AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Trip Reports Dive Report: Diving with protech

I'll be down in June and I was expecting to dive with Protech, based mostly on the availability of Nitrox. Are they the only outfit that has nitrox? Or do other dive ops get their EANx fills from Protech as well? At any rate I've heard excellent things about them, Amigos and Gaz and hopefully I'll be able to try a couple different outfits while I'm there.

Gaz is right, owning your own business is a difficult task and it does look like people like to bash and pump up their favorite dive shop. I've traveled a lot and once stayed at the #1 hotel in all of Toronto and in Mexico City (D.F.) for holiday. These hotels were excellent, "perfect" as can be, but I still found flaws, minor, but flaws. To say Amigos was a perfect 10 in everything I find hard to belive. When I come back in September, maybe I will do one dive with them and see their operation, but I am sure I can find a flaw in it, as that's why I do for a living, find flaws and help engineering correct them.

As for Peter not knowing about the problem, unless the owner is there 24/7, it is impossible to know every minute detail of what happens. As an owner, there are more responsibilites than just being a face in the front office (or dive shop). There are bills, procurments, paperwork, capital budgeting and many other tasks that need to be performed. Obviously the girl you delt with who treated you poorly won't go to Peter and say "I treated this customer poorly so he isn't happy with us", she's going to try to hide this mistake. In the end, Peter has rectified the problem by refunding the money and letting the front desk girl go. All-in-all, your diving experiences were fun and safe, that's the most important. I've heard stories about some dive operations that make you wonder how they are still in business. I can only state my experience which was an A grade, and others on here have rated ProTech the same. Go by the majority of ratings and what people say, not some hyped up "Dive Amigos, they are the best in the world" postings. In the past couple months, a few dive magazines have mentioned Belize and not one of them mentioned Amigos, the Ultimate Dive Shop in the World. We're all adults and make out own choices, but my philosophy is, always try a 2nd time. If the 2nd time is as bad or worse than the 1st, then never go back. Every chef (in this case front desk) has their off days, so let statistics play it's course.

And to answer the question about Nitrox, I believe ProTech sells to other dive shops, as I saw people wheeling empty 80's in a pull cart back to ProTech, making me belive ProTech supplies Nitrox to all the other dive shops. That's another thing, if the other dive shops didn't trust ProTech, they would not buy Nitrox off of them, they would invest their own money into the machinery, but since he is a quality shop, they feel safe purchasing the Nitrox from him rather than investing the capital into their own Nitrox machinery.

If I were left at the dock, I'd been really mad,especially only getting to dive 1-2x per year.
That being said I think Peter has really stepped up not charging. Of course he won't know what happened. Employees don't tell management when they make mistakes or otherwise (see Enron, Worldcom etc.) I have used Pro Tech, and Amigos, no real problems with either, would have nit picks about both, (Pro-tech have dm's help your people that need it back in the boat, Amigo's taking people with 5 dives under their belt to the Blue Hole? Oh well not my problem). Overall I think Peter really stood up, and knowing he will respond to problems makes me want to use them again.

I have to step in and say that a similar thing happened to me with Protech. On one of the mornings I thought they were supposed to pick me up they did not. I didn't winge about it, I got on a bicycle and cycled with my stuff. No big deal. I had a great time and everything was absolutely safe. I would go back despite the mistake. Personally, if I had a gripe with the company I would have given the owner the opportunity to rectify it before slagging them off on a forum. Mistake's happen. Owners are not psychic and do not know when things have gone wrong unless people bring it directly to their attention. I met Peter and he is a sweetie. I have no doubt that had you complained to him directly either during your stay or upon your return, he would have had no hesitation in putting things right as he has shown here. I'm sure Amigos are good too and I will give them a try, but I think it is a bit unfair on businesses in Belize, who all struggle to get by, not to give them a chance to put things right before airing the dirty laundry in public. Just my humble opinion of course.

The Blue Hole is not for new divers and Peter recommended not to dive the blue hole. Now that I have 18 dives under my belt and his staff could see my ability while diving the various Canyons, they know if I can do the Blue Hole. Maybe after I get my Deep Diver and Adv. Nitrox (doing the class together), I'll want to try the Blue Hole.

Another thing, when I see something I don't like, I usually tell the person in charge or owner. It doesn't mean I am complaining and looking for something in return, but if no one tells them they are doing something wrong or something they'd like to see done, the company doesn't know; the owners can't read minds. Just be nice, respectful and clearly state your objections and observations. Constructive critisim is what's needed, not bickering and complaining.

I was at a Don Pablo's resturaunt while in college eating dinner with a friend. The meal was probably $25 total and we ate there at least once a week, if not twice (long story). After the meal, the manager came up to us, asked us how the meal was and in a calm and sincere voice replied "Honestly, it was the worst prepared meal we've had here. We are in here all the time but this time the tamales were dry, the flautas were a little cold (and mentioned a couple other things), but the service was excellent as usual." I was expecting to pay the meal, it wasn't a horrible meal, just less than what I was used to. The manager went to the cashier and said the meal was on the house, so instead of paying $25 for the meal and $5 for the tip, we each left a $5 tip for the server ($10 tip). The waiter still deserved his tip and since we got the meal for free, left him some extra cash. If people acted like that on a regular basis, there wouldn't be the need to flame companies on posting boards such as this. As we can see (besides the one person hyping Amigos to a Godly level who might have other motives) others have said it was a pleasent experience diving with ProTech.

My experience happened to be what I was expecting. Good boat crew who helped us with the gear getting off and onto the boat, fresh bags of water in coolers, anti-fog for the masks and asked us where we had gone and what sites we'd like to see. When I dove in Cancun and Cozumel, I loved the bottles of Coke (made with pure sugar ) in addition to water on the boat, but we were unable to pick the sites, they chose for us where to dive. Every operation is different, all I can say is that I plan on using ProTech again. If i didn't feel comfortable using them, I wouldn't plan on getting Nitrox, Deep Diver and Adv. Nitrox with them. My life is in their hands and that's what matters the most.

All I was saying about Amigos is that I have been with them 5 times in 2 years and EVERYTIME they were amazing, and scored a 10. I have been with others in town, scoring about a 7. Amigos has never let me down.

ke: Please list all other dive Co's that you've been with and their ratings, so that we can better compare. Seems that you are an expert and have much to offer.

Hi Jesse,
I am definately no expert and certainly did not mean to get myself in any trouble here. If I upset you by my rating Amigos highly, I certainly did not intent to. I am not sure if you were sarcastic or serious. Is your house still available for rent?

pedro 2 ,what a nice reply to jfabes post ..In my youth in brookln they would say on what you said, [you are a stand up guy and you did the right thing ] thats a high class complement for you .. would like to meet you personally and buy you a drink when I am down next month , as you are a man of character ..And your actions show you can talk the talk and walk the walk and that you care for people.. good for you.......

I am confused, I don't think I flamed anybody. to WillDiveForBeer, how do you know, with 18 dives under your belt, who is a good operator, and who is not? I said I have no problem with Pro-tech, any problem I did have I expressed to them. There are alot of ops out there all over the world, each do it a little differently, somethings I like, some I don't. Somethings are expected in some area of the world, while others are not. trying diving in offshore in NC, the only thing you get is a ride, no water, no cookies, no towels, here we are, jump off and go. And oh yeah don't mess up, it's 4 hours back, and the Coast Guard used up there trip here last week.
I said before I think Pete stood up. One of the problems is we work on 830 pick up means 825, 830 I am nervous, 835 I'm in a panick, 840 I am going nuts. Island time 830 is 840 or maybe 845 no worries, so we have a hard time adjusting to this attitude. That said, missing a pick up is bad.
did you ever think that the reason Pro-tech told you not to go to the Blue Hole, is because they would have had to referred you out, and you might have discovered an other operator you like better? Maybe, I don't know, but makes sense to me.