Re: Raratonga

Hi Guys,

I know this is an old post, but for anyone new out there who is reading
it, I though I'd let you know that the references to Dive Raro and
S.John are incorrect. I think you are mistaking 'Dive Rarotonga' with
'Rarotonga Dive' who are now called 'The Dive Centre'. This is
owned/operated by the Mr and Mrs John.

Dive Rarotonga are now a PADI Five Star IDC and are still the only dive
centre on Rarotonga who man their boats during dives!

Da Parrot-chick wrote:
> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> news:zwmIa.236865$ro6.6227841@news2.calgary.shaw.c a...
> >
> > "Da Parrot-chick" <just@sk.me> wrote in message
> > news:NfkIa.54970$Io.5207670@newsread2.prod.itd.ear thlink.net...
> > > Any experiences with the dive shop there?
> >
> > Yes!
> >
> > I checked most of them out. They each offered one tank in the
morning and
> > one tank in the afternoon. Dive Raro was a very scary outfit,
walking
> into
> > their shop was enough to tell me that, regardless they were
convenient for
> > me that day. My opinion at the end of the dive was the same.
However,
> they
> > have just recently been sold to new owners and so I can't say what
they
> are
> > like now. I'm sure it is a vast improvement in any event.
> >
> > Cook Island Divers get a lot of recognition but I didn't care for
them
> > overall, despite the size of their operation and their one tank in
the
> > morning, one tank in the afternoon business is a real drag. When I
> > questioned that practice, they advised me that they have groups of
divers
> > that are happy with that all the time. I replied, those guys
aren't
> > "divers". ;^)
> >
> > Now then, Pacific Divers offer two tanks in the morning and two
tanks in
> the
> > afternoon. They run a cool little operation and have been on the
island
> for
> > 28 years. Graham, the owner, is still unbelievably enthusiastic
about
> > diving after all these years, loves showing off his reef, talking
diving
> and
> > he has one helluva a sense of humor too. If you see something you
don't
> > recognize while you are down, you can describe it to him back at
the shop
> > and he will turn directly to the page in the id book and show you
what you
> > saw. http://www.pacificdivers.co.ck They are located over by and
will
> come
> > and pick you up anywhere you are staying on the island.
> >
> > Graham's wife Christina, runs the business end of things and cooks
up
> > fantastic goodies for the surface intervals.
> >
> > I can't recommend them enough.
>
> This is exactly what I was looking for, and thanks. Here's why: I
just had
> an email conversation with Dive Raro. I told them I had read in
another
> diver's trip report that the DM had dropped the anchor directly on a
coral
> head, breaking a hunk off the reef. I asked him if it was their
practice to
> drop anchor on top of coral reefs and how I didn't like that. I just
got a
> terse reply from someone named S. John telling me to leave him alone.
So,
> new owners or not, it doesn't look like they've changed their
customer
> service standards much.
>
> Given that I have two other alternatives, I'm glad I won't be forced
to use
> them when I go. I'm archiving your notes.

Ed wrote:
> Hi Guys,
>
> I know this is an old post, but for anyone new out there who is
reading
> it, I though I'd let you know that the references to Dive Raro and
> S.John are incorrect. I think you are mistaking 'Dive Rarotonga' with
> 'Rarotonga Dive' who are now called 'The Dive Centre'. This is
> owned/operated by the Mr and Mrs John.
>
> Dive Rarotonga are now a PADI Five Star IDC and are still the only
dive
> centre on Rarotonga who man their boats during dives!


That's about what you can expect out of these two sources.


> Da Parrot-chick wrote:
> > "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message


When I reported my diving experience in Rarotonga, and reported
the unusual sight of the HUGE rolling waves pounding the shore,
chilly (whose only diving experience was in a cove where a hotel
was) asked how could I have seen what I saw!

That's about the depth of chilly's experience.

As for da Parrot-chick, aka Skip, I wonder what prompted his
sex-change. ))

It's 10:30 hours into Christmas Day (here) now. Merry Christmas!
-- Bob.

"Ed" <ed@beyondblue.net> wrote in message
news:1103927571.892374.309900@c13g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Hi Guys,
>
> I know this is an old post, but for anyone new out there who is reading
> it, I though I'd let you know that the references to Dive Raro and
> S.John are incorrect. I think you are mistaking 'Dive Rarotonga' with
> 'Rarotonga Dive' who are now called 'The Dive Centre'. This is
> owned/operated by the Mr and Mrs John.

> Dive Rarotonga are now a PADI Five Star IDC and are still the only dive
> centre on Rarotonga who man their boats during dives!

I believe I said they had been sold and so I couldn't speak to how they
operate now.