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Dive Review of Living Underwater/Paradise Condos in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel

Living Underwater/Paradise Condos, Mar, 2013,

by Steven L Mason, MI, US (Reviewer Reviewer 3 reports). Report 6931.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations N/A Food N/A
Service and Attitude N/A Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Jeremy runs a class operation at LU. It's valet diving, they handle everything. Water, snacks, towels and coats on the boat. The boat is fast, safe, clean and well maintained. It has a DAN safety kit and fish ID books on board. They cater to small groups, 8 divers max. Backroll entry and ladder to get back on board. Coz is known for drift since there is almost always current. I suggest bringing a high viz safety sausage just in case you have to make an ascent without the group. Boat traffic is dangerous there. Jeremy uses all steel tanks to extend bottom time and has Nitrox, ask before you arrive. The routine is backroll in together, make sure everyone is ready and descend right away. First dive is 80-90'. Surface interval at a nice shore beach restaurant for over an hour. Bring some cash for soda and a snack. Head back out and dive a 30-60' shallower second dive. All of Jeremys dives are an hour plus. He is slow and methodical underwater and finds tiny pipefish and seahorses and tiny blennies in coral heads that I would never see. He does not watch the time so he can get you on the boat at 1 minute after the hour like many other hour dive operations. We dove two times over 1 1/2 hours since everyone had good air consumption and was an experienced diver. None of our dives was less than 1 hour and 10 minutes. On a couple of dives we had 4 inexperienced younger divers. Rather than mix the group, Jeremy brought another divemaster and split the group. That's a class operation that cares about the divers experience. Jeremy is also an American who moved to Cozumel so he speaks perfect English and Spanish so there are no communications problems or macho divemaster issues. He is not looking to impress anyone with his skills or dives, which is even more impressive. I was most impressed when we dove with him in 2011 and on the first morning dive a dive was bent. Jeremy took full control and handled the situation professionally with no panic. The diver and his entourage argued that they were medical professionals and that he was not bent, it was just bad food. They were older than Jeremy and I thought they might win the argument. Jeremy called ahead for an ambulance and notified the chamber. Then he told them in no uncertain terms that the man was bent and was going to the chamber, end of discussion. The diver was delivered to an ambulance quickly and recovered. I don't know if they ever thanked Jeremy but without his control the result could have been very bad. Nothing says more than seeing someone in a bad situation who handles everything as professionally. I fell safer diving with Jeremy knowing he can handle problems and pressure far better than I could. I have dove with three other Coz operations and none are close to the quality experience that Jeremy offers. If you like to move slowly rather than race to the end of the dive, enjoy being in the underwater environment and appreciating the corals, small stuff and big stuff as it appears to you on a long slow dive LU should be your dive op if you go to Cozumel. It's not the cheapest operation but worth far more than you pay in quality and professional attitude. Diving with LU is relaxing and enjoyable with a first class divemaster. I will be back diving with Jeremy as soon as I can.
Websites Living Underwater   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Grand Turk, Grand Cayman, Florida Keys, Great lakes, Belize Atolls, French Polynesia, St Lucia
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas choppy, currents
Water Temp 67-76°F / 19-24°C Wetsuit Thickness 2
Water Visibility 60-80 Ft/ 18-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions No deco, group stays in proximity, keep profile and air supply to allow for hour plus dives, Marine park so no touch or take.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Fresh rinse tank, crew knows how to handle cameras. They hand you your equipment and take it first when you return to the boat.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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