Dive Review of Ocotal Divers/Ocotal Hotel in
Costa Rica/Ocotal, Guanacoste

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Ocotal Divers/Ocotal Hotel, Mar, 2009, by Don Hoft, MA, USA ( Reviewer 3 reports). Report 4699.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Spent 11 days here with my non diving wife. Contrary to most reports on the diving here, this diver was very disappointed. However, Ocotal Divers staff were very experienced and good at their jobs. As often reported, due to generally poor vizability there is usually one DM leading and one following (if the group gets to 4 or more), a wise technique. It was a bad omen on arrival talking to an (apparent) experienced diver (drying out his gear) prior to my 1st dive indicating he dove just one day and gave up: "water 59 deg and no viz". I doubted it but he wasn't far off in general. During my time, depending on whose gauge was used the water T's were between 60 and 66, with the higher value the guess of the crew. Viz was a body length or two to 20-25'. Some dives were an absolute zero, over bottom with little life, little viz, and cold. Fortunately a couple of sites offered some interesting life including frog fish, electric rays, large sting rays, and moreys (one consuming a still alive grouper). To keep warm I finally used a full 3mm, a shorty 3mm (theirs), and a vest/hood. The head DM had a 5mm and 2-3mm shorty's, and my extra 3mm hood. It was unexpectly cold. From what I gathered talking to the locals the dry season (Nov-Apr) is also windy with cold water and low viz. The green season starts in May with afternoon showers, lower wind and better viz. For us, no trips to Cataline or Bat Islands were available. Two days I was the sole diver on the boat. A dive group arrived on the weekend, and following their very 1st dive, several would not do the second dive. I leave thinking Costa Rica is and interesting country with nice people, but can't help wondering about the wisdom of diving during this time of year. However, it really troubles me that when reviewing the last 3 year of undercurrent that the very lowest temp reportled was 68 (only once) and much better sealife. I cant help but believe that the conditions I encounted were unusual. (Our I was narc'ed before I got there). The country offers many interesting topside experiences. We spent all our time in the northwest region. Excellent beaches, natural beauty, and in several nature reserves. Worth doing.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific, Caribbean, Mexico
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy	Seas	calm, choppy, surge
Water Temp	60-66°F / 16-19°C	Wetsuit Thickness	6
Water Visibility	5-20 Ft/ 2-6 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	?
Enforced diving restrictions	Vizability dictated diving with DM
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Was adequate if boats were not full (approx 10 max)

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Dive Review of Ocotal Divers/Ocotal Hotel in Costa Rica/Ocotal, Guanacoste

Ocotal Divers/Ocotal Hotel, Mar, 2009,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Ocotal Divers/Ocotal Hotel in
Costa Rica/Ocotal, Guanacoste