Looking for good dive companies & dive sites in the Southern Caribbean

[scubagirl59]

This March, our family is taking a cruise through the Southern Caribbean, leaving out of Puerto Rico. We will be in San Juan for a couple of days before our cruise & I was wondering if anyone could recommend a great referral dive shop for my 12 year old son to do his open water dives. We would also like to dive 3 out of the 5 islands (St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Thomas, St Maarten and St Kitts). Any recommendations for which islands we shouldn’t miss? Any preferred dive operators & dive spots for a newly certified 12 year old? Thanks!

 

[petsin]

Check my comment on another thread about St. Maarten and St. Kitts: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cruises/444167-cruising-gear-more-2.html#post6644710

 

[ginovega]

Scubagirl59:
It realy depends on how you want to do this. You can take care of your son's Open Water Dives while in PR and then he can get the chance of doing more dives during your cruise thru the Caribeean. If you dont want to drive much while in San Jaun there are two shore dives in the San Juan area where your son can do his Open Water dives ( weather perimting off course) One is the Escambron Marine Park. I have not dive this site but from what I heard is an OK dive. Good for diving training. ScubaDogs (a Local padi Dive Center) has a location there and they do referals. Contact us , Scuba Dogs, Inc. - Guaynabo - Reviews of Scuba Dogs, Inc. - TripAdvisor) The dive is from 18-30 feet and not challenging. There is another site behind the "Hotel Normandie" (Normandie Hotel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) this site is also OK and shallow, max depth is about 28 feet. Caribe Aquatic Adventures uses this dive site. (SCUBA DIVING SAN JUAN DIVE PUERTO RICO SCUBA EQUIPMENT DIVE CARIBBEAN SCUBA RADISSON NORMANDIE HOTEL CONDADO CARIBE AQUATIC ADVENTURES - PUERTO RICO PADI CARIBBEAN NAUI CARIBBEAN DIVE PACKAGES)( Caribe Aquatic Adventures - San Juan - Reviews of Caribe Aquatic Adventures - TripAdvisor) However, if you are willing to drive a littel bit. You can consider Aguadilla, about 1 1/2 hours away form San Juan... There is CrashBoat Beach.. I have dove this site many times and is where most of the dive training is done in that side of the island. Check this facebook page - It is Spanish but has pictures of the site:http://www.facebook.com/reservanaturalcrashboat?fref=ts) Is one if the few shore dives in PR and where many locals go to get certified. I did my OW there many Moons ago. On good day visibility is good and dept is about 40 feet. Crashboat was the Seach and Rescue Boat operation that supported the Ramey AFB that closed in the 70's. There are two shops in Aguadilla that can take u there. Puerto Rico Technical Divers (http://technicaldivingpr.com/) and Aquatica Aquatica Dive & Surf (http://premium.caribe.net/~aquatica/AUAWEB2/ and http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...erto_Rico.html) . You can search Facebook and You Tube for pictures and videos...

Good luck!!!

Gino

 

[scubagirl59]

We are definitely going to be doing dives on the cruise, so getting certified in PR is our best option. And I want to have him do his OW's at a decent site so that he really gets hooked on diving.
Thanks for the info!

 

[ginovega]

Your Welcome! Like I said if you are willing to drive....The best diving is on the South West...La Parguera Wall, Rincon, Mayaguez, Aguadilla have nice dives however you have to drive about 2 hours...Check out this website:


Dive West PR - Dive West Puerto Rico
Here there are other Dive Operators in the West Side of the island:
TheDiveShop-Puerto Rico - The Dive Shop Puerto Rico
Paradise Scuba - La Parguera , Lajas PRScuba Diving Puerto Rico | Dive and Snorkel Trips La Parguera - Paradise Scuba
Island Scuba - Guanica, PR - Scuba Diving School & Dive Trips in Puerto Rico - Island Scuba
West Divers - La Parguera, Lajas, PR - West Divers PR
Taino Divers - Rincon, PR - http://www.tainodivers.com/SCUBA_DIVING_PUERTO_R​ICO/WELCOME.html
Aquatica Dive and Surf , Aguadilla, PR - Home
PR Technical Divers - Welcome to Puerto Rico Technical Diving Center

I will be going home ( I am form PR but I live in Atlanta, GA area...) next week and will return Mid-March...Let me know if can be of any assistance.. also please check out my other post on Puerto Rico...

Enjoy your trip!!!

Thanks

Gino!