hdtran
Geography Police
After several years where we vacationed in locations where Scuba diving is impractical (Rocky Mountains, anyone? 
), we went to Puerto Vallarta for 1 week this year. My family doesn't dive, so I made arrangements just for me. After some research, I chose to go w/ Alex Vega's shop, Puerto Vallarta Scuba Diving and Specialty Diving School: PVSCUBA . I did 3 days of diving & classes.
You can see some photos at my gallery/album here ScubaBoard Gallery - Puerto Vallarta June 2010
You can see more photos on my picasa web album here
Picasa Web Albums - Hy
First, let me say that I'm still very much a novice diver, and my skills are rusty (hence, the classes). I've done several trips in Cabo San Lucas, a couple of dives in Florida (Ft Lauderdale area & Panama City area), and now, Puerto Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta is a very nice town, and the people are wonderful, but I didn't think the visibility and fish variety was as good as Cabo San Lucas--but you'll have to factor variability in seasons, etc.
PVScuba is a good shop. They're actually quite small, but if you don't fill the boat, Alex makes sure that you go on another boat with your own divemaster or instructor as necessary. For my first day, after a refresher, I went with Natalia to Marietas Islands, which is a Mexico natural park. I saw blue-footed boobys (boobies?) on the island, which was really neat. Marietas is quite a haul from the PV Marina (about 1 hr on a fast two-engine panga). We shared this trip with 3 divers + instructor/guide from Silent World Divers (looks like a nice bunch of people too). Natalia and I dove together, while the other trip went together. Temperature seemed pretty warm; I was overdressed in a 7mm. I think the water was probably in the high 70s (F) at the surface, and down to high 60s at 50 ft depth. Gorgonians, angel fish, varieties of surgeonfish and triggerfish, damselfish, parrotfish, eels, scorpion fish (or are they stone fish?). Visibility was approx 30 ft. On the second dive, Natalia offered to take me thru 2 swim-thru tunnels. She thought my skills were appropriate, so I agreed. The first tunnel was nice and short (and I'm sure the second one too), but I got nervous after the first one, so I asked Natalia to stay in open water after. The first tunnel was probably 5 ft wide, 7-8 ft high at the entrance, maybe 15 ft long, and becoming wider and taller at the exit, with lots of encrusted marine life on the walls. I was really too concentrated in making sure I was in the center of the tunnel and exiting safely to enjoy the marine life, though.
Second day, I went with Alex Vega. We shared the boat with I think Vallarta Undersea, and a larger group. The other group appeared to be split into 3: A beginner group, an intermediate/advanced group, and a photography group, led by marine biologist Alicia "Dr Nudibranch." We went to Majahuitas. Again, nice warm water, visibility in the 30-40 ft range, and lots of marine life. I saw a sea turtle (see photo), and a very nice nudibranch. I didn't see octopus, though the other group did. Majahuitas had a bit of current, so this seemed a bit more like a drift-ish sort of dive. Very enjoyable trip. The other group made fresh seviche (some of the passengers were local divemasters taking a day off, so they went spearfishing). Nice seviche; couldn't be fresher. Personally, I'd rather take a photo, but I won't waste food if it's offered to me. (If I seafood, I eat it
)
Third day, I went again with Alex, and Natalia had charge of a family from Colorado. This time, we used PVScuba's boat to go to Los Arcos. On the way to Los Arcos, we saw a manta ray in the water (easily 2+ meters wide, maybe 8 ft?). At Los Arcos, Alex & I first did a wall dive, then, up a canyon to return. The other group saw a manta and an eagle ray(!). For the second dive, Alex & I stayed shallow (40-50 ft) on a sandy/rocky area, just looking for neat stuff. Visibility seemed better, maybe 40-50 ft? But I think that this just changes from day to day with the local currents and season.
PVScuba is located in a hotel (Villa Vera, formerly Howard Johnson). There's a shower that you can use after to rinse the salt off of you. They also set up a rinse bucket to rinse their gear, and you're welcome to rinse your own if you want, before the bus/taxi back to your accomodations. If you're staying in regular Puerto Vallarta or the PV hotel zone (but not Nuevo Vallarta), you can take a bus to PVScuba for 6.50 pesos (make sure the bus has "Marina" on the window, and ask the driver if he goes by the Westin). You can also take the bus back to your digs, which is nice.
I had a great time. I can highly endorse PVScuba. Their boat is perhaps not the fanciest boat (toilet? Go take a dip in the ocean!), but it's well shaded, and practical for diving (lots of room to store tanks and gear, and lots of rooms for passengers to struggle on with their wetsuits!). Alex and Natalia were both extremely nice and helpful. I had great communications with Alex by e-mail prior to arriving. Alex also provided me with a great restaurant tip (Barcelona's). If we go to PV again, I would not hesitate to go diving with PVScuba.
Regards,
Hy
), we went to Puerto Vallarta for 1 week this year. My family doesn't dive, so I made arrangements just for me. After some research, I chose to go w/ Alex Vega's shop, Puerto Vallarta Scuba Diving and Specialty Diving School: PVSCUBA . I did 3 days of diving & classes.You can see some photos at my gallery/album here ScubaBoard Gallery - Puerto Vallarta June 2010
You can see more photos on my picasa web album here
Picasa Web Albums - Hy
First, let me say that I'm still very much a novice diver, and my skills are rusty (hence, the classes). I've done several trips in Cabo San Lucas, a couple of dives in Florida (Ft Lauderdale area & Panama City area), and now, Puerto Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta is a very nice town, and the people are wonderful, but I didn't think the visibility and fish variety was as good as Cabo San Lucas--but you'll have to factor variability in seasons, etc.
PVScuba is a good shop. They're actually quite small, but if you don't fill the boat, Alex makes sure that you go on another boat with your own divemaster or instructor as necessary. For my first day, after a refresher, I went with Natalia to Marietas Islands, which is a Mexico natural park. I saw blue-footed boobys (boobies?) on the island, which was really neat. Marietas is quite a haul from the PV Marina (about 1 hr on a fast two-engine panga). We shared this trip with 3 divers + instructor/guide from Silent World Divers (looks like a nice bunch of people too). Natalia and I dove together, while the other trip went together. Temperature seemed pretty warm; I was overdressed in a 7mm. I think the water was probably in the high 70s (F) at the surface, and down to high 60s at 50 ft depth. Gorgonians, angel fish, varieties of surgeonfish and triggerfish, damselfish, parrotfish, eels, scorpion fish (or are they stone fish?). Visibility was approx 30 ft. On the second dive, Natalia offered to take me thru 2 swim-thru tunnels. She thought my skills were appropriate, so I agreed. The first tunnel was nice and short (and I'm sure the second one too), but I got nervous after the first one, so I asked Natalia to stay in open water after. The first tunnel was probably 5 ft wide, 7-8 ft high at the entrance, maybe 15 ft long, and becoming wider and taller at the exit, with lots of encrusted marine life on the walls. I was really too concentrated in making sure I was in the center of the tunnel and exiting safely to enjoy the marine life, though.
Second day, I went with Alex Vega. We shared the boat with I think Vallarta Undersea, and a larger group. The other group appeared to be split into 3: A beginner group, an intermediate/advanced group, and a photography group, led by marine biologist Alicia "Dr Nudibranch." We went to Majahuitas. Again, nice warm water, visibility in the 30-40 ft range, and lots of marine life. I saw a sea turtle (see photo), and a very nice nudibranch. I didn't see octopus, though the other group did. Majahuitas had a bit of current, so this seemed a bit more like a drift-ish sort of dive. Very enjoyable trip. The other group made fresh seviche (some of the passengers were local divemasters taking a day off, so they went spearfishing). Nice seviche; couldn't be fresher. Personally, I'd rather take a photo, but I won't waste food if it's offered to me. (If I seafood, I eat it
)Third day, I went again with Alex, and Natalia had charge of a family from Colorado. This time, we used PVScuba's boat to go to Los Arcos. On the way to Los Arcos, we saw a manta ray in the water (easily 2+ meters wide, maybe 8 ft?). At Los Arcos, Alex & I first did a wall dive, then, up a canyon to return. The other group saw a manta and an eagle ray(!). For the second dive, Alex & I stayed shallow (40-50 ft) on a sandy/rocky area, just looking for neat stuff. Visibility seemed better, maybe 40-50 ft? But I think that this just changes from day to day with the local currents and season.
PVScuba is located in a hotel (Villa Vera, formerly Howard Johnson). There's a shower that you can use after to rinse the salt off of you. They also set up a rinse bucket to rinse their gear, and you're welcome to rinse your own if you want, before the bus/taxi back to your accomodations. If you're staying in regular Puerto Vallarta or the PV hotel zone (but not Nuevo Vallarta), you can take a bus to PVScuba for 6.50 pesos (make sure the bus has "Marina" on the window, and ask the driver if he goes by the Westin). You can also take the bus back to your digs, which is nice.
I had a great time. I can highly endorse PVScuba. Their boat is perhaps not the fanciest boat (toilet? Go take a dip in the ocean!), but it's well shaded, and practical for diving (lots of room to store tanks and gear, and lots of rooms for passengers to struggle on with their wetsuits!). Alex and Natalia were both extremely nice and helpful. I had great communications with Alex by e-mail prior to arriving. Alex also provided me with a great restaurant tip (Barcelona's). If we go to PV again, I would not hesitate to go diving with PVScuba.
Regards,
Hy
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