, he just said there was no beach diving or tank rentals. He said all his boats had gone out for the day already, but might be able to get a "special" boat if I wanted to go that route. He just kept looking at me as if he couldn't believe I would want to rent a tank.

 

When I was snorkelling, I frequently dove down to the bottom, about 15-20 feet (or more possibly), and if anything, the water was so much calmer down there. It just is not fun to only have a few seconds of bottom time, and have to keep clearing your ears each time you dive down deep.

 

Oh well, guess I'll know for next time.

[scubaran]

Good points, and I didn't have a dive buddy. Although, I was with my friends as we were all on our way to the beach. He didn't mention anything about a dive buddy being needed, he just said there was no beach diving or tank rentals. He said all his boats had gone out for the day already, but might be able to get a "special" boat if I wanted to go that route. He just kept looking at me as if he couldn't believe I would want to rent a tank.

 

When I was snorkelling, I frequently dove down to the bottom, about 15-20 feet (or more possibly), and if anything, the water was so much calmer down there. It just is not fun to only have a few seconds of bottom time, and have to keep clearing your ears each time you dive down deep.

 

Oh well, guess I'll know for next time.

 

Hi,

 

Yep, sounds like he was just a "boat scuba" company and you were asking for something outside his operating zone. Like I said, not much profit in renting tanks. :D

 

Randall