Operators, Piers and Dive Sites

[bvbellomo]

Different operators leave at different locations. If we visit Palancar caves, for example, it is shorter from the Fonatur Marina than the Aqua Safari Pier. Barracuda, San Juan and Cantarel from Fonatur are going to be a drive south to Fonatur and then a boat ride back north, and a shorter distance from Aqua Safari.

Should this be a consideration selecting an operator? If I want to see the Northern sites, am I better picking someone who leaves from Aqua Safari? Does anyone do the Northern dive sites in Winter? If I know I mainly going South, do I save time choosing someone with a southern departure?

 

[NDL_Diver]

Most dive operations (non cattle boat) decide where to go based upon were the customers decide to go. If 4 people want to Palancar Bricks( I dive 6 Pax boats), that is usually where you will go. Does not matter if you left from Fonatur from town Piers or from Puerto de AbrigoPuerto (Northern Marina).

Same with North sites (weather permitting). Some people(me) hate barracuda and veto that site. Did it 3 times and never got to enjoy the reef or fish life. Yes it is a wild ride, but I am not there to prove/test my skills.

 

[mcohen1021]

I would think you get on the boat closest to where you are going... Or am I missing something...?

Edit: Personally, I like the longer boat ride so I can gear up / down without being in a frenzy

 

[rmssetc]

Different operators leave at different locations. If we visit Palancar caves, for example, it is shorter from the Fonatur Marina than the Aqua Safari Pier. Barracuda, San Juan and Cantarel from Fonatur are going to be a drive south to Fonatur and then a boat ride back north, and a shorter distance from Aqua Safari.

Should this be a consideration selecting an operator? If I want to see the Northern sites, am I better picking someone who leaves from Aqua Safari? Does anyone do the Northern dive sites in Winter? If I know I mainly going South, do I save time choosing someone with a southern departure?

I would say that this should not be a consideration.

From my perspective, there are 2 basic things to balance -- where you want to stay (center of town is my preference, for walking access to a great variety of restaurants) and the type of operator you want to dive with.


Few operators regularly go to the northern sites, despite several listing that as an option on their websites. You will almost always be going south, except for special trips.

For me, once I'm on the boat, I generally don't mind the extra few minutes in either direction*.

Staying north of the airport is going to be the most problematic location -- except for a few dive ops, you'll have to make your way down to the Aqua Safari pier or the marina. Similar consideration for staying "in town", though it's easier/cheaper to get a taxi to the marina and some operators will [informally, contravening the taxi regulations] arrange ground transportation.

Staying south of the marina....most operators can arrange a pickup at a hotel pier as they head to southern dive sites in the marine park. Of course, on the infrequent occasions that you're diving north of your hotel (northern site out of the park, night dive), you'll probably need to get yourself to the marina or the Aqua Safari pier.

* I hope that Aldora has changed their routine, so that customers don't get on the boat at the Aqua Safari pier, go north to the Aldora Villa, then head south past the Aqua Safari pier without stopping, and the reverse on the way back -- dropping customers at the Villa off before ending the day at the Aqua Safari pier.

 

[waterone]

Ambient Diver is mostly diving south but dive the northern sites and they were able to pick us up from a pier up north of Marina Fonatur. We dove up north and there are some nice pack sightings of Spotted eagle rays currently going on

 

[NDL_Diver]

* I hope that Aldora has changed their routine, so that customers don't get on the boat at the Aqua Safari pier, go north to the Aldora Villa, then head south past the Aqua Safari pier without stopping, and the reverse on the way back -- dropping customers at the Villa off before ending the day at the Aqua Safari pier.

You should make the suggestion to Memo that you are displeased with extra boat ride (we load from the Villa Aldora since we stay in a Northern Condo near there). BTW, Aldora leaves from Aldora Dock about 100 meters North of Aqua Safari dock.

 

[ChuckP]

Different operators leave at different locations. If we visit Palancar caves, for example, it is shorter from the Fonatur Marina than the Aqua Safari Pier. Barracuda, San Juan and Cantarel from Fonatur are going to be a drive south to Fonatur and then a boat ride back north, and a shorter distance from Aqua Safari.

Should this be a consideration selecting an operator? If I want to see the Northern sites, am I better picking someone who leaves from Aqua Safari? Does anyone do the Northern dive sites in Winter? If I know I mainly going South, do I save time choosing someone with a southern departure?

Far Northern dive sites (Sharks) are very weather dependent just like the East side (Isolote) and extreme Southern sites (Maricaibo) as they are more prone to open ocean winds - the general park sites are protected by the island from prevailing winds.

Leaving from Fonatur, it's a shorter trip to go dive San Juan and Baracudda in the North verses going to Columbia in the South - I'll double check GPS but I'm positive that's true. Abrigo is certainly closer but......

North of Fonatur dive sites are much fewer than South of Fonature so you'll naturally dive more in the Southern park.

I personally would pick an operator for the operator verses where they leave from - there are unique things about staying at some places that force you to use one operator but that is probably why you would stay there.

 

[divingjd]

I would also pick an operator you like rather than an operator that leaves from a particular location. In most cases, you won’t really know where you are going until you’re on the boat, anyway. There are exceptions, like the far northern sites, which tend to be booked in advance. But those are so weather-dependent that it can change at the last minute. I think it’s also better to stick with one operation rather than change from day-to-day, unless you are there for a long time. Get to know them, let them get to know you. For me, the length of the boat ride is not really a concern. I’m not at work, the view is quite nice, and I may see flying fish or dolphins.

 

[ggunn]

Leaving from Fonatur, it's a shorter trip to go dive San Juan and Baracudda in the North verses going to Columbia in the South - I'll double check GPS but I'm positive that's true.

Yes, Fonatur to Maracaibo is about 15 miles and Fonatur to Barracuda is about 7.5 miles.

 

[MMM]

If you stay south of caleta/fonatur, you will almost never go north as the ops will most likely be picking up divers south of there. For example, if some clients on the boat are at the Iberstar or some place south like that, the op with almost NEVER go get them and then head to a northern site. The gas situation just makes this unfeasible. If you are staying down south, and want to go north, the op will ask that you taxi to the caleta to meet them, should they do the trip.

A few will pick up further north but that's a rarity. Trips north are almost always an exception or special and are seldom planned in advance as they are so weather dependent.

Personally, I like it when divers are located mid island since that seems to provide the best options for the op to take you south or north.