Diving Locations in Panama and Costa Rica

<sytech@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1144581505.733824.165550@g10g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Would appreciate recommendations for "good" diving locations in Costa
> Rica (not counting the Coco Islands or Northern Guanacaste Province
> where I;ve already been several times).
>
> Am also interested in Panama, especially the Bocas del Toro area or
> locations on either side of the Isthmus such as Portobello. Also,
> every time I check the weather (Yahoo! Weather) for the Bocas del Toro
> area I see rain forecasts. I realize that the "rainy season" is coming
> in about a month or so but I thought April would be ok.
>
> Any advice or recommendations for dive shops and hotels will be
> appreciated.

Why are you interested in a diving trip to areas that are not particularly
known for their diving?

<sytech@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1144581505.733824.165550@g10g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Would appreciate recommendations for "good" diving locations in Costa
> Rica (not counting the Coco Islands or Northern Guanacaste Province
> where I;ve already been several times).
>
> Am also interested in Panama, especially the Bocas del Toro area or
> locations on either side of the Isthmus such as Portobello. Also,
> every time I check the weather (Yahoo! Weather) for the Bocas del Toro
> area I see rain forecasts. I realize that the "rainy season" is coming
> in about a month or so but I thought April would be ok.
>
> Any advice or recommendations for dive shops and hotels will be
> appreciated.

Why are you interested in a diving trip to areas that are not particularly
known for their diving?

<sytech@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1144581505.733824.165550@g10g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Would appreciate recommendations for "good" diving locations in Costa
> Rica (not counting the Coco Islands or Northern Guanacaste Province
> where I;ve already been several times).

> Am also interested in Panama, especially the Bocas del Toro area or
> locations on either side of the Isthmus such as Portobello. Also,
> every time I check the weather (Yahoo! Weather) for the Bocas del Toro
> area I see rain forecasts. I realize that the "rainy season" is coming
> in about a month or so but I thought April would be ok.

Spent time in Bocas in April of '05.
Journeyed into Panama via the Caribbean border at Sixaola after spending a
week in Puerto Viejo, CR.

This was *not* a "dive trip". Rather, it was more of a walkabout where a
diving opportunity presented itself.

Bocas is a beautiful area, well worth a visit.
While I certainly wouldn't go there just for diving, it's not a bad way to
spend a day or two.

We stopped in at Bocas Water Sports, right on the main drag of Bocas Town.
The shop well organized, and the staff friendly and competent. I asked a
few questions, looked at the rental gear (as I said, we were not there for
diving, and had not brought our gear), and set up a dive for the next day.

While the diving is not world-class (seems the run-off from banana
plantations, etc. has definitely impacted the coral), it was enjoyable
enough. We dove at 'Coral Cay' and 'The Gardens'. Both averaged around 60',
with bottom time of about an hour) Saw a fair amount of small critters
(lobsters, crabs, squid, morays, puffers, and some bristleworms, looking
back at my log) with reasonably decent viz.

However, there was a bonus: it wasn't *just diving. We actually started the
morning doing a little dolphin watching from the boat, before proceeding to
the first dive. After a decent surface interval, we did our second dive.
Upon completion, we then boated over to a beautiful little island, where we
did a bushwalk to observe the endemic red frog. Finally, we ended up at a
spectacular beach for a little swimming and body surfing. Returned to the
shop just a bout dinner time.

How much, you ask? How about $50 bucks for the whole day?

Like I've said, not world-class diving, but a pretty damn fine time, all
things considered.

> Any advice or recommendations for dive shops and hotels will be
> appreciated.

Good experience with Bocas Water Sports, and we stayed at the Hotel Angela.
It's off the main drag, but right on the water. The owner, an expat from
Memphis, was an exceptional host. Excellent on-site restaurant, and very
reasonable. Highly recommended.

> Thanks,

> Sy

Have fun!

EFB

<sytech@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1144581505.733824.165550@g10g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Would appreciate recommendations for "good" diving locations in Costa
> Rica (not counting the Coco Islands or Northern Guanacaste Province
> where I;ve already been several times).

> Am also interested in Panama, especially the Bocas del Toro area or
> locations on either side of the Isthmus such as Portobello. Also,
> every time I check the weather (Yahoo! Weather) for the Bocas del Toro
> area I see rain forecasts. I realize that the "rainy season" is coming
> in about a month or so but I thought April would be ok.

Spent time in Bocas in April of '05.
Journeyed into Panama via the Caribbean border at Sixaola after spending a
week in Puerto Viejo, CR.

This was *not* a "dive trip". Rather, it was more of a walkabout where a
diving opportunity presented itself.

Bocas is a beautiful area, well worth a visit.
While I certainly wouldn't go there just for diving, it's not a bad way to
spend a day or two.

We stopped in at Bocas Water Sports, right on the main drag of Bocas Town.
The shop well organized, and the staff friendly and competent. I asked a
few questions, looked at the rental gear (as I said, we were not there for
diving, and had not brought our gear), and set up a dive for the next day.

While the diving is not world-class (seems the run-off from banana
plantations, etc. has definitely impacted the coral), it was enjoyable
enough. We dove at 'Coral Cay' and 'The Gardens'. Both averaged around 60',
with bottom time of about an hour) Saw a fair amount of small critters
(lobsters, crabs, squid, morays, puffers, and some bristleworms, looking
back at my log) with reasonably decent viz.

However, there was a bonus: it wasn't *just diving. We actually started the
morning doing a little dolphin watching from the boat, before proceeding to
the first dive. After a decent surface interval, we did our second dive.
Upon completion, we then boated over to a beautiful little island, where we
did a bushwalk to observe the endemic red frog. Finally, we ended up at a
spectacular beach for a little swimming and body surfing. Returned to the
shop just a bout dinner time.

How much, you ask? How about $50 bucks for the whole day?

Like I've said, not world-class diving, but a pretty damn fine time, all
things considered.

> Any advice or recommendations for dive shops and hotels will be
> appreciated.

Good experience with Bocas Water Sports, and we stayed at the Hotel Angela.
It's off the main drag, but right on the water. The owner, an expat from
Memphis, was an exceptional host. Excellent on-site restaurant, and very
reasonable. Highly recommended.

> Thanks,

> Sy

Have fun!

EFB

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:gVb_f.10852$_u1.8033@pd7tw2no...
>
> <sytech@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1144581505.733824.165550@g10g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> > Would appreciate recommendations for "good" diving locations in Costa
> > Rica (not counting the Coco Islands or Northern Guanacaste Province
> > where I;ve already been several times).
> >
> > Am also interested in Panama, especially the Bocas del Toro area or
> > locations on either side of the Isthmus such as Portobello. Also,
> > every time I check the weather (Yahoo! Weather) for the Bocas del Toro
> > area I see rain forecasts. I realize that the "rainy season" is coming
> > in about a month or so but I thought April would be ok.
> >
> > Any advice or recommendations for dive shops and hotels will be
> > appreciated.
>
> Why are you interested in a diving trip to areas that are not particularly
> known for their diving?

diving in poor conditions is better htan not diving at all...

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:gVb_f.10852$_u1.8033@pd7tw2no...
>
> <sytech@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1144581505.733824.165550@g10g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> > Would appreciate recommendations for "good" diving locations in Costa
> > Rica (not counting the Coco Islands or Northern Guanacaste Province
> > where I;ve already been several times).
> >
> > Am also interested in Panama, especially the Bocas del Toro area or
> > locations on either side of the Isthmus such as Portobello. Also,
> > every time I check the weather (Yahoo! Weather) for the Bocas del Toro
> > area I see rain forecasts. I realize that the "rainy season" is coming
> > in about a month or so but I thought April would be ok.
> >
> > Any advice or recommendations for dive shops and hotels will be
> > appreciated.
>
> Why are you interested in a diving trip to areas that are not particularly
> known for their diving?

diving in poor conditions is better htan not diving at all...

"Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard
resulting in:
:diving in poor conditions is better htan not diving at all...

Not really.

Dan Bracuk
If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.

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"Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard
resulting in:
:diving in poor conditions is better htan not diving at all...

Not really.

Dan Bracuk
If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

"Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:14z_f.10036$4L1.8253@newssvr11.news.prodigy.c om...
>
> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> news:gVb_f.10852$_u1.8033@pd7tw2no...
> > > Any advice or recommendations for dive shops and hotels will be
> > > appreciated.
> >
> > Why are you interested in a diving trip to areas that are not
particularly
> > known for their diving?
>
> diving in poor conditions is better htan not diving at all...

As a diver that travels to dive, I have to disagree. Personally, I get
bummed out when I spend a chunk of change to go to a new destination and the
diving isn't all that it could be. That said, once I'm there, diving in
poor conditions is better than not diving at all.

Since the OP is a new diver, it seems to me that we should want to see them
at a better dive destination, in hopes that they won't lose any enthusiasm
for the sport by having made their first dives at a location(s) not
particularly known for its diving.

All that said, I've wanted to go to Boca for a while now but since the
diving component is very important to me, it kept dropping down the list.
Now that I've seen the report, I'm moving it up on my list.

>
>

"Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:14z_f.10036$4L1.8253@newssvr11.news.prodigy.c om...
>
> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> news:gVb_f.10852$_u1.8033@pd7tw2no...
> > > Any advice or recommendations for dive shops and hotels will be
> > > appreciated.
> >
> > Why are you interested in a diving trip to areas that are not
particularly
> > known for their diving?
>
> diving in poor conditions is better htan not diving at all...

As a diver that travels to dive, I have to disagree. Personally, I get
bummed out when I spend a chunk of change to go to a new destination and the
diving isn't all that it could be. That said, once I'm there, diving in
poor conditions is better than not diving at all.

Since the OP is a new diver, it seems to me that we should want to see them
at a better dive destination, in hopes that they won't lose any enthusiasm
for the sport by having made their first dives at a location(s) not
particularly known for its diving.

All that said, I've wanted to go to Boca for a while now but since the
diving component is very important to me, it kept dropping down the list.
Now that I've seen the report, I'm moving it up on my list.

>
>