First time diving in Saipan

[Paul in Japan]

I'm taking a trip to Saipan at the end of the month, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice. I'm a new diver and I'll be diving with some new equipment. I'm looking for some recommended dives and dive shops in the area that cater to English speaking customers. I've checked the archives and I've found a number of old threads naming some shops with now defunct web sites. Any ideas? Thanks.

[CARHILL]

Paul In Japan

There is only one English speaking shop on Saipan Speedy Tertle Dive shop. ph 670-234-6284 e-mail sasha@speedytertle.com

Dale in Saipan

[Paul in Japan]

Thanks Dale. Would you recommend them or would I be better off going with a Japanese speaking shop?

[av8rmke]

I'm taking a trip to Saipan at the end of the month, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice. I'm a new diver and I'll be diving with some new equipment. I'm looking for some recommended dives and dive shops in the area that cater to English speaking customers. I've checked the archives and I've found a number of old threads naming some shops with now defunct web sites. Any ideas? Thanks.


Hey Paul,

I just got open water certified recently(MDA in Guam) and dove in Guam,but not Saipan as of yet.I did however do lots of snorkeling in Saipan while i lived out there.My favorite spot to snorkle and swim is Grotto in Saipan.The place is AWESOME.Im sure you have heard of it.Its to my understanding the best dive spot as well as the most popular in Saipan.Ive snorkled at Taga Beach in Tinian,which could probably make a good dive spot as well,since its on the Phillipine Sea side.

[Kim]

Go with the English speaking school. You have more chance of getting a buddy you can actually communicate with - not to mention you'll be able to understand the briefing! eyebrow

[Paul in Japan]

Thanks for the advice everyone. The grotto looks pretty cool. I'm a new diver with less than 10 dives under my belt. Is the grotto something I should be looking into diving or is it beyond my level?

[av8rmke]

Thanks for the advice everyone. The grotto looks pretty cool. I'm a new diver with less than 10 dives under my belt. Is the grotto something I should be looking into diving or is it beyond my level?


Its way cool.I wouldnt say its beyond any beginners level unless your going alone.The hardest part about Grotto is getting back out of the water once your in when there is a strong current there.Theres a rope to help pull yourself out,but if theres a strong current,you can get smashed up against some coral if your not carefull.I also hear that its sometimes hard to get back in the Grotto once your out in the open ocean after having swam through one of the holes to get out to the ocean.The holes you have to swim through are pretty short from what ive heard,like 5 feet or so in length,so its not really like swimming through a long tunnel.Im assuming that there are a few good english speaking folks at Speedy Tertle.

[CARHILL]

Paul

You would not be happy with a Japanese shop they tend to use small tanks with short fills to make the dive go faster (speedo). Speedy Turtle uses big tanks (80cft) not the 50 & 60 cft that the other shops use. Eric at Speedy Turtle is one of the English speeking guides I have been diving with him for 5 years. He will do some other dives with you before attempting the Grotto and only if conditions are good. How long will you be in Saipan?

Dale

[Paul in Japan]

I'll be there for 4 full days and plan on 2 days of diving. Thanks for the heads up on the Japanese shops. I had that problem when I was in Okinawa. Small tanks and shorter bottom times.

Anything else I should be aware of before I go? Places I just gotta see and stuff like that?

-Paul

[av8rmke]

You would not be happy with a Japanese shop they tend to use small tanks with short fills to make the dive go faster (speedo). Speedy Turtle uses big tanks (80cft) not the 50 & 60 cft that the other shops use. Eric at Speedy Turtle is one of the English speeking guides I have been diving with him for 5 years. He will do some other dives with you before attempting the Grotto and only if conditions are good. How long will you be in Saipan?

Dale


Good info Dale.Do you know how much they rent BCD's and Tanks at Speedy Tertle?

[RikRaeder]

Hey Paul,
I'm in Japan too. Nagoya. Got certified at a Japanese shop last November; Seashore, in Saipan. I can guarantee the quality of the staff (my gf panicked on our first ocean dive and our instructor hypnotized her really quick. Had her dumping her regulator for the recovery test in about a minute). As to bottom times, we got about 40 minutes on our last, "fun," dive. I'm going back in early April so I'll report further on that later. If you speak a bit of Japanese, you might try them. They have some cheap packages with airfare and hotel on their site. Good cheap lunches too!
I found a shop with an English webpage (too good to be Japanese staff), All American Divers: http://www.allamericandivers.saipan.com/index1.htm
They have some good descriptions of the various dive spots on their page. I'm thinking to check them out next time I head down solo. Will have a look with Speedy Tertle as well perhaps.

[CARHILL]

Paul

The post about "All American Divers" shop was owned by two Americans hence the English web page. This shop is now owned by Koreans who speak almost no English. Most of their guides are Korean who speak no English.
"Seashore" has split into two shops. The other is "Dive Sight With" ( I'm not making this name up) They are in a former English dive shop. The dives at these shops are with large groups of Japanese & Asian divers in 5 mil wet suits packed into dive boats.

Dale in Saipan

[RikRaeder]

I can't vouch for American Divers since I haven't patronized them however their website is in native English (as I said). As to Seashore I must stick by my endorsement. When I dove with them last November, we wore 3mm suits...the group consisted of myself, my gf and our instructor...there were about 6 other divers there (all Japanese since they don't speak English, as I said) who went out in two groups...and I found the experience quite enjoyable. I was referring to Seashore Diving, not to whatever faction split off from them.
I have no intention of usurping any potential business from anyone's friend's shop. I'm simply sharing the experience I had in Saipan for a fellow ex-pat here in Japan. Additionally, a quick search on these forums should get the phone number for Searay, another English speaking shop in Saipan who, unfortunately, don't have a webpage. I recieved a recommendation for them last year from an aquaintance who was going for some upper level certification or other.

[DiveTyme]

Paul,
BuoyantC and his lovely wife are both instructors and have lived on Saipan for a couple of years. You may try to private mail him. I know he divemasters on request and is familar with most of the dive operations on the island. BuoyantC and his wife are both excellent instructors. I have dove and worked with both many times here in the states. Both are extremely nice people.
Tim

[BuoyantC]

Wow Tim...... thank's for the compliments! (commission check's in the mail).

Paul, I don't work for a shop and am available most of the time if you want to work something out independently. Just PM me. If, however, you are more comfortable going through a shop, CARHILL is right in that Speedy Tertle is about the only shop that functions primarily in English.

The Asian shops have some very professional staff, but as someone posted, they do seem to dive with large groups of predominatly Asian tourists and run on a tight schedule.

Dennis

[CARHILL]

Dennis

Grotto Dive Sunday????:05:

Dale