Diving in the Dominican Republic???

[OHDiver]

Hi All...
Ok... let me try this again... I tried posting this about a week ago and it seems to have gotten lost in cyberspace somewhere...

I am going to be in the Dominican Republic with my teenage kids the third week of March for a spring break trip...
Although I realize that the DR is certainly NOT one of the top dive destinations... I can NOT go to the Caribbean and NOT dive... Especially being a landlock, quarry diver from Ohio...
We will be staying in Punta Cana and the diver op at out resort, is Dressel Divers...
Can anyone give me any information on the diving there or this dive operator?
Thank You!

 

[diveallthetime]

I would not dive in the Punta Cana area. It is a 1 1/2 hour van (cab) ride to Bayahibe to get to some decent diving. Scuba Fun would be the outfit to use.
Having said that and being an advid diver. Leave the dive gear at home and enjoy the beach and the week off with the kids and forget diving.
It is to much work for just average diving.
I only say this because we did the spring break thing in Punta Cana and I am sure if I had made it a dedicated dive trip I would have spent more time diving different spots. But for the type of trip you are taking, again it is not worth what it costs to do the diving there.
I felt the same way, landlocked Michigan diver and had to dive. But we actually skipped out the 2nd day of diving because it was boring and long boat rides etc.
And we did dive the better dive sites on the day we went.

 

[JRO]

I went a few years back and also stayed at Punta Cana...

As you said the diving is not the best, but if you're used to being landlocked, it beats the snot out of a quarry.

I took the trip to Bayihibe also, long drive for fair diving. I dove every day I was there and enjoyed it quite a bit. When I was there it was a bit basic, backrolls in (I always like those, makes me feel llike Jaques), hand up most of your gear and fin like mad to get back in the boat (for some reason, no ladder).

If I were to do it again I would probably skip Bayihibe. I found it to be about 2 hours each way...makes for a very long day.

Good luck, enjoy and remember, no matter what, the water will be warmer, clearer and have cooler critters than what you can see right now.

Jeff

 

[countryboy]

I am going to DR on Feb 4th. We are staying in Puntacana as well. We will be diving with Scuba Fun (as recommended by others) for 2 days.. and 2 - 3 days with the resort in PC.

Will post a report when I return..

You can check out this trip report as well:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=125806

 

[OHDiver]

I am going to DR on Feb 4th. We are staying in Puntacana as well. We will be diving with Scuba Fun (as recommended by others) for 2 days.. and 2 - 3 days with the resort in PC.

Will post a report when I return..

I look forward to reading your trip report when you return...
Unfortunately, I will (more than likely) NOT be able to dive anywhere other than out of Punta Cana and the resort we will be staying at... This trip is mainly for my kids and I to be able to spend some quality, uninterrupted time together for the week...
I am just hoping that the diving is OK enough that I can get a couple of dives in while there... I have done some diving in Jamaica (same senerio) and although it too is NOT one of the greatest of diving destinations... It was worth taking my gear and getting wet while there... I guess I am hoping to hear that it at least compares with that... It definetly beats quarry diving!
What (if I can ask) resort will you be diving with while in Punta Cana?

 

[PaulChristenson]

I am going to DR on Feb 4th. We are staying in Puntacana as well. We will be diving with Scuba Fun (as recommended by others) for 2 days.. and 2 - 3 days with the resort in PC.

Will post a report when I return..
QUOTE]


Well, if you have time, peruse the following site


http://www.dr1.com/forums/index.php

it will give you a true flavor of the area

Paul in VT

 

[OHDiver]

Well, if you have time, peruse the following site


http://www.dr1.com/forums/index.php

it will give you a true flavor of the area

Paul in VT[/QUOTE]


Thanks for the link Paul... There is a lot of perusing to be done there...
I'll be sure to check it out...

 

[PaulChristenson]

Well, if you have time, peruse the following site


http://www.dr1.com/forums/index.php

it will give you a true flavor of the area

Paul in VT

Thanks for the link Paul... There is a lot of perusing to be done there...
I'll be sure to check it out...
[/QUOTE]

Here's a place to try...

http://piratescovedivecenter.com/vd/en/start.html

Paul in VT

 

[OHDiver]

Here's a place to try...

http://piratescovedivecenter.com/vd/en/start.html

Paul in VT[/QUOTE]


Where in the DR is this "Pirates Cove dive center" located?...

 

[PaulChristenson]

Here's a place to try...

http://piratescovedivecenter.com/vd/en/start.html

Paul in VT

Where in the DR is this "Pirates Cove dive center" located?...[/QUOTE]

Look at page 5 of the document that you can click on the websites main page or just use this link

http://piratescovedivecenter.com/tex/piratescove_buch.en.pdf

This will show you where they are relative to the airports

Paul in VT