Shore Diving The Wall/drop Off?

[redacted]

I have done that dive from scuba club a number of times. It took about 10 minutes to get in the 40 ft range of villablanc which had lots of sponges but little coral before the hurricanes. The hurricanes pretty much cleaned it off. Last time I did it, I went to about 60 feet and could look down the slope at a sand storm in to 80 to 100 ft range. That was probably 4 years ago. Now I am content with the rubble and grasses in the 25 to 40 ft range. There really is a lot of stuff to enjoy.

 

[ggunn]

Where did you get tanks? From satellite, looks like Casa del Mar would be easier. Seems like it would still be easier to take a bearing and swim out at 10-15'.

When we did Villablanca to Blue Angel we got tanks at BA and cabbed up to VB. When we did El Cid to VB I don't remember exactly what we did. Once we hitched a ride on a dive boat heading back to the Caleta in the afternoon and got the captain to drop us on the wall at El Cid. That time we made it all the way to Blue Angel.

One thing that getting out at BA has going for it is the buoy that is anchored to the top of the wall right out front. Otherwise it's hard to tell where you are.

I don't know what you mean by "take a bearing and swim out at 10-15'."

 

[ReefHound]

When we did Villablanca to Blue Angel we got tanks at BA and cabbed up to VB. When we did El Cid to VB I don't remember exactly what we did. Once we hitched a ride on a dive boat heading back to the Caleta in the afternoon and got the captain to drop us on the wall at El Cid. That time we made it all the way to Blue Angel.

One thing that getting out at BA has going for it is the buoy that is anchored to the top of the wall right out front. Otherwise it's hard to tell where you are.

I don't know what you mean by "take a bearing and swim out at 10-15'."

I meant take a bearing from shore to the wall, descend to 10-15' and swim out. Safer than swimming out on the surface and uses less air than following the bottom contour. What depth is the buoy at BA? It seems like the toughest part is hitting your intended exit point. Depending on current and your personal air consumption, you will move a variable distance along the wall. I suppose you could just head east from the wall until you get to 15' and pop up to see where you are.

 

[sharky60]

get a boat.

 

[redacted]

get a boat.

Why?

 

[ggunn]

I meant take a bearing from shore to the wall, descend to 10-15' and swim out. Safer than swimming out on the surface and uses less air than following the bottom contour. What depth is the buoy at BA? It seems like the toughest part is hitting your intended exit point. Depending on current and your personal air consumption, you will move a variable distance along the wall. I suppose you could just head east from the wall until you get to 15' and pop up to see where you are.

OK, I see what you mean. The buoy out front of BA is anchored to the top of the wall at about 60'. If you drift along the wall and head to shore when you get there, you will likely end up at the lighthouse unless the current is uncharacteristically slow. You can follow the bricked over electrical cable from the buoy to the lighthouse (the buoy marks where the cable goes over the wall).

 

[Augustus]

you do need to have and know how to use a compass. Can be a fun dive but watch the boat traffic.

 

[nodakdive]

Don't know if the mentioned "sailboats" are the snorkel Catamarans? (I forget the name of the company). The Cats moor out in front of Casa del Mar. Usually 3 of them I think. Actually, they're just a little north of CDM, and barely north of the Tikila Bar. Personally, I'd get in at Tikila. Right away you have a nice long stretch to the north with no hotels/docks, etc, so there isn't much boat traffic, but south of Tikila you have CDM's pier, the Atlantis pier/shop, Scuba Shack, Park Royal, etc.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Bonus points to the first person to name the two underwater statues by tikila.

 

[ggunn]

you do need to have and know how to use a compass. Can be a fun dive but watch the boat traffic.

And you know, those little fluid filled compasses on the plastic rectangle that you can get for $5 or so work just fine at depth.