Cat islands Costa Rica

[JamesBon92007]

We originally asked a travel agent in Costa Rica to arrange a day of diving specifically at the Catalinas, and whichever dive op he contacted required a log book with proof of at least 30 dives to dive the Cats .

I guess I'd better start keeping up with logging my dives just in case someone actually wants to look at my dive log. It hasn't happened yet but last year someone made me put an octopus on my regulator and more recently another DM actually assigned me a dive buddy.

 

[Skb]

Yes that is specifically for the Cat islands. But I'm glad to hear the local dives are good also.

 

[Skb]

We dove with Pacific Coast Dive Center in Flamingo...it was more docile than Coz drift diving, but your experience may vary based on weather as with any given day....

Thanks we have done Cozumel. I guess we will see how the conditions are.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I'm watching the replies to this, since we're doing a family trip to CR in December and ending in Tamarindo for a day of diving. We were told that Catalinas weren't appropriate for the less experienced divers in our group. I may try to squeeze in a trip to Catalinas by myself after a milder dive with the rest of the crew. Rocket Frog divers seems to get lots of solid reviews, but they are a decent drive up from Tamarindo. I was hoping for dive ops right in Tamarindo.

I was staying in Playa Hermosa and Bobbie Jo of Sirenas Diving sent a car from Playas del Coco to pick me up for my dives. As I recall the ride was included in the price of my dives but of course I tipped the driver too. I'm thinking that Tamarindo might not be a whole lot further from Coco than Playa Hermosa is. It might be worth an email to Bobbie Jo.

The one major drawback of Sirenas was there was no place to buy a T-Shirt.

 

[Snoweman]

I dove Catalina with Rocket Frog divers. I wasn't all that impressed with the dive, but the viz was poor due to a hurricane passing through two or three weeks before arrival. I was also surprised at how cold it could be. I dove Cano Island a year or two before and it wasn't too bad. There was a thermocline that could take your breath away, but that seemed more localized than based on depth. Rocket Frog was awesome, and I fully recommend them as a dive company. I hope you have more viz than I did.

 

[flyboy08]

The viz, as explained to me from a local DM was somewhat dependent on California rainfall. When we dove, Cali was in a draught and viz was 100 +. Warmer too.....with the massive amount of rainfall Cali saw this year, I'd be interested to see if this tale is true, or not?

 

[dberry]

I just asked my nephews exactly how many dives they have logged... <10. And by the time we get to CR it will have been ~2 years since their last dive. Sounds like a refresher dive or two will be in order before the Cats are even a consideration.

 

[flyboy08]

I Sounds like a refresher dive or two will be in order before the Cats are even a consideration.

This would be true no matter where you decided to dive IMHO.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I dove Catalina with Rocket Frog divers. .

Where exactly is Rocket Frog located? They have a sign along the main highway in Playa Hermosa which leads you to believe that you will be at their door within a few minutes of walking but on Google Earth they appear to be a couple of towns to the South. I noticed a dive shop in Playa Hermosa but all I remember is that they had a hammerhead logo on their building.

 

[Snoweman]

Where exactly is Rocket Frog located? They have a sign along the main highway in Playa Hermosa which leads you to believe that you will be at their door within a few minutes of walking but on Google Earth they appear to be a couple of towns to the South. I noticed a dive shop in Playa Hermosa but all I remember is that they had a hammerhead logo on their building.

They are in Playa Ocotal, south of Playa Hermosa. Google Maps is spot on with their location.