Guam diving with budget

[jlevine]

Just for reference, here is the link: Guam & Micronesia Pacific Scuba Diving.

Q: Do we have daily boat dives? Yes, we go out every day at 9am. This trip is open to everyone and all certifications. However if you are not local, we require you to dive with one of our MDA Dive Guides. Be sure to ask about our free tank delivery!

 

[sanjac]

That doesn't happen in real life. They have a DM or boat captain go over information on the dive site, make sure everyone has a dive buddy, then let them dive. In case of any doubt, call the dive shop and talk to them directly.

 

[RabbyTat]

Context is pretty important there. That is a situation during the week when they may do a more advanced dive at some more difficult sites. In that situation, you might need or want some help. On the other hand, it looks like you are a DM and would not need any hand holding. This is written for the many levels that show up on the boat. Contact them.
My understanding of the intent of the verbiage is to discourage people from coming to Guam and thinking that they can blindly jump into any waters.
If you are on a regular boat dive; organized shore dive or have free local guides (which you find by making friends with the shore dive group), you are not required to hire anyone. After the briefing and communication with your buddy, you will be quite safe.
Call or write MDA and ask for Dianne for travel info/coordination (Point out the phrase that gives you heartburn for a blunt discussion of the issue); Justin Mills for info on shore dives and Randy for equipment needs. I can put you into contact with several people via FaceBook if you just want a guide. They likely would do it for free for my asking or because it is Guam and such courtesies are expected. I took countless people in my truck to shore and boat dives. Several of us acted as instant buddies for new divers, people passing through or newly assigned there.
MDA's focus is the mainland US diver. They dominate that market for very good reason.
The mention of the shore dives is simple. You get a PhD educated (fish biology) guide, Justin Mills for FREE on weekends and there is a group of very advanced divers, most of whom are DMs with other advanced certifications who have hundreds of dives.
I envy you the opportunity to get in the water there - I would go in a second, but my tour ended and I am not likely to be reassigned there.

 

[xariatay]

HI! All,
We are considering to dive in Guam in March 2012, as a side-trip (4 days?) to our Palau trip. 1) The flight will transit there. 2) Shark's fin is banned in Guam. 3) Watched this Hidden Treasures, Guam's Marine Preserves by Tim Rock by Tim Rock — Kickstarter

Is diving there as good as in the book? What can we expect?

 

[Deep Water Dan]

You can expect that the best dive you'll get here won't come close to a mediocre dive in Palau. If I were you, I'd do my side trip to Yap, because in March the mantas will be mating.

 

[Banyan]

We are considering to dive in Guam in March 2012, as a side-trip (4 days?) to our Palau trip.

Is diving there as good as in the book? What can we expect?

Well, I think I've seen all the stuff in that video on Guam, except for being in the water with spinner dolphins. However, Deep Water Dan is mostly right in that the quality of the dives elsewhere in the neighborhood is much higher. You'd be better off spending the four days extending your stay in Palau or checking out Yap/Chuuk/Kosrae/Pohnpei/etc. If you really have to spend 4 days on Guam, it's certainly not the end of the world, but be sure to dive Guam before Palau since you'll be sadly disappointed if you dive Guam after.

My best dive on Guam was a sunrise shore dive at Gun Beach where I was down an hour and a half with up to 5 mantas at a time doing acrobatics in a layer of plankton that was turned into a golden haze by the rising sun, and that's not even mentioning the giant barracuda and turtles. While my best Palau dives were better, that Guam dive was probably as good or better than half the dives I did in Palau. Though of course, I'm picking the best out of 200+ Guam dives and comparing it to 17 Palau dives, so maybe that's not fair.

 

[travelem]

Hilton guam resort & spa said it has a beach club offering water acivities inlcuding scuba diving.

Does it mean it has an onsite dive shop?

Thanks.

 

[akdeepdiver]

They didnt have one last time I was there last year. Just a Activites center that you could rent some basic scuba gear.

 

[Ragnar]

You can expect that the best dive you'll get here won't come close to a mediocre dive in Palau. If I were you, I'd do my side trip to Yap, because in March the mantas will be mating.

i dunno, I've had plenty of boring dives @ German channel!! Sure, I've had some really good ones too when the Mantas are around, but whenever I go to Palau and they start talking about German channel I just cringe.

I agree, Yap would be a good idea, but would certainly raise the cost of the trip considerably.

 

[Ragnar]

They didnt have one last time I was there last year. Just a Activites center that you could rent some basic scuba gear.

That's right, mask and fins probably, but I've never seen so much as a tank over there. And for good reason, there is really no where to shore dive from there, and no where for a boat to pick ya up either.