Heading for Costa Rica

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I'm vacationing in Costa Rica the 1st week of Dec. @ the Ocotal Beach Resort in the Papagayo Gulf area. Any suggestions on which dive operators to hook up (OR NOT) with would be appreciated. Any recommendations on dive trip locations? I saw where the Catalina's and Bat Islands trips are an extra charge, are either worth it?

Also, anyone know the water temp that time of year? I only have room for one dive suit.

thanks

[tel52]

I just returned from El Ocotal on Saturday. I used the on-site dive operation at Ocotal Beach Resort. They were OK, but certainly not a great operation.

Catalinas and Bat island trips are extra. $21 extra for Catalinas and $49 extra for Bat. Catalinas is definately worth the add on, Bat was our first bull shark siting, so the extra was worth it to me. Divers the day before saw a large school of eagle rays at black rock on the second dive, but we didn't see them.

Water temps were all over the place, ranging from the low 70's to 80 degrees F, and sometimes all on the same dive. Viz was the same way varying from 15 feet to 40 feet, again often on the same dive.

Drop me an e-mail (in my profile) if you want more information.

[scubagirl15]

Tel52,
Thanks for the info re: water temps. What about currents, etc?

I'll be going to CR over the holidays and would like to have some idea of the diving conditions and optimal spots for this time of year. I have read that this time of year (Dec), the Papagayo winds make it difficult to access diving in the Bat Island area.

Your thoughts?

[tel52]

Currents during our trip in mid November were pretty mild, but there was some significant surge on several of our dives. I'm not sure about wind conditions or the accessability of Bat island during December. I have a two part trip report posted that will give you some more detail.
Hope you have a great trip.

trip report (http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/tripreports.php?s=2332)

[tel52]

The link above is for the second part of the trip report. Here is the correct link for the first part. Sorry about that.

Trip Report Part 1 (http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/tripreports.php?s=2330)

[scubagirl15]

Tel52,
Thanks for the links to your FANTASTIC trip reports.

I must be a retard...when I searched scubadiving.com for costa rica trip reports, I don't remember seeing yours.

Re: the less than spectacular viz, sounds like I'll feel right at home in CR, seeing I dive mostly in Ontario. :)