Sharksighter
Guest
Anyone have any specifics on this region. I've saw a couple posts but looking for top dive ops and nicer accomodations. What are the specific ports etc that are best?
Puerto Rico West and SW Coast
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mchiapetto
Contributor
We were just there a few weeks ago. We stayed in the town of Rincon and dove with Oceans Unlimited
http://www.oceans-unlimited.com/
They run a good operation. The only drawback is their boat is about 30 minutes south of Rincon (closest good marina). But they really take good care of you. Their boat has an enclosed cabin which is nice for the long boat ride out to Desecheo Island. The diving at Desecheo is spectacular. You get a lot of personlized attention from them. And they now have nitrox available is you want it.
We stayed at a guest house in Rincon that I highly recommend. The name of it is Amirage
http://www.proceanfront.com/
The rate is $125 per night for a one bedroom and $150 for a two bedroom. The lookout room is fabulous. It has a second story balcony with a fabulous view. You can watch the sunrise in one direction and teh sunset in the other. It is right on the ocean and is very peaceful and beautiful. The main deck has a hot tub overlooking the ocean and is next to a beautiful garden.
I have also heard there is a good dive op on the southwest part of PR. Doc Vikingo has a post about them dated a couple of months ago. You can search for that.
http://www.oceans-unlimited.com/
They run a good operation. The only drawback is their boat is about 30 minutes south of Rincon (closest good marina). But they really take good care of you. Their boat has an enclosed cabin which is nice for the long boat ride out to Desecheo Island. The diving at Desecheo is spectacular. You get a lot of personlized attention from them. And they now have nitrox available is you want it.
We stayed at a guest house in Rincon that I highly recommend. The name of it is Amirage
http://www.proceanfront.com/
The rate is $125 per night for a one bedroom and $150 for a two bedroom. The lookout room is fabulous. It has a second story balcony with a fabulous view. You can watch the sunrise in one direction and teh sunset in the other. It is right on the ocean and is very peaceful and beautiful. The main deck has a hot tub overlooking the ocean and is next to a beautiful garden.
I have also heard there is a good dive op on the southwest part of PR. Doc Vikingo has a post about them dated a couple of months ago. You can search for that.
diveski01
Contributor
I dove with Parguera Divers in La Parguera on SW Puerto Rico. Definitely a TOP NOTCH dive op on the premises of a lovely hotel.
Brand new and very nice dive boat. Capt Angel and crew were very friendly, have excellent english skills, and excellent diving knowledge.
I'm planning to dive with them again in May, if I can get back down there.
Brand new and very nice dive boat. Capt Angel and crew were very friendly, have excellent english skills, and excellent diving knowledge.
I'm planning to dive with them again in May, if I can get back down there.
mchiapetto
Contributor
Parguera Divers is the name of the dive op I heard recommended in SW PR. I just could not remember their name before.
Question for diveski01:
How long does it take Parguera to get out to Desecheo Island? It must be a long boat ride from down where they are at.
Question for diveski01:
How long does it take Parguera to get out to Desecheo Island? It must be a long boat ride from down where they are at.
diveski01
Contributor
I seriously doubt they go that far unless it is a private charter. Typical boat rides to dive sites are less than 45 minutes - preferrably 30 mins or less. I would imagine a dive op out of Rincon would be best as Desecheo is "only" 12 miles out from there.
With no barrier reef, the seas offshore P.R. can get a little rough so you tend not to venture several miles away when there's good diving within 5-6 miles of the marina.
mchiapetto
Contributor
I understand. The diving out at Desecheo was very nice. There are many really great dive sites there. And this time of year there is the possibility of seeing humpback whales while diving.
What dive sites did you go to with Parguera? What were those sites like and what were some of the highlights of what you saw?
What dive sites did you go to with Parguera? What were those sites like and what were some of the highlights of what you saw?
diveski01
Contributor
We only dove 1 day with Parguera. Dove off a private boat with friends next day then tagged along on my friend's son's check-out dives on third day on yet another boat out of Mayaguez.
We talked the captn into taking us out to Ephra's Wall - a few minutes further than he had planned for that day - but with only 3 divers he didn't mind too much. Captn led both dives.
Nice, typical wall with some pinnacles to swing around. Not much in way of game fish - like NONE! P.R. is severely overfished. However there were lots of the smaller pretty fishies. Second dive was over a nearby reef. Again, all the usual suspects on a healthy reef. The reefs in PR tend to be a bit deeper than elsewhere - 70ft - so somewhat shorter bottom times. No current and viz 80-110 ft and warm water.
We talked the captn into taking us out to Ephra's Wall - a few minutes further than he had planned for that day - but with only 3 divers he didn't mind too much. Captn led both dives.
Nice, typical wall with some pinnacles to swing around. Not much in way of game fish - like NONE! P.R. is severely overfished. However there were lots of the smaller pretty fishies. Second dive was over a nearby reef. Again, all the usual suspects on a healthy reef. The reefs in PR tend to be a bit deeper than elsewhere - 70ft - so somewhat shorter bottom times. No current and viz 80-110 ft and warm water.
scuba-punk
Contributor
Wifey and I stayed there during our honeymoon. Dove with them too. It's been almost seven years, so I can't give any recent advice, but the people that ran the dive shop when we were there were very good. The hotel is a little upscale, but the restaurant is really good. And, you are close to Ponce, Mayaguez, Pargera, etc. There also a dry-forest biosphere park in Guanica too. Quite a contrast from the rain-forest in the northeast. PM me if you have any other questions.
-Frank
-Frank
Angry Turtle
Contributor
Oceans Unlimited are very good people.
They run a nice comfy boat, and they REALLY give you personal attention.
I posted a little while ago about them when I dove with them in April last year. I would go back to them no questions asked.
The Diving in Desecheo (little uninhabited island on the west coast) is just great.
Hope you have fun
BoricuaMojao
They run a nice comfy boat, and they REALLY give you personal attention.
I posted a little while ago about them when I dove with them in April last year. I would go back to them no questions asked.
The Diving in Desecheo (little uninhabited island on the west coast) is just great.
Hope you have fun
BoricuaMojao
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