looking for dive op in Puerto Rico

[cowprintrabbit]

We will be there in August; staying at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan. We would like a shop that will pick us up from our hotel; we have some of our own gear but will need to rent the other half. I also need to find someone that will let me gear up in the water.

Woo hoo! I can't wait

 

[cowprintrabbit]

Anyone? My husband is afraid that an unknown dive op will not let me dive once they find out I can't carry my gear above water.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

May I ask what prevents you from carrying your gear? Because if it's due to some physical disability I'd suggest calling or emailing the handicapped scuba association and ask for recommendations from them. I've done this and found out about several ops who can accomodate the disabled since my fiance is in a wheelchair.

 

[cowprintrabbit]

I had spinal fusion surgery this August (11 vertebrae involved) and am restricted to carrying about 10 pounds for the time being. I will be cleared to dive August 2006, but there will still be a weght restriction, and the surgeon said absolutely no gearing up on the boat :-(

Thanks for the suggestion, I will contact them right away!

 

[-hh]

Anyone? My husband is afraid that an unknown dive op will not let me dive once they find out I can't carry my gear above water.

I've dived in San Juan, PR.

By Caribbean standards, it is a 1 on a 1-10 scale.

By New Jersey standards, its a 3.5 (because the water's not so cold).

Expect visibility to be poor and the water green. San Juan harbor puts out a lot of silt/sentiment and has pollution issues. The best diving in PR is a few hours East, a few hours West, or a half day to the Southside.

San Juan is IMO the worst possible place on the island. This pretty much is why you're not finding many shops recommended.

Thus said, when I suffered a dive there in 1998, we used Carribe Aquatic Adventures who at the time was operating out of the Normandie Hotel. I understand that they still exist, but since I was very dissatisfied in the service we received from them (they changed our reserved boat dive to a shore dive, offered no reduction in price *AND* then showed up a half hour after the appointed time), I still would not recommend them.


-hh

 

[coach87]

My wife and I used Caribe Aquatic Adventures for our referral Dives 2 years ago and were very satisfied with the service. I can't comment on the boat dives, as we dove from the shore behind the hotel. Check out her website. good luck.

Coach

 

[cowprintrabbit]

I've dived in San Juan, PR.

By Caribbean standards, it is a 1 on a 1-10 scale.

By New Jersey standards, its a 3.5 (because the water's not so cold).

Expect visibility to be poor and the water green. San Juan harbor puts out a lot of silt/sentiment and has pollution issues. The best diving in PR is a few hours East, a few hours West, or a half day to the Southside.

San Juan is IMO the worst possible place on the island. This pretty much is why you're not finding many shops recommended.

Thus said, when I suffered a dive there in 1998, we used Carribe Aquatic Adventures who at the time was operating out of the Normandie Hotel. I understand that they still exist, but since I was very dissatisfied in the service we received from them (they changed our reserved boat dive to a shore dive, offered no reduction in price *AND* then showed up a half hour after the appointed time), I still would not recommend them.


-hh

Actually, we don't have to dive IN San Juan - we'll just need to be picked up by the dive shop. We don't mind a bit of a ride for better diving

 

[cowprintrabbit]

Looks like Eco-Action tours (Fajardo) is willing to accomodate me with a doctor's note. Everyone else freaks out when they find out about my back... Anyone ever used them?

 

[eclipse785]

I've dove a handful of dives in PR and of the best I would recomend Desecheo Island. There's a great outfit based out of Rinco called Taino Divers that I would recomend for experienced or intermediate divers, but they didn't handle our newbie friends very well. All in all a good outfit.

I would also reccomend La Paguera (especially for a night dive - great bioluminecent displays). The shop we used there was Paguera Divers.

I know that PR has a lot more to offer, but when I was there I didn't have the time or the money to do a lot of dives. I can't speak to either shop for how they will handle your condition, but I would think that if you call them ahead of time and let them know what to expect, they should be more than happy to accomidate you.

PS. watch out for the drivers over there... They are like NY cabbies on crack.

 

[dbosullivan]

I didn't have a great experience w/Taino- one of the outboards wasn't running, so they kayoed the Desecheo trip w/o telling us. The boss wasn't around that week, so perhaps that had something to do with it, but it was a total letdown nonetheless as the local diving stunk.
No way that they'd be a good choice for the poster- there's no dock in Rincon; rather, they run the boat up on the beach, and have everyone climb up (w/gear).