Puerto Vallarta

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stevsgarage

Contributor
Messages
173
Reaction score
15
Location
Kansas city area
# of dives
500 - 999
There is more to Puerto Vallarta than diving. Thank God because no one would go there just to dive. With the exception of a few cab drivers and timeshare pushers I found the quaint city by the bay to be exciting, fun and as safe as any place I’ve been. The mid 80’s temperature, the statue lined ocean walk, and friendly atmosphere made this place near paradise.
However as near perfect as it seemed I did have some complaints. My first was that my hotel, Blue Bay Club, had no beach. In fact the beaches in Puerto Vallarta are rocky with small areas of very course sand. The better beaches in the area are on the outer edges of Banderas Bay, several miles to either the north or south.
The Ocean during the week I was there was very rough and all the dives I had planned to the better dive sights were canceled and I had to settle on doing all my diving in the Los Arcos area.
The water Temperature was 73 to 75 degrees, but visibility was only around 30 to 50 feet above 40 feet deep, with fairly strong surges. However as you dive deeper visibility improves considerably and the surges become far less noticeable. The morning I was to fly home the Pacific was as calm as I’ve ever seen. Some of the more interesting sea life I spotted there were tuna, (although I didn’t see any really large ones), balloon fish, porcupine fish, large eels, trumpet fish, large turtles, and many, many rays, round rays, bat rays spotted rays and skates.
Although the dive shop in my hotel, Ocean Quest, was very accommodating and did an excellent job over all I was glad I choose to bring my own equipment as theirs looked well worn.
I had a great time and could have been better had the weather cooperated, however I found diving more interesting in the San Diego area and it didn’t come close to the Mexican dive mecca “Cozumel”.
 
Interesting. Thanks for the trip report Steve.
Where ya going next?

:gorgeous:
 
Actually I'm going to a rock quarry in Missouri next, not that interesting but any dive is a good dive. Latter this summer hope to mooch a place to stay in Cabo from a relative, if not may check out San Carlos or return to Cozumel.
Hope to meet you down under.
Steve
 
Hi Steve
Just to report that Ocean Quest has renewed their equipment with brand new Mares Regulators and BCD's thank you for the input though.
 
Thats great to hear, they are really good people and like to see them do well in a fairly competitive market. Like to return again someday but not in March
 
You must have been there during the winter/spring season. I've never been there, but from the research I've done on the place, it sounds like the diving varies quite a bit between the winter/spring season and the summer/fall season.

Winter - Spring (Dec 22 - June 21)

Visibility/ Temperature
surface 20-30 ft. / surface 65-73F
bottom 40-60 ft. / bottom 60-63F


Summer - Fall (June 22 - Dec 21)

Visisbility/ Temperature
surface 80-130 ft. / 84-87F
bottom 80-130 ft. / 80-83F

From the info I've found on the place, Summer would definitely be the time to go there if you were wanting to dive. There are also supposed to be Giant mantas, groupers, some sharks, and possibly humpback whales at some of the sites you didn't get to dive, which include the Marietas Islands, Las Iglesias, El Morro, and El Sequial.
 
I was there just a few weeks ago, mid March. The water temp. wasn't bad, low 70's, the main problem was the rough sea. Acording to what somebody down there told me was that the global trade winds change twice a year, around March and Oct. and last about week each time (bad timing). I'm no expert after all I'm from Kansas and there hasn't been an ocean here for a couple billion years.
 

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