Aldora Divers

Getting Scuba Certified at Aldora Divers

Aldora Divers is a PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) Gold Palm Resort Operator and as such adheres to the highest standards of professionalism of the world’s largest certifying agency. The basic level of scuba certification that we can give to our clients is the PADI Open Water Diver rating. This trains you in the knowledge and skills needed to safely enjoy the underwater experience. There are three aspects of that training, they are: Academics; Confined Water (usually pool) Training; Open Water Training.

Academics

The guide to understanding the physics and procedures needed to safely dive is found in the PADI Open Water Diver Manual. Your instructor will ask you to read that manual and then in a class room environment discuss each section followed by quizzes and a final exam. Successful completion of the academics is a requisite for the certification.

Confined water

The confined water, or pool portion of the course will teach the skills needed to safely advance to the final portion of the course. These will include the ability to perform all necessary tasks such as removing and replacing a mask underwater, removal and replacement of gear, ditching of weights, and many other skills.

Open Water

In the Open Water Training the student will dive in a real underwater environment under the close observation of a PADI Instructor who will check all skills that should have been gained in the confined water training, providing remedial training if necessary. In addition several new skills will be practiced such as emergency swimming ascents and navigation. There are four open water dives required to complete the certification.

While virtually all PADI operations will meet high standards, we at Aldora Divers have our own which tend to make the training more enjoyable, and in the opinion of some, make those being certified by Aldora, safer and more comfortable divers when they leave.

First off, we strongly believe that the academics and confined water portions of the certification course is best accomplished at home before coming to Cozumel. Local shops or independent instructors can do that job and provide a letter of referral, letting us provide the fun part in our warm, clear, non-threatening waters. That way no vacation time will be wasted reading books our doing mask on, mask off in a pool! This will be discussed further.

However, we know that it can get pretty busy prior to vacation time and we can do the complete certification, but in a special way. Primarily, PADI allows up to four students to be in the water with one instructor but Aldora will take no more than 2 students for each instructor. That way, more time can be spent with each student and it is much easier for the instructor to watch out for the safety of them both. Also, since we do our confined water training in the ocean and we have more time, the student can also take underwater tours enjoying the beauty and getting prepared for the four open water dives which will be boat dives—not boring sandy bottom beach dives. The full certification takes at least 3-4 days and including all gear the cost is $425.

Referral Certification at Aldora Divers

Those who perform the academics and pool training prior to arrival in Cozumel, bringing a letter of referral verifying successful completion, are approaching this in exactly the right way. There is just no sense in doing pool work or academics while on vacation. I will try to explain the unique way that Aldora Divers conducts the referral certification with four open water dives.

First off, we are a PADI Gold Palm Resort operation (that means we are top notch in PADI’s evaluation) and follow all PADI standards. And yes, we do accept referral letters from most accreditation agencies. All you have to do is bring a referral letter attesting to your accomplishments in the pool and academics then perform the four open water dives with us while demonstrating certain important skills.

Now, most operations can do the same to the letter of the requirements…but that is not the most enjoyable way to get the certification, nor the best way to become a good safe diver. They usually do beach dives on boring sandy bottoms for limited periods of time, and frequently with lots of other folks ( PADI allows up to 4 student divers per instructor) and that precludes much one on one time, or attention to safety from the instructor. Just check the skills and get out of the water is the most common way. Yep, you get the certification but little is done to enhance the truly important skills such as buoyancy control and comfort level--which comes only with time in the water. Aldora Divers has a different way.

At Aldora Divers we believe that those four open water dives should be part of the Cozumel experience, not short and boring beach dives just to get the certification document. To that end we take all of our divers out on boat dives, real boat dives on real Cozumel reefs…but in a carefully controlled environment. Normally it is one-on-one with a Master PADI instructor who speaks perfect English. Our self-imposed maximum is two students per instructor so that we can carefully monitor for safety and provide a high quality tour following the skill checks.

You see, given that we use high capacity tanks with 50% more air than anyone else in Cozumel, we can check skills in just a few minutes then the rest of the full hour is spent touring the reef and enjoying the best that Cozumel has to offer. Not only is this extra time wonderful and exciting but it gives the novice diver the opportunity to gain buoyancy control and become comfortable. This way, on certification our divers are comfortable and ready for much more exciting dives. Typically, those who do referral certifications with Aldora leave much better qualified (read safer!) divers—plus they have enjoyed the best of Cozumel while at it!

Cost for the Referral Certification is $275. That includes all dive equipment and represents just $52 more than four open water boat dives would be without any training?

Aldora PADI Plus Refresher Course

For Certified divers who have been out of the water for extended periods, or just want the reassurance of being updated and checked one on one by a PADI Master Scuba Trainer, Aldora Divers of Cozumel now offers a personalized program we call the PADI Plus Refresher Course.

The course will be conducted at the beautiful Villa Aldora which has the only salt water training pool in Cozumel. The Refresher Course will be personalized for each individuals needs but will include the following as a minimum:

Review of Basic Academics from the PADI Open Water Diver Manual

Decompression Theory and Dive Computer Use

Demonstration and mastering of the PADI Confined Water Skills in the training pool.

Focus on Buoyancy Control and breathing techniques

Open Water dive from the beach at the Villa Aldora.

It is expected that the total time for the course will be about 4 hours and could be accomplished on the day of arrival. The cost, including all materials and dive gear as needed is $150 for one, $225 for two divers.

After the course the diver should be confident and comfortable--ready for almost any dive site in Cozumel.