DiveGuides (GOOD OR BAD???)

[@CaseyKlaus]

Great teachable moment having your daughter tip her guide. I enjoyed watching her reaching her hand out to shake his. Speaks to her confidence and maturity.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Casey Klaus, glad you liked the video. Its amazing watching her mature as a diver.

[@NCLong]

I loved diving that wreck! When I got to Cozumel, I asked the dive shop to put me with experienced and /or dive professionals. It was great to dive with very experienced people and be able to go to places that they don't take a majority of divers.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

The C53 was a beautiful wreck NCLong, and we enjoyed it as well.

[@Sharon-wh9hw]

That looks like an amazing dive 😬👍🏼👍🏼 thank you for the information on dive guides 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Sharon Blankenship, the dives there are amazing. Glad you like the video.

[@thomasw5430]

The trip looked great. As a solo traveler and someone who really hates the insta dive buddy, I usually hire my own guide. I like it a lot. Works out better for me. At times, I’ve been invited to go diving with them at spots they don’t go to with the tours due to difficulty.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Thomas W, you make a great point as well. A lot of times the private Dive Guides will take you to the spots they normally don't take bigger groups. Its a great way to see less dived areas.

[@mxaexm]

Thank you for this video. I totally agree with you. Next time I go to Cozumel, I will make sure to hire Jorge.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

He did an amazing job Michal M. Both my daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed diving with him.

[@HikingXCSkiing]

One thing I noticed that has concerned me when diving with younger divers is that it seems their fins are going constantly. I also noticed it in this video, so I was wondering why this happens or if there is any reason for concern? Your daughter’s fins were going just like my son’s fins. Dive guides are great. It is awesome to watch a dive guid lead your buddy and you just follow along for the ride knowing they saw it first.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello HikingXCSkiing, If you have seen our previous videos with her, you will see she typically has great trim. We also have several short clips on our Instagram showing her true abilities. In regards to this video, this was her very first ocean dive, so she was very nervous. It took her a few dives to get dialed in. By the end of the week, she was putting her dear old dad to shame.

[@souswes]

My biggest fear is ruining other peoples experiences. When I was in my first 30 or so dives and somewhere new I’d always hire a pro guide. No chance of being with a bad buddy, and no one is going to have to abort their dive before they are ready. It’s always worth the extra cash. I tip them separately from the boat crew. Usually a 20 in the jar for the captain and mates, another 20-30 for my guide depending on how much trouble I caused

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello souswes, I completely understand where you are coming from. Even from an Instructor's point of view, if I have a group of students on a charter, that also has other divers that are not part of our group, I will always let the other divers have priority. They usually get the best seats and are usually the first ones to get into the water. The reason is, they paid to be there and should not be held up by my students or myself teaching. Now to remedy this, I will usually pay for a private charter for my students, but this is not always possible.

[@mikkosport2300]

Excellent advices. Hiring private guide and diving in a very small group is really luxus. Also I like the behaviour of you daughter. What a person! However I am a bit disapointed about her skill level (even she is only 10). Having well over 100 dives under her belt her kicking and poisture are awful!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Mikko Sport, I have to agree with you, but these were her first ocean dives, and in a current of that magnitude. All of her dives previously were done in either a lake, quarry, or freshwater spring. Up until this point, she has always had a fear of sharks and other large predators. It took her most of the week to get dialed in. Once she had made around 10 dives in Mexico, she was back to her normal diving abilities.

[@Biodoc100]

Excellent discussion!!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thanks Chris O, glad you liked the video.

[@davidressler9316]

So i would assume you took the video. What kind of camera do you use? Great video

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello David Ressler, on this specific dive, I am using an I-Phone XS Max in a SeaLife Sport Diver Housing. Stay tuned to February 4th, as we have our review on the SeaLife Sport Diver coming out. In that video, we will show you the features of the housing, and how to set it up.

[@davidressler9316]

@@LakeHickoryScuba well the video is very good

[@johnc1848]

Cinzia BArito does an amazing job in her photography she migrates from boat to boat with Dive Paradise if you are lucky enough to have her join your dive. She is easy to spot, dirty bling Italian girl with lots of camera gear.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello John C, we know Cinzia BArito very well. Some of our recent photos on our Instagram page was taken by her.

[@johnc1848]

@@LakeHickoryScuba if she made a video post it for us

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hey John, she did make a slide show for us that will be featured in a future video. Stay tuned.

[@timgosling6189]

There is no downside to having someone with you that knows the divesite. And if you're worried about being treated like a newbie, look at it from their point of view. To earn their respect, show them you have the appropriate skills and attitude. And if you are actually a newbie, use their skills and attitude to improve your own diving.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

That is a great way to look at it Tim Gosling. Even a Salty Old Instructor like myself can always learn from others to improve my own abilities.

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

Good dive guides can make or break a dive. I have had excellent dive guide unfortunately I have had an experience of a dive guide that made my dive a bad experience I will give the facility another chance.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Ivory Johnson, I too have had a bad experience with a Dive Guide before. But like you, I did not hold it against the facility, just the Dive Guide.