Cuba for Jul - Aug

[Lawrence Debono]

I'm planning to go to Cuba for the summer and I need to know some important things. The wife is happy by staying by the pool sipping margaritas but I rather spend the time breathing compressed gases under water.

- I'll be dragging my gear with me.
- I'd like to do dives 25m and deeper.
- If they got trimix diving I'll go for one or two (TDI cert).

> How would the sea condition be around Jul - Aug?
> Which part of the island should I go to?
> Should I stick with the local diving stores or the hotel diving setup?
> What sites should I ask to visit?
> What would the cost of renting tanks and lead be?
> Is nitrox common to find in Cuba?

Thank you

Lawrence Debono

 

[karimes]

Me and my girl friend spent 3 weeks around Cuba last December, mainly on Maria La Gorda, Isla De la Juvented and Trinidad.

I´ve understood that southern/western Isla and Maria La Gorda are the best sites in Cuba.. If I´d go to Cuba again, I´d choose Maria La Gorda. Not because of diving, but the resort is nice and food is eatable. Do not get me wrong, but It´s very easy get a food poisoning in Cuba, even in good resorts/hotels..

It´s definetly not a problem to go under 25m in Cuba. Especially in Isla (Hotel Colonny) they use to do two dives per day, and the first one was a deep one, usually more than 40m for everyone, even if you are just a novice.. Many "vacation divers", if you know what I mean, had big problems with buoyance and air comsumption. One time a brazilian couple came to surface straight from the 40m..

I`d forget to dive with Nitrox and Trimix there.. And it´s just waste of the money.. You´ll dive there max. 3 dives per day, so it´s not because of surface time.

Prob. you have no choice to choose in which company you are going to dive. All guides work for goverment and they are navy divers.. They look lazy ( as everyone there , but are real professionals..

As in every communistic country, you can get everything you want, if you show some extra money.. The ordinary payment isn´t enough. Sad, but true..

For europen diver it was quite cheap to dive there because of cheap dollar. It cost about 20-25$ / dive..

Hope this helped a little bit..

Where you going to stay? Renting a car would be a good option..

cheers,
Kari
Espoo, Finland

I'm planning to go to Cuba for the summer and I need to know some important things. The wife is happy by staying by the pool sipping margaritas but I rather spend the time breathing compressed gases under water.

- I'll be dragging my gear with me.
- I'd like to do dives 25m and deeper.
- If they got trimix diving I'll go for one or two (TDI cert).

> How would the sea condition be around Jul - Aug?
> Which part of the island should I go to?
> Should I stick with the local diving stores or the hotel diving setup?
> What sites should I ask to visit?
> What would the cost of renting tanks and lead be?
> Is nitrox common to find in Cuba?

Thank you

Lawrence Debono