INTRODUCTION
SHELTER
FOOD & DRINK
TRANSPORT
TO DO
MAPS
FORVM
SEARCH
POST NEW TOPIC
Puerto Rico

The current weather in Culebra
RSS feed
New Topic  |  Go to Top  |  Go to Topic  |  Search  |  Log In Newer Topic  |  Older Topic
Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Trent (63.225.219.---)
Date:   05-14-08 12:41

New Member!
I've been listening to you all for months, and thought it was time to chime in. Has anyone sent their dive equipment via USPS, UPS or FedX? We would carry on the sensitive pieces of gear and mail the rest a week or so earlier. If you do, where does it go? My wife, myself and another couple will be coming in June. This is our first major dive trip, so we are still green about this "traveling with gear" thing.
Debbie, you mentioned last month that USPS might be more reliable, why? By the way, I completely enjoyed your website!

Thanks, Trent.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   05-14-08 18:26

Thanks, Trent.

The USPS is more reliable on Culebra because, I don't know, it just is. The UPS and FedEx stuff gets hung up in "Customs" on the main island and then when it gets to Culebra there's one guy that retrieves it, and then you have to track him down to get it, etc. The USPS stuff just goes on the plane and comes over. I have never been able to figure out why UPS and FedEx think that Puerto Rico is a foreign country. Anyway, both dive operators on the island have excellent gear available. If I had to do it over again, I would travel without and use their stuff. If you do mail it, send it by Priority Mail, Insured (as if you wouldn't) and give yourself 3-5 days for arrival. Send it to yourself, c/o General Delivery, Culebra, PR 00775. Don't send it too early, or they will give you the evil eye in the post office if it sits around too long. Also, put your cell phone number on the outside of the package. We once, on a holiday or a Sunday (can't remember which) got a call to come get our stuff and NOW! So we DID! And we were happy and they were happy. They don't have the room for many large packages to sit around for too long. Best of luck!

Happy Diving!
Debbie
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Trent (63.225.219.---)
Date:   05-15-08 00:07

Debbie, thanks for the info. It's great to know about the quality of the rental gear just in case something where to happen to ours. One more question (for now). We plan to spend the first part of our trip with a dive operator, but would like to beach dive the last couple days. Good idea? Bad idea? It looks like Carlos Rosario, Melones and Tamarindo seem to be the most friendly judging by the comments on snorkeling. Are all the beaches on Culebra accessible by 4-wheel drive jeep? I visit all the beaches daily, via Google Earth, but it's hard to tell. We do plan to take a water taxi to Culebrita one of the days. I guess that was more than one question, huh?

23 days and counting. Trent.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Vicki moore (---.dhcp.jcsn.tn.charter.com)
Date:   05-15-08 00:36

Hi Trent, we are coming to Culebra for a week followed by a week in Vieques. We are longtime divers and always travel with out own gear, minus tanks and weights. We, too, carry our regulators and computers on the plane. Also, make sure your dive knife is in your checked luggage (ask me how I know this) or it will be confiscated. We are more comfortable with our own equipment. I have it checked out and tuned up yearly. You will not get any breaks by the local dive tour operators for using your own equipment. Also, Taz Hamrick does not rent out any gear for shore dives. He said the other dive operator on the island does. I have toyed with the idea of mailing our gear by USPS several days before our arrival. Does anyone know how much this might cost? I mailed a chair hammock back from Loquillo in 2006 and it cost $50 and weighed almost nothing. I shudder to think what dive equipment might cost!!! Please write a trip report upon your return about your dive experiences. We will arrive July 26.

Vicki in Tennessee
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com)
Date:   05-15-08 08:24

Tamarindo and Carlos Rosario are only accessible by foot, I believe.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   05-15-08 08:25

Trent,

Carlos Rosario is not reachable by car and you don't want to haul dive equipment on a 20 minute hike over the hill from Flamenco Beach! I've never snorkeled or dived Tamarindo from shore. Perhaps someone that's snorkeled it can let you know if you can just drive up and dive.

Melones is well suited for shore diving. You can just drive right up there. There are two picnic tables to use for gearing up, and it is a very easy entry. From there, you can plan your dive to go pretty much all the way to Tamarindo and back. You really don't even need to be good on air as it is very shallow. Just don't drift too far south and get into the channel between the island and Luis Pena Island - heavy boat traffic and current!

You can get tanks from Monika and Walter at Culebra Divers at the ferry dock, or from Mini Mas near the fish/gas dock.

I have always wanted to shore dive Flamenco, but have never gotten my lazy rear in gear to do it. It too, would be a fair walk with gear, but I'm curious to see what's out there from a dive perspective (have snorkeled there many times).

Happy Diving!
Debbie
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   05-15-08 08:36

Vicki,

If you weigh your dive gear and the box you might ship it in, you can go to the USPS website and determine how much it will cost. You'll need to know the weight, dimensions and method of shipping. Probably costs more than the overweight fee on Air Flamenco and the other little airlines.

Happy Diving!
Debbie
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com)
Date:   05-15-08 11:37

Debbie, I agree about paying the overweight fee. Sending a heavy package to Culebra will surely cost more than the 40 cents per pound that the airline charges.

At the airline's 40 cents per pound, that's only $40 for 100 extra pounds! No way you can mail 100 pounds for that. Not to mention the risks of packages being lost/late, and the undue stress that large packages put on the local post office.

But often the airline doesn't even charge you anything at all! If the plane isn't full, they sometimes don't care.

Even the ferry theoretically charges extra per bag (though very minimal), but they never charged us and we had 20 bags among 7 people.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Trent (63.225.219.---)
Date:   05-15-08 13:46

Mort was right. $145 to ship USPS from Phoenix. We will be trusting the airlines to keep track of our luggage. Thanks for the knowledge of the beaches y'all.

22 days and counting! Trent.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   05-15-08 18:59

Mort,

While I agree with your "plane isn't full, they don't care" theory, the flip side is that the plane is so full that they need to leave stuff behind to be sent on a later flight. That makes for a pretty stressful situation for a diver with thousands of dollars worth of gear. I think this fear (that I apparently instilled (sorry!)) is the reason Vicki's putting the hubby and the gear on the ferry.

Happy Diving!
Debbie
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com)
Date:   05-15-08 20:49

That's true, Debbie. It's a risk. I don't think it happens too often, though.

That's one of the things I like about Culebra. There are no sure things. Sometimes the ferry is full and you can't get on it. Or it's out of service. Or it's closed due to weather. Or it's filled with llamas.

I think that it's worth the risk to fly... especially if it's not a weekend. And what Culebra veteran would ever arrive on a weekend or a holiday? (No offense to those who don't have any choice!)
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Vicki moore (---.dhcp.jcsn.tn.charter.com)
Date:   05-15-08 23:54

LOL Mort. We have no choice as we arrive on a Saturday afternoon. Hopefully the 7PM ferry will not be too packed and the owner of our rental has given me the name and # for who to contact about getting reservations. And yes, the thoughts of my gear not going over to Culebra on the flight with me would be nerve wracking (sp??). My first trip to PR was in 2005. My sister treated me to several nights at the Ritz Carlton. I took my gear, including my husband's reg with his Suunto Cobra dive computer and just checked everything. My sister almost fainted when I told her how much the gear was worth and said I should have taken the reg and computer as carry on. Well, you would know that our luggage did not arrive with us, but arrived early the next morning. I was really worried. When I opened the bag I found everything in there except my Glucometer ( I am a diabetic), which someone had stolen. If only they know you can get those free VS the $$$ dive equipment.

Vicki in Tennessee
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com)
Date:   05-16-08 08:01

Yeah, I always carry on my regulator and computer. I'm paranoid about leaving anything valuable (or important) in my check-in bags.

I'm not sure how reliable the ferry reservation service is. Last time I went, I booked Henry's van, and he purchased our ferry tickets personally a day or so in advance. (He lives in Fajardo). You might want to consider that. The only thing is, he might not work on Saturday's, I can't remember.

I think that the 7pm ferry won't be too bad. Most local weekenders take the earlier ferries.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Trent (63.225.219.---)
Date:   05-16-08 12:46

We're booked on Air Flamenco for Saturday, June 6 with all our gear and luggage. I'll inform you all of our experience when we return. Computers and regs will definitely be in our carry-ons.
Mort, llamas?

21 days and counting! Trent.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com)
Date:   05-16-08 15:16

Trent, that was in reference to this brief but beloved ferry thread:

Well... I don't know if it was beloved by anyone else, but it's one of my personal favorites.

http://www.islaculebra.com/forvm/read.php?f=1&i=13155&t=13154
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Trent (63.225.219.---)
Date:   05-16-08 16:05

Great thread, but far too brief. Probably good that I wasn't around for that one. Thanks for the link. Trent.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com)
Date:   05-16-08 16:56

I think it said it all, though.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   05-16-08 20:09

Trent,

Be aware that unless your carry-on is extremely small, you will not be carrying it on to Air Flamenco. They will ask you to place it in the cargo bay if it's too big and you still have it with you as you walk out on the tarmac. They will also weigh it and it counts against your luggage allowance. The cargo bay is a large space behind the last seat.

Happy Diving!
Debbie
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Arroz (---.direcpc.com)
Date:   05-16-08 21:33

About driving to Tamarindo - there are two Tamarindo beaches (Grande and the other one whose name I can remember). One of the two can be reached by car if you take the road that runs to Tamarindo Estates. We snorkeled both of the Tamirindos and didn't find either very interesting (compared to Melones or Carlos Rosario). Don't know about for diving.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Trent (63.225.219.---)
Date:   05-17-08 10:49

Mort, sometimes less is more. And I did enjoy every morsel. Now that we're inside 3 weeks from arrival to Culebra, I'm going to stop worrying about what I can't control.
So, to sum up the shore diving: We will dive Melones and Tamarindo simultaneously with access at Melones. Water Taxi or dingy to Carlos Rosario. And maybe try Flamenco to let Debbie know what she's been missing. Then on to Culebrita.
Vicki, do you have anything to add about diving Culebra?
I'm starting a new topic on Culebrita.

20 days and counting! Trent.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Arroz (---.direcpc.com)
Date:   05-17-08 13:54

If you have enough advance time, you can send things by parcel post and it is a lot cheaper than priority mail and than carrying it as excess backage. For instance, according to the USPO site, if I send a large 60 lb package from NJ to 00775 with insurance it would come to $48.18. Estimated delivery is 10 days. This would avoid excess baggage on all flights, not just the SJU to Culebra leg.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Debbie (---.sip.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   05-17-08 14:34

Oh, Arroz, you may have a lot to learn about the US Postal Service. Perhaps it's different in Canada, but parcel post here means you better cross your fingers and hope it ever gets to its destination. We used to not be able to insure parcel post mail either - only priority mail. Maybe that's changed. The first thing I ever sold on eBay was a complete underwater film camera set-up. I shipped it to Hawaii using parcel post. It never made it. Last time I ever used that "service". Oddly enough, I knew the dive shop that the buyer worked for and when we traveled to Hawaii that same year, we were able to meet with him in person so that he understood that we weren't the crooks in the matter. I'm sure it's the last time he ever asked for anything to be shipped parcel post as well.

Happy Diving!
Debbie
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   05-17-08 21:40

Hola! I'm surprised that any of you are brave enough to send any of your precious diving or other equipment via mail. Every time I send a package to my family from the US, I make the sign of the cross and wish for the best. The US Postal Service has many fine members but, unfortunately some are not. Some take advantage to claim for their own what you send. I have used all of the US Postal Services and all of my packages have arrived to the island in all sorts of conditions (and not of the best kind), and not in the timely matter they promised. Why do I keep sending stuff over? Because when you have little nieces and nephews and hear via phone call how happy and thankful they are for the Hot Wheels cars or gift card they received, it was worth the hassle. But these are small things in comparison to the items some of you are intending to send for your vacation enjoyment.
Mr. Howard Castro is the person in charge of the Culebra Post Office. The # is 787-742-3862. Page 20 of the Culebra Island Newspaper www.theculebracalendaronline.com informs the community of how he went above and beyond his duties during the Christmas season. Maybe he can give more guidance on mailing your things to Culebra or suggestions on other alternatives. Happy travels! J

supergarcia3
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Mort (---.tampabay.res.rr.com)
Date:   05-18-08 13:52

I agree completely with Debbie and Jeannie.

Mailing a package to yourself at a small island is risky at best.

And it's hugely unfair to ask the local post office to store 60-pound boxes for people who aren't even residents.

You can take an extra 50 pound bag/box on a major airline for $25 to San Juan. Once you're in PR, if you take the ferry there's no extra charge for that bag (though they are entitled by the rules to charge a couple bucks if there in the mood).

If you take a plane from PR to Culebra, they'll charge 40 cents per pound, I believe, so that adds $20.

So, you don't save any money by mailing it, and the risk of lateness or loss by the Post Office is much greater than the chance of the airline losing your bag/box.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Trent (63.225.219.---)
Date:   05-18-08 16:50

Thanks, Jeannie for the contact and #'s. As for us, we have concluded that we will be keeping our gear with us. After all, even if we did manage to get everything there, what shape might it be in. Hate to go to the trouble of bringing it along, just to rent when we get there.

19 days and counting! Trent.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Vicki moore (---.dhcp.jcsn.tn.charter.com)
Date:   05-19-08 00:29

Vicki, do you have anything to add about diving Culebra?

I have never been diving on Culebra. You will be going well before me. I have snorkeled off a power cat on Culebra and beached it the same day at Culebrita. We hiked to the Baths. You must write a trip report upon your return.

Vicki in Tennessee
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: richard (---.hsd1.dc.comcast.net)
Date:   06-01-08 23:15

prob. too late for the OP, but a comparison of costs shipping luggage in today's WaPo - I'm sure PR is more (prices quoted are DC to SF), but a frame of reference to start with.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/30/AR2008053001241.html

"Bugged by Bag Fee? It Could Be Worse."

Sunday, June 1, 2008; Page P01 (Travel)

Peeved about shelling out 15 bucks to check a bag on American Airlines? We're not happy about it, either, but here's the good/bad news: It's still the cheapest method of getting your bag from here to there. Here's how $15 compares with the cost of shipping one medium-size suitcase and its contents (total weight 35 pounds) one way from downtown Washington to downtown San Francisco.
-- Elissa Leibowitz Poma

POSTAL SERVICE

· U.S. Postal Service, 800-275-8777, http://www.usps.com, $36.96 via seven-day parcel post; $123.90 for overnight express service.

EXPRESS MAIL SERVICES

· DHL, 800-225-5345, http://www.dhl.com, $52.40 for seven-day ground service; from $280.92 for next-day air.

· FedEx, 800-463-3339, http://www.fedex.com, $44.07 for five-day ground service; from $274.75 for overnight delivery.

· UPS, 800-742-5877, http://www.ups.com, $44.06 for five-day ground service; from $189.38 for next-day air.

LUGGAGE DELIVERY SERVICES

· Luggage Express, 866-744-7224, http://www.travellighter.com, $156.41 for three-day economy service; $296.87 for overnight express delivery.

· Luggage Forward, 866-416-7447, http://www.luggageforward.com, $124 for seven-day basic service; $273 for overnight express delivery.

· Luggage Free, 800-361-6871, http://www.luggagefree.com, $57.75 for five-day service; from $145.25 for overnight service.
Reply To This Message
Re: Dive Equipment
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Doug (---.dsl.stlsmo.swbell.net)
Date:   06-02-08 09:17

I usually mail my snorkling stuff, along with a few items for my Culebra friends-typically CDs and/or photos. This allows me to go carry-on only, which is a fine way to go. The USPS has never lost one of my packages, but American Airlines and Delta have! A 20 lb. box is twenty something bucks as I recall.
Reply To This Message
Threaded View Newer Topic  |  Older Topic