PADI in Punta Cana

[Box22]

My wife and I just returned from DR Punta Cana. We completed our PADI open water dive certification there. My advice, now from experience, is be careful. We scheduled six dives 2 at Catalina and 2 at Bayahibe. Last dive was on the Atlantic Princess. Those 4 dives went great. The issue for us was the first 2 open water dives we ever did was scheduled by the dive shop for Bavaro Beach on the Atlantic side. The wind had been blowing for 3 days at 20 mph. We ASSumed we would be on a 30+ foot dive boot and in some sore of bay. We ended up in a 18 ft. beach skiff with one other diver, the instructor, a boat hand running a 75hp tiller steer motor.

The short story is we motored out about a half mile, ended up in six foot seas (I have a 27ft boat on a great lake so I know) dumping over the side using weight belts (having never dived with them)...in my opinion it was not safe and there was no option if there was any kind of issue. No radio or other equipment on board. We passed a couple required skills, 40 minutes, max depth 40 ft. and made it back on the boat over the side using the beached whale technique. Somehow did not get hit by the bow of the boat pitching 8 feet in the air.

Once back on the boat, the boat hand quickly switched tanks and the instructor said go back in less than 5 minutes. I called no mas for almost the first time in my life! We had very detailed discussions with the dive shop before we made the next 4 dives.

The water was warmer than in New York for sure!

 

[TX_TC]

My wife and I just returned from DR Punta Cana. We completed our PADI open water dive certification there. My advice, now from experience, is be careful. We scheduled six dives 2 at Catalina and 2 at Bayahibe. Last dive was on the Atlantic Princess. Those 4 dives went great. The issue for us was the first 2 open water dives we ever did was scheduled by the dive shop for Bavaro Beach on the Atlantic side. The wind had been blowing for 3 days at 20 mph. We ASSumed we would be on a 30+ foot dive boot and in some sore of bay. We ended up in a 18 ft. beach skiff with one other diver, the instructor, a boat hand running a 75hp tiller steer motor.

The short story is we motored out about a half mile, ended up in six foot seas (I have a 27ft boat on a great lake so I know) dumping over the side using weight belts (having never dived with them)...in my opinion it was not safe and there was no option if there was any kind of issue. No radio or other equipment on board. We passed a couple required skills, 40 minutes, max depth 40 ft. and made it back on the boat over the side using the beached whale technique. Somehow did not get hit by the bow of the boat pitching 8 feet in the air.

Once back on the boat, the boat hand quickly switched tanks and the instructor said go back in less than 5 minutes. I called no mas for almost the first time in my life! We had very detailed discussions with the dive shop before we made the next 4 dives.

The water was warmer than in New York for sure!

Can you / will you mention the business??

 

[Box22]

I am not going to mention the business. Maybe our perspective on the ordeal is wrong? There are great positive recommendations in this thread I would follow those, and don't plan your first dive on the Atlantic side of the DR.

 

[noj3333]

First off, my experience was similar to that of @Box22. With facing the Atlantic Ocean I'd guess Punta Cana is prone to rough seas. That, with the fact your likely diving off a smaller boat can make getting back on board difficult. Similar to that, the shop's have a limited number of days to certify divers, and I'd imagine they take risks and cut corners... it's common throughout the industry from what I've read (not that it should be, but it is)...

The boat Pelcino Sports used was smaller, and had a regular outboard motor... noting fancy, it pulls up into 3-4 feet of water, you wade out and climb in, there's no dock. The instructor we had was a German man, he was nice, and spoke good English. With the turnover that's common in the industry I doubt he's still there, but who knows, without checking my C-Card I wouldn't remember his name. The owner was easy to work with, and seemed very vested in his business, we chatted about air quality (from his compressor), and the general nature of life on the island.

Overall, I was recommend them. People aren't flocking to Punta Cana to dive. In my opinion it's more of an after thought, or add on to a pre-planned vacation. If you have the time, money, and desire Key Largo is a much better location to get certified, but that's a totally different conservation...

Lastly, I did not dive Catalina, but I'd guess it's better then Punta Cana... I think in all the diving I've done Punta Cana was the worst... I'd rate it a 3/10, and it'd be lower, except the water was warm...

 

[Addicted2H2O]

Just out of curiosity, if you've already done your classroom and pool sessions, why wouldn't you do your checkout dives at Windy Point? I know the water isn't going to be anywhere near the quality of what you'll be diving in PC, but it will allow you to get your certification out of the way and then spend that extra time actually enjoying your dives on vacation. There's much to be said for diving Texas lakes with crappy vis and cold water. If you can dive those conditions....you can dive just about anywhere. Of course if you think you and your wife would feel much more comfortable in warmer, bluer waters, then that's your best bet. I just think skills developed under lesser conditions make for better divers in optimal conditions.

 

[TX_TC]

Just out of curiosity, if you've already done your classroom and pool sessions, why wouldn't you do your checkout dives at Windy Point? I know the water isn't going to be anywhere near the quality of what you'll be diving in PC, but it will allow you to get your certification out of the way and then spend that extra time actually enjoying your dives on vacation. There's much to be said for diving Texas lakes with crappy vis and cold water. If you can dive those conditions....you can dive just about anywhere. Of course if you think you and your wife would feel much more comfortable in warmer, bluer waters, then that's your best bet. I just think skills developed under lesser conditions make for better divers in optimal conditions.

That's a reasonable question. We do live in the area, and that's not completely out of the question, but we kinda wanted to get the certification finished while we were on vacation. Most of our weekends are taken up. We have been diving 4 times before, but are not certified. I was planning on doing the online training before arrival in Punta Cana. I've been talking to about 3 different businesses, but currently Ultra Marine Divers, on the Caribbean side is kinda leading the race to grab my money. (LOL)

 

[Addicted2H2O]

That's a reasonable question. We do live in the area, and that's not completely out of the question, but we kinda wanted to get the certification finished while we were on vacation. Most of our weekends are taken up. We have been diving 4 times before, but are not certified. I was planning on doing the online training before arrival in Punta Cana. I've been talking to about 3 different businesses, but currently Ultra Marine Divers, on the Caribbean side is kinda leading the race to grab my money. (LOL)

Even with doing the online training before you go, though, you'll spend at least two days getting your certification. One day in the pool (at least) and one day in open water, assuming you can get 4 dives in that day. If that's okay with you, then by all means go for it! Me personally.....I'd want to take all the time I had on location and spend it actually diving. But, too, if you say your weekends are already spoken for, then maybe doing it all in PC is your best option. Certainly not a bad way to do it.

 

[TX_TC]

Even with doing the online training before you go, though, you'll spend at least two days getting your certification. One day in the pool (at least) and one day in open water, assuming you can get 4 dives in that day. If that's okay with you, then by all means go for it! Me personally.....I'd want to take all the time I had on location and spend it actually diving. But, too, if you say your weekends are already spoken for, then maybe doing it all in PC is your best option. Certainly not a bad way to do it.

Yes sir. That's what I thought, and what I've been told, but we'll be on vacation, in the Caribbean, and LOVE diving....there's a whole lot worse things to be doing!

 

[TX_TC]

Anyone have any opinions, (good, or bad) on Ultra Marine Divers in Punta Cana?

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I can't recommend enough to contact Scuba Fun, you won't regret it.. They are located in Bayahibe and know the dive sites a lot better than a shop out of Punta Cana, they will arrange transportation from Punta Cana to Bayahibe, they have a lot of long term staff, John the owner is at the shop every morning, they are a 5 star PADI dive center and they are the most recommended dive shop in the Dominican here on Scubaboard. ScubaFun | Dive Center Bayahibe