Puerto Vallarta dive report

[Van Isle]

Greetings from Canada! Arriving in P.V. on the 17th of Jan for a 7-night stay at the "Marival" in Nuevo Vallarta. I definitely would appreciate a great tour of a dive site or two from your company. May I ask what exactly is included in your rental equipment? I.e. do I need to bring my own mask/snorkel/fins? It's a big family trip, not a dive trip, so I am only looking for one diving day, and I'll be bringing minimal personal gear.

Thanks so much for your awesome information throughout the year. I have followed this thread with delight!

Mitch

 

[pvscuba]

Thanks Mitch,

We include any rental gear that you may need, so bring something or nothing at all. Your choice.

We provide Pinnacle "Cruiser" 7/5mm wet suits in both men´s and ladies sizes, from XXS to XXXL. Also hoods if you require one. We use XSScuba weight-integrated, back-inflation BCDs that are perfect for our steel 100s tanks. Our regulators are Oceanic. All are in about the best condition you´ll ever find in rental gear.

Looking forward to diving with you.

Alex from PVScuba

 

[pvscuba]

This past week viz conditions were very nice in most dive sites except Marietas. At Los Arcos and Majahuitas we found viz in the 50-60ft range. Temperature has dropped a bit down to 65F/18C at the 80-100ft depth range. Temp in the 40-70 ft range about 72-75F/ 22-24C.

This has been a great week for Giant Mantas. We´ve been seeing them almost every day both at Los Arcos and Majahuitas, not to mention countless surface sightings while on transit to the dive sites.

Come see us when you visit Puerto Vallarta

 

[pvscuba]

Today we were back at Los Arcos after aborting a planned dive to El Morro. The conditions at El Morro were just not right based on the reports from the previous day.

At Los Arcos we dived the wall at Devil´s Canyon. Beautiful dive! Clear viz, some 70-80 ft at depth and temp in the upper 60s.

Second dive at Mismaloya. Viz was in the 30-ft range.

Back to Los Arcos tomorrow with a different group.

Greetings from Alex at PVScuba

 

[pvscuba]

This week conditions were very nice at all dive locations considering the time of year. A year ago temperatures where 10-15 degrees colder. Is this because of global warming?

We dove at Marietas, El Morro, Los Arcos, and Majahuitas. Average low temp was 75F/24C and viz 30-40 ft. Didn´t find any thermoclines, but rather a few colder currents now and again.

The sting rays, usually plentiful in the colder water, are were "hiding" this week. They may have moved to greater depths where the temp is more to their liking.

Keep in contact for more updates...

Alex from PVScuba

 

[pvscuba]

In the past week the water seems to be cooling off a bit. It´s been 72-73F above the thermocline, with temperatures dropping to 67F below the thermocline.

Thermoclines have been found at around 70 to 80 ft, so on many of our dives we´ve not encountered them.

The past couple of days at Los Arcos we´ve encountered a bit of surge, and viz has been at around 15 to 20 ft- lower than the past few weeks.

Today at Marietas the water was cleaner, with viz at 30+ ft and temperatures have been consistent throughout the dive sites.

stay tuned for more reports...

Alex from PVScuba

 

[MountainM]

Is it possible to dive El Banco? or the rock?

 

[Scuba Diver Mexico]

Is it possible to dive El Banco? or the rock?

Has anyone been to el Banco this cold water season ??





You could see nice Pelagics on Scuba in the area some time ago but dont know so much anymore as its is not protected yet ( not close enough to the Marias nor to el Morro) and also sport fishing took place there as well as Corbeteña.

The pinnacles are very nice (kind of far from Vallarta) and a liitle deep so probably the best now a days would be to dive the area on a rebreather or at least on 32 % with double 80s.

Is there another name for the dive site "the rock"? would that be el Morro ??

 

[ekoast]

Hi Alex,

Much like Mitch wrote to you, I will be doing the exact same trip with my family and staying at the Marival in the second week of April. I have a few questions. I'm interested in a one day trip (two tank dive) to Los Arcos, I know that I can arrange that via your website.

As I will be with my family, this is not a formal dive trip, so if I get two days of diving, I'll be happy. However, I'm not sure I can do two days of boat dives and spend the majority of both days going out and back on the boat. Are there any local (good) beach dives from either Puerto Vallarta or in Puerto Nuevo? Something where I can rent the gear I don't bring from you and hire a guide?

Lastly, I dive mostly cold water (7mm everything). I bought a 3mm suit for this trip, but reading your reports on the water temp. I think that seems a bit light. I think anything below 70 degrees F in 3mm may get chilly especially in a thermocline. Are the water temps higher in April?

Sorry for the long email, but looking forward to diving with your company.

Thanks,
Eric

Thanks Mitch,

We include any rental gear that you may need, so bring something or nothing at all. Your choice.

We provide Pinnacle "Cruiser" 7/5mm wet suits in both menŽ´s and ladies sizes, from XXS to XXXL. Also hoods if you require one. We use XSScuba weight-integrated, back-inflation BCDs that are perfect for our steel 100s tanks. Our regulators are Oceanic. All are in about the best condition youŽ´ll ever find in rental gear.

Looking forward to diving with you.

Alex from PVScuba

 

[Scuba Diver Mexico]

Eric,

You are right, this is the cool water / lower viz season (getting colder every day !). The lowest water temperatures of the year happen in April. Take down your camera and preferibly macro lens with strobe, this will make your diving richer and more rewarding when you visit this area.

Do take down a good thick wet suit and hood ( 7 mm), or if you own a trilam dry suit (with lighter undergarments), it will help you do longer dives and dives under the thermocline at say the wall in los Arcos, Chimo, ...

You could do some beach diving in the bay south of down town Vallarta close to los Arcos (not in Nuevo Vallarta). Try out the southern portion of the cove in Mismaloya (especially for night diving). To dive there you have to either swim from the beach to the point or walk along the rocks to where the set for the night of the iguana used to be.

There is lots of small stuff to see there on the rocks (check out the small animal report here in scubaboard). Also this is a place where you might find large sea slugs such one of the local sea hares (Dolabella Auricularia).

If you dive from a boat in places like el Morro, Chimo, La Corbetena, the wall at los Arcos, .. diving on 32 % is a very, very good idea.