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Scuba Diving – By Glenn Rigby
I have had the opportunity to scuba dive on a few occasions, mostly when I was younger. It is an activity I would love to do again, and probably will do when I decide to visit some fun and exciting locations. Because a great way to enhance the fun-factor of any trip is to strap on scuba gear and go diving.
Let us look at a few spots that may be of interest to the scuba enthusiast and beginner alike.
Puerto Rico-
Being exposed to northerly swells, the north coast has only a few dive sites, and divers staying along this coast are usually taken by road to the east coast for diving. East coast diving is easy as the sites are relatively shallow and the seas rarely rough. Fine white sand creates idyllic beaches but reduces visibility after ground swells. The diving terrain is typically gently sloping fringing reefs with both hard and soft corals, especially bushy gorgonians. This is a gregonian:
Costa Rica-
Most good diving is on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. The Caribbean reefs were decimated some years ago due to pesticide runoff from the banana plantations although the last two or three years have seen a definite return of life to the region. Dive operations are not very sophisticated but if you happen to be on that side of the country a day of diving can be fun. The best months are in September-November.
There are three main areas for diving on the Pacific Ocean side. The first area is Isla del Caño, located on the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica. The other two lie in the northern province of Guanacaste.
Chile-
Chilean beaches are easily accessible and generally have similar characteristics: a small sandy bay of approximately 1 kilometer (.6 mi) of extension limited at both ends by cliffs. This is important for your orientation when in the sea. The bottom of the sea alternates between sand and generally large, round stones.
Once in the water you will quickly notice a great difference from other coasts: the abundance of seaweed and the variety of sea life. The abundance of fauna is remarkable, even near the coast, which is due to the almost total absence of divers. This amount of fauna living in relatively shallow waters coupled with excellent visibility makes for ideal conditions for marine photography.
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