My 12 year old daughter has just completed the NAUI course in New York. Her instructor recommended that she complete the certification dive in the Caribbean or Mexico. The water is too cold for her in the Northeast.

We are going to CM Cancun the first week of September. Does CM Cancun offer this certification? She took the NAUI course, but CM offers PADI. Does it make a difference? Do they have an age restriction? What is the cost? Will it be better/cheaper with another scuba shop?

Thanks,
Vicki

CM Cancun no longer has on-site scuba. You can contract with and outside vendor through the excursion desk, but I dont know if they offer the service you mention.

For more info, go here: www.cmcancunreview.com

Thanks Seattle Craig. I will contact some Scuba shops in Cancun.

Hi Vroytman,

Although there is a way to crossover train, it's probably best that your daughter complete her certification through a NAUI facility in Cancun. The reason is that she has already practiced in a pool what is expected of her to perform in the ocean. While the Certification programs of the two agencies are similar and cover most of the same material, the specific tasks are different. You can get the NAUI shop to give you a Universal Referral Form and a PADI Instructor can finish her out but only after verifying that she is ready by an additional pool dive/checkout. This may add some cost. You are probably facing that anyway because any Instructor should verify basic skills before dumping a referral student into the ocean. You just don’t know what you are getting. Being as young as she is though she is probably best off staying with her original training Agency for now. She can always “crossover” later by taking a PADI Advanced class after she obtains her basic Open Water Diver Certification. While you are looking at dive shops over there, don’t ignore the shops in Cozumel. You may take the ferry over to Cozumel, which has awesome diving through that part of the Palancar Reef system there. Have fun on your vacation and dive safe.

DadAlmighty
PADI Instructor Development Course Staff Instructor 81043
DAN Instructor Trainer 12320

Thanks DadAlmighty. This is definitely useful info.

My pleasure Vicki.

Bruce

Hey Dad! Just a quick note to say hello & that it's good to see you back here! Just got back from Columbus and had some FAB diving: saw my first manta ray - scared the h*ll out of me!!!

Trish

Dive now; work later!

Hey, Trish, you forgot to tell him that you're now officially a member of The Reef Police (and you've got the hat to prove it)!
Looking forward to having you back down on San Sal with the rest of the team again next summer....

Adria

Good to hear from both you Trish and Adria! I'm jealous. After all these years, I'm still hat deficient but always committed to the cause. Mantas are wayyyy cool and always, (at least when I have seen them), come out from the blue...do a pass...and back out again. Kinda' like a "swim-by". You don't see them that often though. Cheers to both of you.

Dad...a.k.a.Bruce

Bruce, you've just got to come diving with us again if you want to earn your Reef Police hat! It's that simple...
Come to Columbus Isle next summer. You'll find lots of old friends.

Adria

Vicki, as a mother of 2 divers (now somewhat older than your daughter), and a long-time diver myself, I'd just add to Bruce's sage advice by reminding you to research the credentials & reputation of whichever local dive operator you find to use for your daughter in either Cancun or Cozumel. You want to be sure they are using well-maintained equipment, and whatever boat they use has appropriate safety gear. There are a lot of dive operators who can promise a good time; but you obviously want your daughter to be safe and to feel comfortable with the instructor(s) who will be taking her for her open water dives. These days you can get a lot of information on-line (on trip advisor and various scuba boards) about other folks' experience with whichever dive shop you are considering, in addition to contacting NAUI for referral information. I agree with Bruce that it would be better for her to stick with the NAUI program she's started.
It's been several years since the last time we were diving in either Cancun or Cozumel, but I do remember that the level of professionalism & attention to safety issues varied considerably from one dive operator to another. So see if you can get some recommendations to contact & research well before you head down there.
But you've probably already thought about all this and done your homework.....and I hope you'll be telling us more about your daughter's wonderful diving after you all enjoy your vacation!
Have a great trip!

Adria

Ha ha Adria....you know I was only in it for the candy!....Well......it started that way....I would love to join you next summer in Columbus. Life is in a flux right now for me so we'll see where I am at, closer to that time. Cheers!

Bruce

Thanks Adria. I will definitely do my research prior to the trip.