Advice for New OW Padi Diver-My 16 yo daughter

[cruisindream]

We have a cruise planned for end of May with Carnival. My 16 yo daughter is newly PADI OW certified. She just did the Epcot Dive Experience and had no problems-she seems a natural in the water. She is very excited about the dive options on our cruise. Our ports of call are Cozumel, Belize, Grand Cayman, & Roatan, Honduras. Her 1st choice was Belize but with some of my initial research I am not sure about Belize. Then the talk about the currents in Cozumel concern me. We are thinking of diving at least 2 of the ports. My questions are: 1) What are the best/safest ports for her to dive? 2) Best dive shops at the best ports. 3)Since my husband & I are not certified, should we feel safe letting her leave diving without one of of us if we are unable to tag along?

 

I would appreciate any advice from experienced travelers/divers as I want her to have fun but be safe at the same time!!! Thank ya'll so much in advance!

[Capt_BJ]

If you have concern of her diving alone, and not knowing her skill level beyond basic open water certification I'd recommend a shore dive at Sunset House on Cayman with a guide - Sunset Divers has been pretty fast answering me via e-mail in the past. (and altho faces have changed over the years I've used Sunset time and time again since the early 80's)

 

This will give a good shore dive - or two at a reasonable depth of 40 to 60 feet. And you can sit at 'My Bar' and be a pseudo chaperone.

 

You could do similar at Eden Rock on Cayman as well.... but they are my second choice - I have more experience at Sunset due to spending many week long dive vacations there over the years - Eden has no hotel

 

http://sunsethouse.com/shore_diving.php

 

And beyond that I HIGHLY recommend joining a role call for your cruise and see if possibly you can find a diving couple with some experience willing to take your dd on as a 'third' for some other diving.

 

Cozumel diving will almost certainly be boat drift diving. Unless dd is already experienced boat diving I'd probably hold off on that unless you make a good hook up as I mentioned.

 

Bel' and Ro' will be boat diving but not drift . . .

 

I have no shop recommendations other than Sunset as in the other places I've never been a significant repeat customer of any one shop . . .

 

lucky girl to start with DiveQuest

 

So did my dd

 

tuff act to follow

 

[Disneychix3]

My husband and 14 year old daughter went on the Carnival excursion in Roatan the first week in April. It was my daughter's first dive after being OW certified. She loved it, but her depth gauge wasn't working correctly on the first dive. They replaced it, but I would be worried about what could have happened if my husband hadn't been with her. The second dive ended up being a drift dive since the currents were strong that day.

[sparkinator]

Last year, we dove with Barefoot divers in Roatan and they were great. We dove Costa Maya the previous day, and that was the first dive since we had been certified. Barefoot definitely took care of my son and I.

 

They sat down with us and discussed our dive plan in detail and drew out where we would be diving and the contours we would be encountering. My son and I were the only ones diving in our group, and they had 2 guides going with us. One of them led the dive, and the other followed to ensure there wasn't any problems with the dive. They told us that they always had 2 divers that went with every dive and that was comforting to us being new divers.

 

They took us on a couple of really nice dives. The first was a wall dive and the other was a flat reef dive. If I was in your situation, I would feel comfortable using Barefoot.

[jimw]

We too have been diving Sunset House for 20 plus years and recommend it with a guide or someone else you trust. This is a shore dive at the resort and as the good Capt mentioned, a good place to hang out--pool is oceanfront too. Cheap too--a tank rental is about $10. and weights are a few bucks.

 

We dove with Barefoot on Roatan last winter and they are great--they would appoint a staff member to care for your girl. They are located at Mary's Place--a great dive, but it is a short boat ride out to the dive...........

 

For Belize, I would and have done a ship snorkel trip to Cay Caulker or somesuch for all the family. The cruiseships anchor out about 4 miles and it is time consuming to dive with a shore operator. And too, the ship dives are way out and expensive.

 

There is some shore diving on Cozumel. We often go to Scuba Club and rent a tank for $6. and dive out front. It's NOT like diving off a boat out further, but the viz can be 100ft and some tropicals and eels and tiny shrimp, etc will be around...........It's an easy shore dive and an easy place to wait as well--pool, etc.

 

We have made many cruises to all these ports and multiple week long trips too. Belize is geat for a week long trip, but not easy for a day trip.

[cruisindream]

I appreciate ALL your inputs...I want her to get some good dives but at the same time...I want her to be safe!! I guess it is the mama in me!!

[Colorado Kat]

I would choose Roatan & Grand Cayman.

 

The currents can be scary in Cozumel. Maybe you can pay more and have a guide designated to just be with her?

[bigbluemarble]

No matter where your daughter goes diving, make sure she is pro-active and clearly states to the shop staff and guide that she is a newly-certified diver with little experience. The staff should then make sure the dive she is doing is appropriate for her experience level and keep an extra eye on her during the dive. As suggested in another post, you can even hire a private guide for her - she'll probably get to see more ocean critters as it'll be just the guide and her (guide's sole focus is on her, no other divers to take up his/her attention). Hope she has a great time diving during your holiday!

[drew sailbum]

Cayman has deep dives, Coz has current. You can always choose to stay shallower. You cannot turn off the current.

 

Shore diving is a good option. Or go with a small dive boat operator who can better tailor a dive to your daughter's needs rather than trying to be all things to all people.

 

My friend Tom runs a good small boat operation in Cayman: Off the Wall Divers

 

If Tom is full then he will probably refer you on to other small operators like Ambassador Divers, Neptunes Divers, or Living the Dream Divers .

[cruisindream]

Thanks for all the tips!!! I have got some good leads thanks to ya'll and trip advisor and making some final decisions that I feel comfortable with. I think she will have the opportunity to see a good glimpse of diving in the caribbean!

[Scubachick84]

I too was 16 when first certified and the only diver in my family. While I can't speak on behalf of how my parents felt about it, I have been going off with ship diving excursions without them since the time of my certification. I am now 28 years old and I usually book with independent operators, but in the beginning it was always with the cruise ship for that extra time security factor.

 

I never had any troubles as a solo diver, the guides were aware of my age and experience level and took good care of me. Often times another solo diver or a couple would 'adopt' me for the day and keep an eye on me. I would like to second the suggestions of Roatan and Grand Cayman as the best options for your daughter. The diving will be high quality and easy enough for a novice diver to handle.

 

I went out on a dive excursion in Belize and to echo the statements made by a previous poster, it's a very long way out. We were so long in returning our dive boat tied up directly alongside the tender which was offloading passengers back onto the ship. I think that probably gave my parents a few extra grey hairs lol

[mystkittsdivebuddy]

You are right to want the safest experience for your daughter while she is diving.

As a dive Instructor, parents often allow me to take their youngsters diving and i consider it an honor that they show so much trust in me.

Can I make a suggestion, you email some dive schools in your ports of call, explain your concerns and book an instructor or divemaster to dive exclusively with her as her buddy. OK this will cost you more but it will give you peace of mind and give her a better dive experience.

I would avoid the ships excursions as these tend to be large groups.

Not all diving in Cozumel is drift diving, you need to ask the dive center. Likewise Belize can mean long boat rides to the reef, you need to ask.

Remember, she has earned her Open Water certification through hard work, she has already proven she is a capable diver. Now she needs to gain experience and the best way to do that is with a dive buddy she can trust.(While of course keeping you from worrying about her safety.)

Enjoy your cruise

[pcmom10]

My DS 17 is also newly OW certified (last summer) but has never ocean dived. I've booked a Discover Scuba for him, my husband (did Discover last year in Grand Cayman) and my other DS 15 (Discover Scuba in pool) & DS 13 (only snorkeled). After research and talking with some friends who dive, Coconut Tree Divers in Roatan was recommended. I've booked through them and they will be sending 2 divers (DM and Instructor) with my husband and 3 DS's. They've also been really good about quick replies via email and even gave me some recommendations on what to do while the guys are gone.

[CaribKng]

We have a cruise planned for end of May with Carnival. My 16 yo daughter is newly PADI OW certified. She just did the Epcot Dive Experience and had no problems-she seems a natural in the water. She is very excited about the dive options on our cruise. Our ports of call are Cozumel, Belize, Grand Cayman, & Roatan, Honduras. Her 1st choice was Belize but with some of my initial research I am not sure about Belize. Then the talk about the currents in Cozumel concern me. We are thinking of diving at least 2 of the ports. My questions are: 1) What are the best/safest ports for her to dive? 2) Best dive shops at the best ports. 3)Since my husband & I are not certified, should we feel safe letting her leave diving without one of of us if we are unable to tag along?

 

I would appreciate any advice from experienced travelers/divers as I want her to have fun but be safe at the same time!!! Thank ya'll so much in advance!

 

I would recommend Grand Cayman and Roatan. I have heard so many good reviews about sunset house. We have tried to get there on three occasions and have missed on all of them. It is supposed to be some of the best diving around. We have dove in Roatan and went with Anthony Keys Resort and would highly recommend them.

 

Good luck with wherever you chose!

[Chucklez]

As of my wife and I last cruise (Sept '11) we were just certified (2 weeks or so). Our first ocean dive was in Caymen diving Devils Grotto. It is a simple shore dive with several coral tubes. We explained to the DM that we were newly certified and he was more than patient with us.

 

Our 2nd and 3rd ocean dive was in Cozumel. Yes it was a drift dive but nothing taxing about it. If anything, drift diving is even simpler than shore diving. Let the current carry you. We went with Pappa Hogs diving. Again, we explained our inexperience and he sent us out with his best DM. I believe it was Columbia Shallows and Palancar Gardens.

 

#1 thing, make sure the DM knows your skill level and they will take you to a location that is commiserate with your experience, wherever the port is.

[ScubaCruiser54]

Grand Cayman and Roatan would be nice dive spots. Your daughter has to remember that she is ultimately responsible for her own safety. As stated above, that means that she needs to notify the operator that she goes with that she is a new diver with no experience in the ocean.

 

The sooner you let them know that, the better. Seems like Capt BJ has had great experience with Sunset. I have dove Cayman numerous times and it has always been pleasant.

 

I have been to Roatan a few times and the big thing there for a new diver is to be aware of the wall diving. It is clear water and gets deep fast if you are not paying attention. I would not recommend the last diver operator I was with in Roatan (West End Divers). It might have been that We had three divers from our cruise ship and three from a local hotel. The divemaster had been diving with the locals before and they decided to make a "salvage dive" on a barge that had sunk with a load of tires in 170 feet of water. We told him we were not going to be making 170 foot recreational dives. He brought us over to the wall and told us to dive until our air ran out. He then put us in a group of three divers and swam off with the other three divers to salvage tires.