Great Scuba Diving Weekend in Mexico!

[Laurie S.]

I went down to San Carlos over the weekend (actually Friday through Monday) and had a terrific time diving. Earned my Advanced Open Water certification and started training to become a Divemaster. I wasn't planning on doing that just yet, but got a very lucky connection with a divemaster/instructor down there. I did two dives on Sunday as an Assistant Divemaster and he loaded me down with tons of study materials. It will take a while because I can only get down there every six to eight weeks or so, but in the meantime, I can really get familiar with the study materials.

During the dives, we saw a whale shark, which scared the you know what out of us until we figured out what that huge dark thing was swimming right next to us just as we got off the boat, petted an octopus, and downed a few beers. Good times!

 

[cobra269]

Who did you dive with? I go to San Carlos every year an am looking for a good dive shop. Did you make it to the island? Also would like to know cost. I'll be there for a wk in Oct.

 

[Jax]

San Carlos :daydreaming:

Check out Protech Scuba in Sierra Vista - they have a dive boat, "Shark Dives II" that makes the Island in 50 minutes!

Protech Scuba
ProTech Scuba
370 East Fry Boulevard
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635-1819
(520) 508-3483

 

[Laurie S.]

Who did you dive with? I go to San Carlos every year an am looking for a good dive shop. Did you make it to the island? Also would like to know cost. I'll be there for a wk in Oct.

I went with Gary's Dive Shop this time and will be giving them all my business in the future. It's a great bunch of people and they provide some great dives. They do have a website with all their prices. The best part is that you won't get a cattle boat with them. I've been diving previously with Ocean Sports and after two bad experiences will never use them again.

 

[gus055]

Where did you see the whale shark ?

I was diving in the San Carlos area on the 18th and 19th.

 

[Laurie S.]

It was at San Antonio Point.

 

[cobra269]

Anyone dove with El Mar. Just received an email from them with prices. Best prices I've seem so far. 2 tank island dive $99, local dive $79. Add $15 total for BC and Reg rental. 2 tank shore dive with all equipment and DM $60.

 

[Laurie S.]

I've seen their store, but not any of their boats. Haven't heard anything about them.

 

[diversteve]

El Mar has a 36' Newton dive boat so it's not quite the cattle run that you often get with Ocean Sports. El Mar takes 20 max.

The Ocean Spirit is a 46' dive boat and I've seen divers falling off it for a very long time - I think it's 36 max. We try to go where they're not at the island. Nothing personal - the fish seem to be more prevalent where there's no classes/etc. being taught. A buddy of mine likes the Ocean Spirit...

The standing joke is that Gary's has old boats and old slow boats. Although the last time we dove with them, we made good time to San Pedro on one of the older boats - about 10 of us over a weekend in October. I'm not panning Gary's, we had a couple of great dives, they took us where we wanted to go (looking for hammerheads) and caught lunch while we were gone - fish tacos..

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[Laurie S.]

He's been selling the older boats. The one I was on moved along pretty quickly. I've been on Ocean Spirit three different weekends, including my OW certification. They may "only" put 36 divers on the boat, but they'll add other riders and snorklers. After being on Gary's for just the one weekend, they have my business from now on. In February, when I was on Ocean Spirit, the camera bucket broke. In May, they still hadn't replaced it. What's so hard about putting water in a wastebasket? And, since last November, they've never been able to fill nitrox tanks.