ryanwcollier
New
Dive Report
03-28-2009
My son and I completed our PADI Open Water referral dives in Ixtapa/Zihautanejo. We finished our class work and Confined Water Dives with Salem Scuba (503) 558-DIVE (3483). I chose Ixtapa Aqua Paradise (52) 755 553 1510 after doing significant research. Top of the criteria list was AP receiving PADIÃÔ highest rating for a dive shop. AP also was the only dive shop in Ixtapa/Zihau that provided transportation to and from our hotel.
Our dive master was Miguel. I would recommend him to anyone for their Open Water referral dives. He was professional and thorough. Spoke fluent English. He properly balanced enjoying the dive experience with working on skills until each diver showed their proficiency. For experienced dive groups, AP takes care of everything on the dive boat this is part service, part safety. The experienced dive groups dove with separate dive masters Nadia on the first day, Bebe on the second. Nadia and Bebe reportedly provided great knowledge of the dive sites and local flora and fauna.
We completed our Open Water dives over two days March 19 and 22, 2009. The dive sites were El Zacatosa, Caleta de Chon (both days), and Piedra Solitaria (Solitary Rock). Spanish names sound more mysterious and dangerous. Visibility this time of year in Zihau is apparently at its worst. We had as low as 15-20 feet visibility at El Zacatosa and as much as 40 feet visibility at Piedra Solitaria. But the abundance of live coral and sea life more than made up for the moderate visibility. We found large green moray eels on each of the dives; shortail snake eel; laced moray eel; an abundance of puffer fish and longspine porcupine fish I had never seen them swell up before; a very deadly rock fish; hundreds of skates at Caleta de Chon; an octopus at Piedra Solitaria; and large schools of various kinds, including needlefish and trumpet fish.
AP reports that visibility in January, and the summer months can be 80-100 feet.
We also arranged a private snorkel trip through AP to Playa Manzanillo, 25 minutes by boat south of Zihau. Nadia and Bebe joined us. Playa Manzanillo is in a protected rock bay with an abundance of live coral and sea life at depths between 0-20 feet. The snorkeling was phenomenal well worth the extra trip. The beach is a white sand and coral beach with great rocky areas on the edges for tidepooling. The Catamaran Picante also does booze cruise snorkel trips to Playa Manzanillo for about twice the price on Tuedays and Fridays. If going with AP, avoid those dates.
03-28-2009
My son and I completed our PADI Open Water referral dives in Ixtapa/Zihautanejo. We finished our class work and Confined Water Dives with Salem Scuba (503) 558-DIVE (3483). I chose Ixtapa Aqua Paradise (52) 755 553 1510 after doing significant research. Top of the criteria list was AP receiving PADIÃÔ highest rating for a dive shop. AP also was the only dive shop in Ixtapa/Zihau that provided transportation to and from our hotel.
Our dive master was Miguel. I would recommend him to anyone for their Open Water referral dives. He was professional and thorough. Spoke fluent English. He properly balanced enjoying the dive experience with working on skills until each diver showed their proficiency. For experienced dive groups, AP takes care of everything on the dive boat this is part service, part safety. The experienced dive groups dove with separate dive masters Nadia on the first day, Bebe on the second. Nadia and Bebe reportedly provided great knowledge of the dive sites and local flora and fauna.
We completed our Open Water dives over two days March 19 and 22, 2009. The dive sites were El Zacatosa, Caleta de Chon (both days), and Piedra Solitaria (Solitary Rock). Spanish names sound more mysterious and dangerous. Visibility this time of year in Zihau is apparently at its worst. We had as low as 15-20 feet visibility at El Zacatosa and as much as 40 feet visibility at Piedra Solitaria. But the abundance of live coral and sea life more than made up for the moderate visibility. We found large green moray eels on each of the dives; shortail snake eel; laced moray eel; an abundance of puffer fish and longspine porcupine fish I had never seen them swell up before; a very deadly rock fish; hundreds of skates at Caleta de Chon; an octopus at Piedra Solitaria; and large schools of various kinds, including needlefish and trumpet fish.
AP reports that visibility in January, and the summer months can be 80-100 feet.
We also arranged a private snorkel trip through AP to Playa Manzanillo, 25 minutes by boat south of Zihau. Nadia and Bebe joined us. Playa Manzanillo is in a protected rock bay with an abundance of live coral and sea life at depths between 0-20 feet. The snorkeling was phenomenal well worth the extra trip. The beach is a white sand and coral beach with great rocky areas on the edges for tidepooling. The Catamaran Picante also does booze cruise snorkel trips to Playa Manzanillo for about twice the price on Tuedays and Fridays. If going with AP, avoid those dates.
