Any tips on diving in San Andres Island, Colombia?

[Karen Es]

Santa Catalina af a fur piece from San Andres, we have has the Spree in both places. There really isn't a place in Santa Catalina, it's too small to be a place, it's more like "over there". I know the mayor fairly well. Like many caribbean islands, the locals subsistance fish for their dinner. They also recognize tourism as an industry, so they do set aside areas where fishing is not allowed. That's where the dive sites are. The main city in San Andres is fairly modern (I was able to find anything I needed to keep a 30 year old dive boat running), many parts were european in manufacture. We had a great time supporing the Ocean Conservancy project to study the outer atolls near San Andres, and I would go back in a heartbeat.

Frank

Thanks for the info Frank! I'm pretty sure the place is awesome!

 

[Karen Es]

Close to Central America yes but Columbia it is South America, have fun and take care also:arrr:irate6::icosm07:

Howie,

I'm incredibly happy even though I haven't finish packing (my fins are on my bed just taking a good look at me!).
I'll post when I'm back in ten days!!!
Thanks!
Karen

 

[txteachers]

Looking forward to your post when you return . . . we just booked a week in July!!

 

[SharonandDon]

Thinking about going there in June. You should be back from your trip now. Any advice.

 

[Karen Es]

Thinking about going there in June. You should be back from your trip now. Any advice.

Hi everybody! (and Sharon),

First of all, let me tell you that that diving there was awesome! There are many places around the island to go diving, one is about a five-minute boat journey (called The Pyramid). There are others where you can go, viz is more than 15 metres, and depending on the day, you can see sharks, stingrays, eagle stingrays, morays, barracudas and all sorts of fish, besides different coral reefs. You cannot even imagine how nice it is! Water temperature was 28 degrees (hot), I didn't need a suit, I just wore my diving socks, a t-shirt and short cycling pants (and believe me, I'm always cold!).

You can contact either Jorge H. Sanchez, info@2oceanos.com, I didn't have the chance to meet him (he was in a diving trip in the island in front of San Andres, though he seems very nice!), Taddeo (a member of scubaboard) gave me the info, or contact the local guys (in my case Buzos del Caribe, there you can contact David S. Guggenheim, contactenos@buzosdelcaribe.com, and tell him that you're contacting them through me, the girl from Argentina!). David is very, very nice, and the staff who actually dive are really taking care of everything.

One thing to take into account is that at this very moment is their low season, but from June on is high season for them. This means that the water temperature will rise 1 degree (more or less), but it is more relaxing to go there in the low season, even though it's more windy now (the wind blowed during the morning and in the evening with a three-day full moon). Divings are scheduled from 9 AM on. The temprerature is also aroung 28 - 30 degrees, nice indeed.

I hope you can go there because it's really really nice! Be prepared to have great dives, good food (vegetables, fish and fruits are the specials in the island) and enjoy every minute there!
By the way, do not take the so called "submarine", a boat with glass on the bottom, it seemed popular, but it was crowded all the time and everybody said there was no air to breathe while taking the journey! (besides feeling dizzy!)

I think I covered it all, do not hesitate to contact me for further details!
Cheers,
Karina

 

[j yaeger]

so glad it was a great trip for you!!!
survey sez....
great destination!!!
gotta love this site!!

 

[txteachers]

Karen--thanks for the info!!! Did you do any diving on your own from the shore??

 

[Karen Es]

so glad it was a great trip for you!!!
survey sez....
great destination!!!
gotta love this site!!

Great destination indeed, especially if you find the right people to dive with ;-)

 

[Karen Es]

Karen--thanks for the info!!! Did you do any diving on your own from the shore??

No, actually I snorkelled from the shore. There are many spots in the island where you can spend hours and hours by just snorkelling. My boyfriend and I had the chance to see a family of squids while snorkelling in West View. You can also dive there, I think, or at least every place from the shore is also a dive spot (I've seen many divers coming from shore).
Hope the info will help!
Cheers,
Karen

 

[txteachers]

Thanks Karen!