San Carlos boats

[mudchick]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to make a dive trip to San Carlos for a few days in March. We're planning this on our own (hubby and I) and are looking for ideas/reviews on dive services to use.

I found a thread somewhere that had great things to say about Surface Time but I guess they were bought by Oasis which is now bankrupt and gone. When we used to go there with dive shop affiliation the group often used Gary's but it sounds like if you're not with a group, they're cattle-call boats and they've always used the slow boats to get out to the island (do they have fast ones?) and if the wind picked up it would take 2 hours to get there. They do have the best fish tacos, though.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[Calle Roo]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to make a dive trip to San Carlos for a few days in March. We're planning this on our own (hubby and I) and are looking for ideas/reviews on dive services to use.

I found a thread somewhere that had great things to say about Surface Time but I guess they were bought by Oasis which is now bankrupt and gone. When we used to go there with dive shop affiliation the group often used Gary's but it sounds like if you're not with a group, they're cattle-call boats and they've always used the slow boats to get out to the island (do they have fast ones?) and if the wind picked up it would take 2 hours to get there. They do have the best fish tacos, though.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Check these folks out.

http://www.desertdivers.com/

They have 2 trips scheduled in March. These are usually packages that include hotel accommodations, but they may have room on the boat, and just have your hubby and you meet them at the Marina to get on the boat.

 

[AzAtty]

El Mar has a shop in San Carlos. Pricing for trips on the Piesquita are posted on the website. I *think* I heard that Gene bought a panga several months back, but I don't know if the panga is running dive trips or not.

 

[HEFFAY]

Another vote for Desert Divers. Their boat (the ocean spirit) is by far the best (fastest)out there.

 

[diversteve]

As of last July (2008), Erica was still running charters on Surface Time. Quoted from the San Carlos board:

Hello Divers,

Hi WES! Surface Time (30 ft) boat is still for charter and as Bart said...we are still in San Carlos. I have been recruited to teach instructor courses in different parts of Mexico, and Pepe still is going strong with yacht services on a private yacht. We had some internet and phone problems with moving our lines...

I can be contacted at, as our phone is a bit unreliable and we are in and out:

ewedepohl@hotmail.com

Come cool of in the beautiful San Carlos waters and enjoy the sea lions.

Erica Wedepohl de Attwell
ewedepohl@hotmail.com
480-993-2797

 

[Pearldiver07]

Look up Sonora Sports Center.

They have small boats that are very personal. A Super Panga and a catamaran.

Vince took care of me when I was stranded due to a dive shop mix up leaving my friend and me without a way out to the sites.

The small boats have gotten me into smaller coves that the dive shop boats couldn't get to. Because of that, when at the island, the sea lions seemed to be less accustomed to divers and played with us regularly.

Anyway, they're a great operation charging good prices for only 2 to 4 on a boat.


We specialize in small groups of divers who are tired of being squeezed on to a boat with 30 other divers like most of our competition

 

[RAWalker]

I was on the Ocean Spirit last Febuary and the trip was great.
I've also taken a trip on a Gary dive boat that was very good only thing half our group was on another boat and that one was much slower.