Diving with Blue World Diving Center - Playa Pesquero, Cuba

[Gambitt]

Diving with Blue World Diving Center. - Guardalavaca (Holguin) Cuba

Having done almost a dozen dives with Blue World Diving Center, on 4 trips to Cuba, I feel I am now qualified, to write a full dive report!

Location:

 BW is located on Pesquero Beach.  It's on the extreme east end of the beach, in front of the Blau Costa Verde, but it serves all 3 hotels on this beach.  (inc. Playa Costa Verde, and Playa Pesquero).   Look off to your right, as you face the ocean, and you will see the dock and ladder for the dive shop.   For those staying at the Grand Play Turquesa, it's a short taxi ride, and the taxi can drop you right at the shop.

The Dive Shop:



BW dive shop is ACUC Certified, and offers diving courses for new divers, Including a Discover Scuba course, for those that want to experience their first dive. ACUC is Canadian Company, and their certifications  are accepted world wide.  PADI Certifications are not available in Cuba, but an ACUC Cert. IS transferable to PADI, to continue your education.

The dive shop is open every day Except Sunday.  Weather plays a big part in diving, so some days the dives are cancelled if the ocean is too rough.  Having been out on a marginal day, I can understand their caution.

 The shop has full basic equipment for rent.  It's mostly Mares gear, and is in fairly good condition.  If you don't want to carry your entire kit to Cuba, I'd suggest taking your own regs, just for the comfort factor.  They do not sell any equipment here, so make sure you have a spare parts kit, if you take your own stuff.  A donation of new O-rings is always appreciated, as they do wear out, and are hard to get in Cuba.

The shop has facilities to store any gear you want to keep there; but it is open to all divers, so regs. cameras and computers shouldn't be left there, unless you can lock your dive bag.  The shop is securely locked (and alarmed) when the shop is closed, so wetsuits etc. will be reasonably safe.   

When you get to the dive shop, talk to the staff; and let them know your needs, and experience level.  They are happy to help you pick the dives that are right for you.  If you're an "Airhog", let them know and they will set you up with a 10 litre tank, so you can stay down with the rest of the group.

The Dive Masters:

 Jorge Consuegra is the Dive Shop Manager.  He'll sign you in, and set you up with your rental gear.    Maikel Amaya and Leandro Garce' are the guys you will be diving with. Both are very experienced Dive Masters, who will make every effort to see that you have a safe and comfortable dive.  Luis Batista Calzadilla is the Compressor man, and he'll set up your tanks for you.

Prices:

Blue World offers many dive packages, and prices are as follows:

1 Dive with Rental Equipemnt:  40 CUC       2 Dives with Rental Gear 60 CUC  After 2 dives, the gear is no charge.
3 Dives   86 CUC                                    4  Dives 105 CUC
5 Dives   130 CUC                                  6  Dives 150 CUC
7 Dives   170 CUC                                   8  Dives 190 CUC
9 Dives   210 CUC                                  10 Dives 230 CUC

Note:  You can pay at the end of your diving, if you're not sure how many dives you will be doing.  You leave your C-card with the office, and pick it up when you pay.  You can also pre-pay if you choose, and they will refund the difference for dives not completed.


The Dives:  



On a normal day, there will be 2 dives: The first dive is at 9 am.  The normal maximum depth for this dive is 30 m. (90 ft.), but on some dives there is the possibility of going somewhat deeper.  You can also follow a bit above the DM if you aren't comfortable at these depths.  The Second dive is at 11 am.   This one averages about 15m. (45 ft) maximum, but again varies by location.  There is a Possibility of a 3rd dive at 2pm, if there is enough interest and depending on the boat availability, so ask at the shop for this one.

Always arrive 15-20 minutes before every dive, to get your gear ready because when you're set up there is a full diver's meeting.  Miss the meeting, and you don't dive.  In the dive meeting, you will learn about the site you are going to, the depths and dive plan, and the hand signals that will be used during the dive.

Dive Locations and Depths

Here's a list of the Available dives:



And a map of the sites:



What You'll See:

Cuba has some very nice coral formations, that will add interest to every dive.  The clear blue waters will give visibility up to about 60 ft. on a good day.  Sealife is quite plentiful, with may varieties of tropical fish.  You might also see stonefish (pictured below) crabs, lobsters, squid, and a large morey eel.  Sharks are not common in this area, but at the right time of year, it is a possibility.



Here's a link to my most recent pictures diving with Blue World.

http://www.7daysinparadise.com/gallery/v/Gambitt/Diving/

[Gazza]

Hi gambit,
            Do you have any contact details for 'Blue World', ie e-mail address or their own web site?

I am in the Occidental Grand Playa Turquesa at Easter (Mar 20th+) And i am keen to dive with them.

Thanks in advance

Gary
 

[Gambitt]

Hi Gazza

Unfortunately, Blue World doesn't have a website.   (that's why I put so much detail in my report  ) (Funny side note: if you look up Blue World Diving on Google, it takes you to my site  )

But, I've done exactly what you're planning to do, and it's super easy.    When you arrive at the GPT, go to the Gaviota desk in the lobby, and tell them that you want to dive with Blue World.  The Gaviota desk will arrange it for you.

Then, on the morning of your dive, pop by the desk and they will call over to make sure the dives are on for the day, (weather etc.) and they'll call you a Taxi.    When you are done diving, the dive shop can call you a taxi back to the GPT.

Good Luck, and Have fun!

[Gazza]

Thanks Gambitt,
                      Your posting is very informative so thanks, I gather you are based in the colonies? (obviously I’m from the good old UK) so do you dive in Canada?
I was in an inland dive site, a flooded quarry called Stoney Cove, in the centre of England on Sunday with an air temperature of -6 and a water temp of +6, so the warm waters of Cuba is going to be like a hot bath to me!
I alsohave a brand new,complete, set of Cotri Sub regs that I was thinking of taking over with me, worth £160, do you think the guys over there are open to a bit of 'bartering'?

Sure will have fun!

Gary

[Gambitt]

Yes, I do a lot of diving here in "the colonies" 

My coldest dive to date was -18 C air temp, and a water temp of -1 C.  (a flowing river, that kept it from freezing).   Six months later, the same river was 26 C!, so we get the best of both worlds.  The vis. in cold water is sooo amazing.

As to the bartering, it's a way of life in Cuba.  If one of the Dive Masters was looking for a new set, you might be able to work something out.  A private chat might get you a quid pro quo. 

If you're interested in some great diving, you should consider coming over to Canada, to dive the St. Lawrence Seaway.  This area has more wrecks than any place on earth.

[Gazza]

I should have known better than to trying to 'one up' a Canadian when it comes to temperature and/or snow   

I worked for a Canadian construction management company over here in the UK a couple of years ago, although the actual winter temperatures were a lot higher than you get, they were all moaning about our ‘damp cold’.

Over here in our neighbouring county Scotland, sounds very similar very cold but clear water and we also have a dive site (not yet dived by me, I add) call Scapa Flow http://www.scapaflow.co.uk/. that is the remains of the 1st world war German nave  fleet that was scuttled deliberately.

Theres so much world (sea?)and so little time to dive it!

Gary

[flopnfly]

Welcome to 7 Days Gazza   

It's always nice to see another diver in Paradise.

I've only been certified for a year and a bit, but I love it already. 

We were in Scotland last May and I tried to talk John into doing some diving while we were there, but he's a warm water woosie.     so I guess we'll have to stick to the Caribbean waters for now.

[Gambitt]

Wow... the Scapa Flow looks Great.  I'll have to add that to my "to do" list, that just seems to keep getting longer.  Someday, I'm going to make it to the "penal colony"  (Australia) to do the Great Barrier Reef.

Maybe we'll have to arrange our own Quid pro quo.  I'll take you on a guided tour of the 1000 Islands, and you can return the favour in Scotland!
 

[Gazza]

Hi again Gambit and Flopnfly,
                                     Thanks for your warm welcome  If you ever visit/revisit Scotland always sterilise the drinking water, Its the only nation on earth where the men wear skirts and dance with each other 
I was diving a site just over the border with England back in September a combination of good viz (for this tiny Island) and its a marine nature reserve made for a great week end.
Another (my favourite) is in the south west of England in a county called Cornwall (technically a 'principality', although the natives want independence), The sea temp at the end of summer/fall can be 15-19oc with good viz and lots of life and hundreds of wrecks.

   

Only one month to SCUBA in Cuba!

Gary

Gary 
                   

[mojitomiss_cuba]

Welcome to 7 Days Gazza   

It's always nice to see another diver in Paradise.

I've only been certified for a year and a bit, but I love it already. 

We were in Scotland last May and I tried to talk John into doing some diving while we were there, but he's a warm water woosie.     so I guess we'll have to stick to the Caribbean waters for now.

Welcome to 7 days Gazza.

Flopnfly and I love you Brits. We always flock to them when we are on vacation lol.

Warm water woosie, oh yeah, I'm with John there. Heather you know I hate the cold

Gazza,
flopnfly, Johnnycastaway and I were all in Cozumel together last September and I finished the OW portion of my PADI course there, so I'm the definitive scuba newbie over here, but love it too
Though I think that I am waaaayyy to much of a warm water woosie to EVER think of diving in the Orkneys 

MY god, that would be friggin cold! The heaviest wet suit I want to wear is 3mm

[Gazza]

Hi Mojitomiss,
                 Thanks again for the warmest of welcomes (not like our sea's!), most of our diving over here is in dry suits, some hardy souls dive in semi's in the summer but even then 2x5mm or single 7mm is requiered, especialy if you go for a second dive 

I too only l learnt to dive just over  a year ago, but did a PADI resort dive (1 day) about 10-12 yeras ago, so have a lot of catching up to do! but have managed to get 50 dives in this year.

I do my training with the British Sub-Aqua Club (BS-AC) and have done my Ocean diver, Sports diver (similar to your Advanced diver + rescue) and am currently have a few qualifying dive to complete my Dive Leader ( similar to your Dive Master). I am also the equipment officer of my club , Rugby Divers, http://rugbydivers.onspec.co.uk/, so am quite busy.

I am away this week end doing a 'boat handling' course as my club has its own 6.5m RIB boat, i need this for insurance purposes, so i have a drive down to Plymouth, a very historic port, and a weekend on the water but no diving  .

Any way this time in 4 weeks i will be sipping Mojitos reviewing photos of the days diving

Dive safe,

Gary

[Nic]

Hi Gambitt, thanks so much for the info - we've just booked 2 weeks at the Blau Costa Verde and qualified as PADI open water divers in Taba, Egypt last July but haven't managed to dive since, so wanted to find out about the dive centre for this holiday.
We'll need to do a refresher dive before we get going - don't suppose you know if they offer this?
Your info is so helpful, so thanks!

[JohnnyCastaway]

Welcome to Paradise Nic,
it's a good idea to do a refresher course if you haven't been diving in a while, most local dive shops have pool sessions on a weekly basis, and offer refresher courses for around $50 per diver.  We've found lately that most dive operations down south now will require a "checkout dive" before they let you get onto the boat, this is to make sure you know what you're doing and confident in the water, so if you've done the refresher a week or so before you go down, it takes away any anxiety of "do I remember how to do this?" in a foreign country.

There is no PADI centers in Cuba per se as PADI is a US entity, ACUC is the common certifying agency down there.

Hope that helps.

[Gambitt]

Hi Nic... Glad you found my information useful!   

I would suggest that your first dive in with Blue world, be the 2pm "Discover Scuba" dive...  It's not deep, but it will get you ready for further adventures in the local waters.  If you take a (very) short walk over to the dive shop, they'll be happy to give you the exact days and times.   Be sure to mention that you are new divers, so the DM's will know to keep an eye on you, (and they will.  ) to make sure everything goes well.

[loum0411]

Hi Gambitt ,
I'll be in Playa Pesquero 1st week of december... I'm a certified Padi advanced diver... I guess that the Blue world is the nearest diving center arround there? Will I need to take a reservation to be sure to dive during my stay? I would like to make only 2 or 3 dives (on one day)... Do you know if the dive center is still there after the hurricane Ike destroyed everything arround? If so, is it still in good shape and open for divers?
Thanks!