I'm traveling to Sal Island in Cape Verde at the end of July and seeking recommendations for dive shops. I'll be staying at the Hilton. I am looking at the following shops: Atlantic Star Diving, Cabo Verde Diving, and Scuba Team Diving Center. I'm an experienced diver with over 1000 dives and hoping to avoid into dives and beginning divers. I've checked the websites for each of these operators and all three give more press to beginning divers. Any recommendations for one operator over the other two?
Question Cape Verde - Sal Island
- Thread starter gwklein
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mortenscuba
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I have dived with Cabo Verde Diving on two trips. One trip was a group-trip and one was with my wife and a friend. On both trips we got to dive all the divesites we wanted. We were really happy with Cabo Verde Diving. Do not remember if there was any beginners on the boat, so I guess it wasnt a problem. The other two dive-operators did not exist when I was there., so I cant compare.
You should definately dive the divesite Choclassa, its the best divesite, wild and with big schools of fish.
I also recommend the cavern dives up north, Regona and Buracona.
You should definately dive the divesite Choclassa, its the best divesite, wild and with big schools of fish.
I also recommend the cavern dives up north, Regona and Buracona.
OP
Thanks for the info. I was supposed to be in Sal this morning but United cancelled my connecting flights in the U.S. Trying to get rebooked but having significant problems with United and TAP Portugal. If I make it to Sal I will check out Cabo Verde Diving.
OP
Just got back from Sal, Cape Verde. Ended up doing 12 day dives and one night dive with Cabo Verde Diving. It was the low season for tourism in Cape Verde and not very many experienced divers on the island. I ended up selecting Cabo Verde Diving because it offered more dives beyond the basic OW dives than most of the other shops CVD offered 3 dives a day. One two-tank trip in the morning and then another one-tank trip in the afternoon that was a very shallow dive that was focused on brand new divers or divers getting certified.
Although CVD has several shops on the island, all divers are transported to the main shop near the town pier from where all dives depart. All dives were on air. Nitrox did not seem readily available on the island. The first morning dive was in the 70-90 foot range for about 40 minutes. The second morning dive was under 60 feet for about 50-60 minutes. CVD had three zodiacs of varying sizes that it uses for snorkeling and diving. The snorkelers are not placed on the same boat as the divers. If there are enough divers, the divers are separated by levels and placed on different zodiacs. If not enough for separate boats, the levels are lead by different guides. All dives began with a back roll entry. Most of the dives were drift dives so you have to keep the guide in sight but your depth was up to you to decide. Gear had to be removed and handed up before reentry by a small to medium ladder depending on the zodiac. On return to the pier, the divers jump off the zodiac and swim/wade to the beach and then walk back to the shop. Your gear is brought back separately by the crew. The shop had rinse tanks and a place to store you gear overnight. The staff were very accommodating, friendly and professional.
As for the actual diving, I was initially disappointed in it, but it grew on me. There are fewer species of coral than the Caribbean and with more sandy (silty) areas than coral areas. The fish life is similar to the Caribbean with schools of snappers, grunts, and jacks. Oddly, there are often schools of trumpetfish and schools of different types of puffers. Moray eels of differing types are plentiful. One or two nurse sharks and stingrays were seen on most dives. Slipper lobsters were more common than spiny lobsters. A few frogfish and a few octopus were also seen. My favorite wildlife were the nudis of which there were many compared to the Caribbean. Finally, since it was egg laying season, there were many loggerhead turtles.
I was not able to make it to caverns on the north side of the island because there were never enough experienced divers to make drive by truck to that end.
Although CVD has several shops on the island, all divers are transported to the main shop near the town pier from where all dives depart. All dives were on air. Nitrox did not seem readily available on the island. The first morning dive was in the 70-90 foot range for about 40 minutes. The second morning dive was under 60 feet for about 50-60 minutes. CVD had three zodiacs of varying sizes that it uses for snorkeling and diving. The snorkelers are not placed on the same boat as the divers. If there are enough divers, the divers are separated by levels and placed on different zodiacs. If not enough for separate boats, the levels are lead by different guides. All dives began with a back roll entry. Most of the dives were drift dives so you have to keep the guide in sight but your depth was up to you to decide. Gear had to be removed and handed up before reentry by a small to medium ladder depending on the zodiac. On return to the pier, the divers jump off the zodiac and swim/wade to the beach and then walk back to the shop. Your gear is brought back separately by the crew. The shop had rinse tanks and a place to store you gear overnight. The staff were very accommodating, friendly and professional.
As for the actual diving, I was initially disappointed in it, but it grew on me. There are fewer species of coral than the Caribbean and with more sandy (silty) areas than coral areas. The fish life is similar to the Caribbean with schools of snappers, grunts, and jacks. Oddly, there are often schools of trumpetfish and schools of different types of puffers. Moray eels of differing types are plentiful. One or two nurse sharks and stingrays were seen on most dives. Slipper lobsters were more common than spiny lobsters. A few frogfish and a few octopus were also seen. My favorite wildlife were the nudis of which there were many compared to the Caribbean. Finally, since it was egg laying season, there were many loggerhead turtles.
I was not able to make it to caverns on the north side of the island because there were never enough experienced divers to make drive by truck to that end.
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