San Carlos Mexico

[DaveAZ]

Hotel Fiesta San Carlos
Carretera a San Carlos Km 8.5
Guaymas, Sonora

Tel. (622)226-13-18
tel/fax 622/226-02-29
Email: hotelfiesta10@hotmail.com
www.fiestasancarlos.com

Gary's Dive shop/Dive boats
He has fast boats and slow boats. Be sure to get a fast one.

Seal Rock is a great dive.

 

[DanielVance]

I've been going down to San Carlos, MX for several years. 2-3 times per year.

Hotels - Check out Hotel Fiesta, the Creston and San Carlos Plaza Hotel Resort

http://www.mexonline.com/fiesta.htm

Dive Shops check out Ocean Sports, their shop is on the marina.

http://www.divecortez.com/

 

[eric_in_az]

I stayed at the Plaza las Glorias both times I went and it's very nice. The rooms are large and clean, with small refrigerators and cooktops. Of course it's probably not the cheapest place to stay. It was a package deal through Scuba Specialties, so I'm not sure what the price was per night.

 

[AzSnake]

just recently got OW cert. down in san carlos, stayed in a private condow my dive master hooked up for my crew. dove with garys dive shop. yes the boats were what i would a little over crowded. you try to go somewhere and you would slame into someone! and the same situation with the water, it was so choppy i thought i was going to have to swim back to shore. but the crew was really nice and good fish tacos. i got cert. through the dive shop here in tucson. had greattime with our class of 12. great instructors!!!
-James

I used to dive with a shop out of Scottsdale (although I live in Tucson) and they used Gary’s boats. I love the crews, great bunch of guys and they really know the area well. I also loved the delicious fish tacos they cooked up when we were down below and trolling on the way out to the sites was a pretty cool angle on things. Needless to say I don't dive with that shop any longer because of Gary’s Dive shop. Not because of bad service or poor dives but because of the boats. They are SO SLOW. I watched a butterfly pass the boat on the way out to San Pedro one October morning. It took us over 2 hours to make it out to the island. Going out wasn't so bad because your fresh and all stoked about getting the water but when it's 90-95 out at 3:00-3:30 on the way back and it takes that long to get back with nearly no decent shade and the diesel exhaust choking you it can really ruin a good part of the trip. I now dive with Desert Divers. Their boat the Ocean Spirit can get to the dive sites in a pretty good click, also it's large and isn't too crowded.

 

[AzSnake]

Gary's Dive shop/Dive boats
He has fast boats and slow boats. Be sure to get a fast one.

Are you serrious? I have been on all his boats (dove using his operation 3-4 times per year for 5 years) and I don't consider any of them "fast" Not compared to Desert Divers/Ocean Sports, (Now El Mar since their also using the Ocean Spirit) and Surface Time boats.:huh:

 

[AZ_Zoner]

A few of us are heading down to San Carlos next week and have heard there have been a few changes to the 21K check point as far as vehicle visa and vistitor visa's. Anyone been there lately and have any updates on changes? Any new fees if your staying under 5 days?

Thanks for any info

Craig

 

[DaveAZ]

Are you serious? I have been on all his boats (dove using his operation 3-4 times per year for 5 years) and I don't consider any of them "fast" Not compared to Desert Divers/Ocean Sports, (Now El Mar since their also using the Ocean Spirit) and Surface Time boats.:huh:

Last time I was there, Gary's guys could barely keep the boat we were on running. (This was one that they considered fast...) I agree, I have not been on a boat of Gary's that I would consider fast at all. He DEFINITELY has some slower boats to avoid.

Ratheon R-team scuba club had made a point of saying they book Gary's faster boats, as I assume some people may have been upset by his slow assed concrete boats in the past.

 

[Dive-aholic]

A few of us are heading down to San Carlos next week and have heard there have been a few changes to the 21K check point as far as vehicle visa and vistitor visa's. Anyone been there lately and have any updates on changes? Any new fees if your staying under 5 days?

Thanks for any info

Craig

It's a lot easier now, Craig. No more sticker, no more stopping on the way back. I haven't been since March, but if I remember right - stop at the 21K with your paperwork, go to the same 1st building for the visa paperwork, and you're done. Every person in the vehicle should get a visa, although I've been told by some locals it's not necessary. I'd err on the safe side, especially if you're teaching down there.

No more vehicle reg down there, so no more going to the computer building for the sticker. If there's a step I'm missing, they'll tell you about it at the visa building, but I can't remember doing anything else in March. There are also no fees for under 7 days.

I have heard the process can change depending on their mood, as can anything in Mexico. I have more problems with our guys at the border than I do with the Mexicans at the check-points! Let me know if it goes any different for you. I'll be there in early October with family.

 

[namabiru]

The Dive Shop does diving/camping just north of San Carlos at Himalaya Bay. $165 for unlimited shore diving and then 2 day 2-tank boat dives. Hot water showers, toilets, bring your own camping gear/food/water etc. Has anyone ever done this? I'm a budget diver (grad student) so I'm considering the trip. Can anyone endorse the diving/trip setup?

 

[Dive-aholic]

The Dive Shop does diving/camping just north of San Carlos at Himalaya Bay. $165 for unlimited shore diving and then 2 day 2-tank boat dives. Hot water showers, toilets, bring your own camping gear/food/water etc. Has anyone ever done this? I'm a budget diver (grad student) so I'm considering the trip. Can anyone endorse the diving/trip setup?

I've been on the trip a few times. In fact, I used to teach and DM for the shop up until recently. Unlimited shore diving is true. The shore diving will give you a max depth of about 30' with a choice of 2 small coves. There's a lot to be seen there, but gets a little old after a couple of dives in each cove. There's only one area of reef in each cove that is accessible from shore. The boat dives are 1 tank dives off of inflatables. They get you out to some of the sites out of the coves that will get you a max depth of about 40-45'. The shop runs 4 boats out on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. Divers can sign up for 2 boat dives on Saturday and 1 on Sunday. If there is room on other boats, you can go out more often.

A word of caution, if you don't have a high clearance vehicle, don't book this trip. The last 15 miles of the road trip is over rough off road terrain. 4wd is not required, but it does help. We have taken a 2wd truck and 2wd van down. We just need to come back a different route to avoid the steep incline that requires 4wd to get up. It's almost to the point where 4wd is required to go down!

If you have any other questions about the shop or the trip, pm me.