Is there shore diving in Puerto Galera?

[curiousgeorgie]

Hello all! I'm planning a trip to Puerto Galera but I'm getting conflicting reports about shore diving. Some say there is shore diving and some say there isn't. I inquired with Action Divers and they stated there is only boat diving.

Can anyone give me the real story?

Any info helps and thanks for the advice.

 

[CODMAN]

Hey George, there is at least 1 good dive accessible from shore off Sabang beach. It's called Sabang Wrecks. 3 consecutive small wrecks on a sandy bottom in 30-50 feet about. It's a good muck dive and excellent night dive. If you know how to navigate it, you can easily dive this from shore starting from the floating bars off the beach. I did once or twice while there doing my DM course. But the thing is, most dive shops will still want to bring you out by boat for ease and safety reasons (there is a lot of boat traffic on your way out to this wreck). And also to charge you for a full dive... Unless you can find a shop that will rent you tanks for cheap, the price of boat dives there are so cheap it's worth it to go out to the better dive sites... You won't save much unless you dive this site repeatedly. Other than that, the sites are further out and not really shore dive material...

Hope this helps!

 

[h2odragon1]

My wife and I dove through Acion divers in 2005. When she got her OW. They say there are no shore dives, but on her 4'th OW dive, the shop was less than 100 yrds from our room. They took her out on a boat, and dropped her and her instructor about 50 yrds in fron of our room.
They all say there are no shore dives, and as codman says it may be difficult to get tanks, and/or gas fills if you try shore diving. The cost of boat dives is negligable, and it employs many locals. Remember to tip the boatmen also! they don't get paid much, and live on mostley tips.
Alona beach in Bohol is the same. 100 yrds out, 100 yrds down the beach and drop.
When I surfaced, I was closer to the shop than the boat!

 

[Centrals]

In Puerto Galera most of the dive centres/resorts are along three beaches: Sabang, Small La Laguna and Big La Laguna.
Sabang is the biggest and the busiest of the three. The water around the beach is pretty grim especially during low tide. Very few people swim there or even put down a towel on the beach. Sabang wrecks are possible as "shore dive". However, during low tide, you have to walk about 100m before the water is deep enough for you to dip your head down safely.
From Small La Laguna, the St Christopher wreck is quite near to the shore and the water there is much better.
Big La Laguna: Dry dock is the only option but quite a distance away. Do not attempt it on ebb tide because the swim back is no fun !!!!

Take the boat if I were you.

 

[Karl_H]

In simple terms, there quite a few shore diving sites in PG, but, it would cost the same per dive as any other local site in PG, boat or no boat, to dive.

Most PG operators insist on a guide to accompany you as the current can be very unforgiving.

In other words it doesn't matter if you dive from shore or from a boat - you'll pay the same - this been the case it's easier to get the boat to take you 50m than swim on the surface for the fun of it!

On a safety side I would support the boat support as even the shore sites can have some strong currents in deeper water - getting back to the starting point without a boat pick-up wouldn't be easy if you ventured in the current!

 

[sonar]

agree with everything said.

There are quite serious currents which make exciting difficult. Therefore i agree with the shops. If you are strong and used to walking around in full gear you can exit but most females and weaker males might face problems with it (no offence to female bodybuilders)

 

[yachtseeker]

there is reasonable shore diving off Big La Laguna beach from scandinavian divers and campbells resort. Big La Laguna Beach is quiet and a nice snorkel and beach area