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The current weather in Culebra
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diving mona island vs desecheo
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: chuck (---.centennialpr.net)
Date:   08-04-09 10:21

Hello all-

Sorry for posting this hee, but I've received no replies from my post on the Scubaboard forum.

I'm looking for any thoughts on the relative value of making the trip to Mona Island for no more than 1 overnight, against Dessie only - am in Puerto Rico now with family, leaving in a week. Went to Desecheo last summer with Taino, & it was awesome. Having fewer than 20 dives under my belt makes me a novice, but at least I'm comfortable in the water, should be okay with drift diving, working on refining boyancy control so my tank doesn't bonk in very tight spaces! I have read at least one source's claim that Dessie may be as good as or better than Mona, and without the 3-hour trip & 9-foot seas (though that itself could be fun with a little dramamine in me).

My sense of things concerning this question in general (based as much on extensive snorkeling as anything) is that the diving at any given site is sufficiently variable, depending on immediate local conditions and assuming at least some amount of healthy reef, that a two- or four-dive snapshot has limited predictive value; but that bottom depth somewhat dictates the upper limit of what might be seen under the best of circumstances. Would anyone agree with this unscientific opinion? And, in any case, what are the chances that I'll see significantly more spectacular stuff if I make the trip to Mona - assuming I can find a trip there in the time that remains. Have to admit, I'm not a big sponge-and-coral guy, get my biggest thrills from seeing new creatures big (turtles & a ray so far) and small or exotic (sea horses, arrow crabs, squid.) Thanks in advance for your input. Also, greetings to Llama, Debbie, and all who've helped me in the past.

ps - will post separately on our recent 4-day camping experience.


-Is-there-any-shade
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Re: diving mona island vs desecheo
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   08-04-09 14:06

Hola!
Although I don't dive at all, do snorkel though, you sometimes have to think in terms of logistics. Never been to Mona, planned to go but, my trip was canceled due to bad weather. My Mom has a cousin who was a fisherman and fished, dived and took many excursion groups through the Mona passage. If sea conditions are not the best, the boat stays at the pier. It is rough sea conditions no matter what the weather is as well as the long boat ride, 3-4 hours long, maybe more, boat rocking away. Very few times have I heard that the seas were calm during the trip, especially now that it is hurricane season and weather can be ever changing. I have been to Desecheo, great snorkeling, and it's a quick boat ride from La Guancha in Ponce, about 20-30 minutes. I don't know where you are staying in Puerto Rico, but again, think logistics, taking into consideration that you only have a week left. La Guancha is accessible, quick boat ride and possibly more time for the dive. Mona takes a bit more planning and time to get to La Parguera, Lajas area (which I think is the closest from where they would depart from; my Mom's cousin would leave from Boqueron, Cabo Rojo).
Another thing to think about, it's not the same as having experienced the dive yourself as opposed to hearing it from someone else. Choose a place this time and plan for the other place next time. While your on the island, find out about the place you didn't get to dive and sort out all the details and logistics of doing the dive and you'll have something to look forward to, besides visiting your family, for your next visit.
Happy travels!J

supergarcia3
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Re: diving mona island vs desecheo
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Gwenn (---.direcway.com)
Date:   08-04-09 18:27

I have not done them yet, but I have done some planning....
As you probably realize, Desecheo Island is about 14 miles off of Rincon, not Ponce.
I plan to dive it in October....
From what I hear, Mona Island is mainly for more experienced divers. It is about a 3-4 hr trip each way, that makes a long dive day. Large swells are not fun to bob around in for anyone. Strong currents are very difficult (not for drift diving, but for getting back on the boat and safety stops!). 20 dives is not enough to be called advanced/experienced. I would not risk it this trip.
Stick with Desecheo and travel down toward Lajas and dive the Wall. West divers does this- it is supposed to be great. That is on my dive schedule for next month.
Have fun!

www.CoquisHideaway.com - A Rainforest Retreat in PR
www.puertoricodaytrips.com -things to do in PR
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Re: diving mona island vs desecheo
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Jeannie G3 (---.asm.bellsouth.net)
Date:   08-04-09 21:27

Hola! Oops, I messed up, got my little islands wrong. The island I was talking about was Caja de Muertos, off the coast of Ponce, another to consider as well for diving. Be careful when diving around Desecheo as well. There was a diving accident with a group of divers, very strong currents:
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/586/165099/

Just yesterday, a man drowned at Pozo del Obispo at Arecibo Beach, again due to the strong currents:
http://www.elnuevodia.com/seahogahombreenlapozadelobispo-599723.html

Just be careful divers. My brother in law does rescues for FURA, sometimes they are successful in finding people out at sea.
Happy travels! J

supergarcia3
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Re: diving mona island vs desecheo
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Frank S. (---.nyc.res.rr.com)
Date:   08-04-09 23:34

hasnt anyone thought of suggesting culebra as the dive destination?
or vieques even.

why go to such extremes?
are the reefs intense?

better than the reefs around culebra?

considering yourself a novice, why dont you rack some hours up with awesome coral reef dives.
theres lots of them around the sister islands
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Re: diving mona island vs desecheo
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Gwenn (---.direcway.com)
Date:   08-05-09 16:54

Culebra diving is nice (from my experience better than Vieques). But as diving anywhere in the world goes, it it not that impressive.
"Real" divers always want "the best"! It gives you more to talk (boast) about when talking with other divers. Personally, I don't get to go too often any more, so I am ok with any bottom time, but at $100/day , it is nice to see something exciting.
So the best diving on PR (from what I read) is off the S and W of PR.

For a diver with only 20 dives under his belt, Vieques and Culebra would be nice dives. I hope if he is on either island for a few days, he takes advantage of the opportunity. But I believe since this person is asking about things in the S/SW of PR because they are in that area.

www.CoquisHideaway.com - A Rainforest Retreat in PR
www.puertoricodaytrips.com -things to do in PR
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Re: diving mona island vs desecheo
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: chuck (---.centennialpr.net)
Date:   08-05-09 19:39

Thank you all for your replies.

To answer Frank's, and Gwenn's most recent post first, I'm actually staying in San Juan now. I was, in fact, already on Culebra for five days camping with my daughter and her friend, but I had promised the girl's parents that I would not go diving at all, in case there was any emergency, so I guess maybe it just feels funny to spend more money to go back (now that she's back home) to the place I just came from! I've done some dives off the north and east coast, but I think the west has the better vis. Your first post, along with Jeannie's very excellent points about weather related issues, convinced me that I should indeed wait to make the Mona trip. Alas, I'm not sure there will necessarily be a "next trip" for me, since we've been to PR many times over the years, and my daughter is hankering for our next trip to be somewhere different, and she's not a diver. So my next dive excursion will likely be by myself (thanks to those credit card points), somewhere like Cozumel that's all new - once my skills are at that level. Meanwhile, I'm leaving tomorrow morning at 5:00 to make the trip to Rincon on the west coast for a trip out to Desecheo. I'm excited! I'll also look into some of the other places that have been suggested like Lajas.

Thank you again for your help - I knew this forum would respond! (Still zero replies to my post on ScubaBoard!)

Shade
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