Caribe Blu shore dive?

[cxg31s]

Hi all, I haven't posted in a WHILE but my hubby and I are headed to Coz April 8-15, staying at Caribe Blu and diving with Blue Angel. I haven't stayed at CB since before Wilma and have never dove with Blue Angel, but we opted for the hotel/diving package for the convenience and the free shore dive tanks.

I'm wondering if anyone has done the shore dive lately and how it's progressing? I know most of the shore diving was reduced to rubble after Wilma, but it's been 2 years so I'm hoping some things have grown up again. We are both photographers, so we are looking forward to hunting for macro subjects.

Also, how is Blue Angel to dive with, especially for photographers? Do they make you come up when the first person is low on air? Do they let photographers "lag" a little as long as you're within sight of the group? Do you jump in with your camera or will they hand it to you?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

 

[ggunn]

Hi all, I haven't posted in a WHILE but my hubby and I are headed to Coz April 8-15, staying at Caribe Blu and diving with Blue Angel. I haven't stayed at CB since before Wilma and have never dove with Blue Angel, but we opted for the hotel/diving package for the convenience and the free shore dive tanks.

I'm wondering if anyone has done the shore dive lately and how it's progressing? I know most of the shore diving was reduced to rubble after Wilma, but it's been 2 years so I'm hoping some things have grown up again. We are both photographers, so we are looking forward to hunting for macro subjects.

Also, how is Blue Angel to dive with, especially for photographers? Do they make you come up when the first person is low on air? Do they let photographers "lag" a little as long as you're within sight of the group? Do you jump in with your camera or will they hand it to you?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

The shore dive at Caribe Blu/Villablanca is not what it once was, but it is recovering. About halfway between the hotels is where you will find most of what is there. Soft corals are recovering faster, and you can spot infant sea fans on some of the heads that are still there.

Blue Angel allows staggered ascent on air consumption and doesn't nanny you at all once they are satisfied that you are competent. They will pass your camera to you in the water (and take it when you hand it up to them at the end) if you want.

 

[underachiever]

Hey Angie,
My wife (who is also named Angie) an I will be arriving at Caribe Blue on April 11th for 10 days. Hope to see you guys there. We have done a couple of shore dives at Caribe Blue. On our first ever shore dive anywhere (it was at Caribe Blue) we saw a spotted Eagle Ray crusing along beside us about 20 feetaway. It was our first Eagle Ray as well. (See Avatar to the left)

To me it is a very good place to practice your photography skills. Some current but not bad. Not a lot of reef life but a good many fish and lots of sea urchins.

Like Gordon said. On the boat dives, they let you dive your air.

Save us a seat on the 12th.

 

[Christi]

Hey Angie,
My wife (who is also named Angie) an I will be arriving at Caribe Blue on April 11th for 10 days. Hope to see you guys there. We have done a couple of shore dives at Caribe Blue. On our first ever shore dive anywhere (it was at Caribe Bule) we saw a spotted Eagle Ray crusing along beside us about 20 feetaway. It was our first Eagle Ray as well.

To me it is a very good place to practice your photography skills. Some current but not bad. Not a lot of reef life but a good many fish and lots of sea urchins.

Like Gordon said. They let you dive your air.

Save us a seat on the 12th.

These two don't really need photography or diving practice. They're both very good, and he is at the professional level of photography, and they are both accomplished and seasoned divers as well.

I did a morning swim from Caribe Blu to Villa Blanca and back about a week and a half ago (with my mask, snorkel and fins) and it was still pretty barren. Lots of Sea Anemone, but that was really about it. I think you're going to be really disappointed in the shore diving anywhere here.

 

[underachiever]

These two don't really need photography or diving practice. They're both very good, and he is at the professional level of photography, and they are both accomplished and seasoned divers as well.

I did a morning swim from Caribe Blu to Villa Blanca and back about a week and a half ago (with my mask, snorkel and fins) and it was still pretty barren. Lots of Sea Anemone, but that was really about it. I think you're going to be really disappointed in the shore diving anywhere here.

The OP ask for ANY feedback. So I tried to provide.

But I truly do appreciate you letting me know that me response was useless for them.:mooner:

Whether that was your intent or not.

 

[Moodiejeff]

Hi all, I haven't posted in a WHILE but my hubby and I are headed to Coz April 8-15, staying at Caribe Blu and diving with Blue Angel. I haven't stayed at CB since before Wilma and have never dove with Blue Angel, but we opted for the hotel/diving package for the convenience and the free shore dive tanks.

Wow Angie... It has been a looong time! Hubby (that's new), Seattle (new also, goes with the hubby?), Blue Angel (hmmm, that's an odd one but I won't pry)

We've stayed at Caribe Blu a few times since Wilma but haven't done the shore dive. Usually we're too wrecked after all the boat diving... but of course we usually get pampered with 3 or 4 tanks by our favorite dive op.

I hope you didn't book with Blue Angel just for the shore diving, sounds like you'll be a bit disappointed in that regard... (and for the record for the rest of you, I am NOT taking a swipe at Blue Angel, just commenting on the shore dive) but Caribe Blu is the same awesome place you know from before, with a few new improvements.

Congrats on all the new things in your life, it would be nice to run into you again sometime!!!

 

[Christi]

The OP ask for ANY feedback. So I tried to provide.

But I truly do appreciate you letting me know that me response was useless for them.:mooner:

Whether that was your intent or not.

Um no, that was not my intent...an erroneous conclusion on your part.

I was paying a compliment to to OP, who I've known for many years and also trying to give her honest feedback on the shore dive as I know her diving style and what she likes. To a new diver the shore dive is fine, but based on her experience, etc. I am quite sure she'll be disappointed in the shore dive there.

 

[underachiever]

Um no, that was not my intent...an erroneous conclusion on your part.

I was paying a compliment to to OP, who I've known for many years and also trying to give her honest feedback on the shore dive as I know her diving style and what she likes. To a new diver the shore dive is fine, but based on her experience, etc. I am quite sure she'll be disappointed in the shore dive there.

My most humble apologies. I guess the fact that you quoted my response and then made your remark led me the erroneous conclusion.

Angie, please disregard my futile attempt at making a suggestion about the shore diving at Caribe Blue. Since I did not know your diving style and your photography experience I had no business trying to tell what we saw and experienced on our shore dives. Hope we can buy you and your husband a beer at the Rendez Blue in April.

Christi says you will be disappointed. Enough said.

 

[ggunn]

My most humble apologies. I guess the fact that you quoted my response and then made your remark led me the erroneous conclusion.

Angie, please disregard my futile attempt at making a suggestion about the shore diving at Caribe Blue. Since I did not know your diving style and your photography experience I had no business trying to tell what we saw and experienced on our shore dives. Hope we can buy you and your husband a beer at the Rendez Blue in April.

Christi says you will be disappointed. Enough said.

Christi's report notwithstanding, there is a scattering of small coral heads out there where you can zoom in and find some tiny stuff. It's nothing like Columbia Shallows, of course, but it's not completely barren. I found a few flamingo tongues out there on some surviving (though a bit battered) fans last May, too.

 

[Christi]

My most humble apologies. I guess the fact that you quoted my response and then made your remark led me the erroneous conclusion.

Angie, please disregard my futile attempt at making a suggestion about the shore diving at Caribe Blue. Since I did not know your diving style and your photography experience I had no business trying to tell what we saw and experienced on our shore dives. Hope we can buy you and your husband a beer at the Rendez Blue in April.

Christi says you will be disappointed. Enough said.

Don't take this out of context. Of course you have the right to give your opinions. You're not expected to know others diving styles, etc. I was simply filling that part in for the benefit of others who may wish to post feedback for them...this information would be helpful. It had nothing to do with you.

Some peoples "great" is another person's "it was terrible." Knowing some background helps others provide more useful informative information.

I have logged many dives with Angie, and dove and traveled with her and her husband and therefore have a little more insight as to what their hopes/expectations may be for a shore dive...which is why I chimed in to give them my feedback.

As far as me quoting your post, it's a habit...and at the time I started writing my post (I was sidetracked for a few minutes), your's was the last post (Jeff's wasn't up yet)...so I simply hit quote.