Puerto Rico?

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Warren Grand - 09 Jan 2006 02:51 GMT

Looking for ahort dive vacation in Puerto Rico. Any ideas regarding
sites and lodging? Thanks.

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Greg Mossman - 09 Jan 2006 03:09 GMT

> Looking for ahort dive vacation in Puerto Rico. Any ideas regarding sites
> and lodging? Thanks.

Why would you take a dive vacation to Puerto Rico when there are so many
islands around with good diving?

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M@ - 09 Jan 2006 20:10 GMT

> Why would you take a dive vacation to Puerto Rico when there are so many
> islands around with good diving?

Greg,

how was that trip you took last March? I'm going there for a vacation
and wanted to see if I could get some diving in. Besides the three
dives I did in Aruba where the visibility was crummy for two of them,
and the check dives I did at Dutch Springs for my certification, I
haven't done any.

I'm looking for something that is fairly decent and not far from San
Juan. I read all of the other articles about diving around there, so I
will stay away from that general area, but does anyone know of a decent
place that is PADI certified, and is located near where I am in Isla
Verde, or won't be a half day of driving just to get there.

Keep in mind, this'll be the first time I am diving without an
instructor. Which leads me to another question - do I need to do a
refresher before I go down? My trip is in Feb, and my cert dives were
last June.

thx

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Greg Mossman - 09 Jan 2006 20:30 GMT

> Greg,
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> and the check dives I did at Dutch Springs for my certification, I
> haven't done any.

I posted notes. Google "Puerto Rico" with author "Greg Mossman". In short,
my advice is get some diving in on a non-diving vacation, sure, but don't
plan a dive trip there.

> I'm looking for something that is fairly decent and not far from San
> Juan. I read all of the other articles about diving around there, so I
> will stay away from that general area, but does anyone know of a decent
> place that is PADI certified, and is located near where I am in Isla
> Verde, or won't be a half day of driving just to get there.

They'll tell you Fajardo is close by and offers decent diving, but don't
believe them. It won't equal your crummy Aruba dives. Humacao was OK
viz-wise, but that's another 45 minutes south. If I were to go to PR for a
dive trip, I'd probably stay at Copamarina, in Guanica, which has an onsite
dive shop. It's a 2.5 hour drive from San Juan, though.

American offers plenty of short flights out of San Juan to better diving
islands than PR. Pick any one of them.

> Keep in mind, this'll be the first time I am diving without an
> instructor. Which leads me to another question - do I need to do a
> refresher before I go down? My trip is in Feb, and my cert dives were
> last June.

Some people recommend a refresher after being dry over a year, but it
obviously depends on the individual. As you're more recently certified,
hopefully much of the knowledge is still fresh. Review your book and be
sure to let the DM know that it's your first real diving, though a good DM
will notice that as soon as you start to set up your gear or even earlier.
In PR at least, I highly doubt you'll be the only one in your situation.

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M@ - 09 Jan 2006 20:51 GMT

So if I am getting what you are saying, if I'm going to do any diving
worth anything, I'm going to need to travel to do it. Can't afford to
go to another island, so I may just look into what's involved in going
to the South West part of the island that a lot of people seem to be
posting about.

And yeah, if I was going to plan a dive trip, it'd be somewhere else,
but out of two families, I am the only one who is doing anything more
than snorkling.

And thanks for the tip, I'll be sure to let them know when I start
filling out all of the forms:)
M@

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Dr Yak - 15 Jan 2006 04:01 GMT

> So if I am getting what you are saying, if I'm going to do any diving
> worth anything, I'm going to need to travel to do it. Can't afford to
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> filling out all of the forms:)
> M@

You can rent a car and get to the southwest part of Puerto Rico in about
2 1/2 hours. La Parguera also has some very good diving.

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chilly - 10 Jan 2006 06:25 GMT

> > Keep in mind, this'll be the first time I am diving without an
> > instructor. Which leads me to another question - do I need to do a
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> obviously depends on the individual. As you're more recently certified,
> hopefully much of the knowledge is still fresh.

His knowledge might be fresh but his actual familiarity with the skills will
not be. I recommend that he take a pool refresher.

>Review your book and be
> sure to let the DM know that it's your first real diving, though a good DM
> will notice that as soon as you start to set up your gear or even earlier.

He should definitely do that too.

> In PR at least, I highly doubt you'll be the only one in your situation.

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