~Please note, this is an Ocean Safari, not a dive trip per say. Most of the action happens quickly, you must be ready to jump in on snorkel asap before the bait ball’s dissipate! Scuba happens when the Bait Balls are in tact, large and there is time to get back on the boat and don tanks!~

2016 PACKAGE COSTS

6 Nights / 5 Days Sardine Run Diving Package

$1860 per person sharing – Bed & breakfast basis
$1990 per person sharing – Dinner, bed & breakfast basis

$2080 single person rate – Bed & breakfast basis
$2240 single person rate – Dinner, bed & breakfast basis

*** Rates based on current rate of exchange, subject to change.

Our first trip date starts 10th June and our last trip date ends 24th July. (depending on action)

*** The sardine run can continue into the month of August, therefore our dates can and will be extended depending on action at the time.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:
•5 full days of boat based viewing / diving / snorkelling the sardine run
•6 night’s accommodation on whichever meal package you choose. The above package is for Port St John’s River Lodge (3 star establishment)
•On board boat refreshments – our boat refreshments have been voted to be the best and most comprehensive by all crew and clients and our food is home-made
•Cylinder & air fills
•Weight belt & weights
•Diver permits
•Highly qualified team of skipper & in water guide / boat guide

Check ou the video of this experience here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrvenB0mG3M&feature=player_embedded

The Sardine’s run June-July, so now is the time to book this trip.

Contact us
Dive Discovery
1 800 886-7321
(415) 444-5100
info2@divediscovery.com

 Contact us for availability, don’t delay, time is running out!

Palau Off Road Jungle Tours

“You drive, we guide.”

You’re in the driver seat!
Take off on extreme 4WD expeditions to Palau’s big island, Babeldaob, where you’ll explore water falls, WWII relics, abandoned old villages rivers, and rainforest.

Babeldaob is the largest island in the island nation of Palau, and located northeast of Koror. One of the most undeveloped populated islands in the Pacific, Babeldaob has breathtaking vistas, and landscapes to explore.

Custom Tours:  Ngatpang waterfalls, Palau’s capitol ,Stone Monolith Overnight Camping, Peleliu and Angaur WWII tours, Exploration Tour

Palau Helicopters

Explore Palau’s breathtaking beauty with our 2012 Robinson R66 Turbine Helicopter.

Scenic flights and photography tours offer a unique opportunity to view and photograph Rock Islands, Jellyfish Lake, WWII battle fields of Peleliu, Rain forest, waterfalls and dive sites from a bird’s eye view.

R66 was designed and built by Robinson Helicopters in the USA using 21st century technology and has the best area of panoramic glass for maximum visibility.

Cameras and videos can be operated with or without doors.

For more information, contact Dive Discovery at:
1 800 886-7321, (415) 444-5100
or Email us

SRI LANKA HOLIDAY: MEETING WITH GIANTS
APRIL 2-12 2017
TOUR LEADERS~ CINDI LARAIA & SCOTT DAVIS
10 Nights / 11 Days
This expedition is for the wildlife enthusiast!

Join us for this once in a life time extravaganza to free dive with Blue Whales in the clear, blue, warm waters of Sri Lanka!

Then on safari with Leopard, Asian Elephant, Sloth Bear, Jackal and Mugger Crocodile as well as a number of dry-zone bird species.

BLUE WHALES are the largest creatures on Earth, they are resident here and can be seen on most mornings. At this time of year Sri Lanka is home to one of the largest concentrations of pygmy blue whales on earth. They are a sub species of the Blue Whale, approximately 10 feet shorter 79-80ft long.

Sperm Whales, Spinner Dolphin, Orca and Bryde’s Whale are also seen intermittently.
We will be here for the best chance to encounter migrating Sperm Whale pods, a wonderful bonus to add to the mix.

Welcome to Sri Lanka
The tear drop shaped island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean just off the southern tip of India. With its golden sandy beaches, azure blue waters and warm tropical climate, Sri Lanka is a year round destination for holidaymakers seeking sun, sand and sea.

The island has a rich cultural heritage that dates back over 2,000 years which is linked to the origins of Buddhism in the country with magnificently constructed stupas and the ruins of ancient kingdoms. Controlled from the 16th century onwards by the Portuguese, Dutch and finally the British prior to gaining full independence in 1948, the influences of colonial powers remain visible in architecture and a number of forts across the country.

Sri Lanka is recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot with a rich variety of endemic flora and fauna, and incredibly for a small island, can boast of large iconic animals such as the Asian Elephant, Leopard and the largest animal to have inhabited our planet, the Blue Whale. From palm fringed beaches to scrub jungles and numerous man-made lakes in the lowlands to tropical rainforests, cloud forests and highlands laden with waterfalls at its centre, this resplendent isle is abundant in natural beauty.

A WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE IN SRI LANKA

DATE SERVICE ACCOMMODATION
DAY 01
[2 Apr] On arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport, transfer to Mosvold Villa, Ahangama (3 hour drive)
*Our lovely 4 star villa home overlooks the water and near to the harbour for our early mornings start with the whales*
Spend 06 nights at Mosvold Villa, Ahangama Deluxe Room – H/B
DAYS 02-06

[3 – 7 Apr] 5 Mornings – Whale and dolphin watching from Mirissa for in-water experiences with Blue Whales, Sperm Whales and Spinner Dolphins
Afternoon at leisure
Overnight at Mosvold Villa, Ahangama Deluxe Room – H/B
DAY 07
[8 Apr] Morning, leave for Cinnamon Wild in Yala (4 hour drive)
*Our lovely rustic- luxurious Jungle Chalet is minutes from the park, offering wildlife at our front door!*
Afternoon safari at Yala National Park in search of Asian Elephant, Sloth Bear, Leopard, Mugger Crocodile and other wildlife
Spend 03 nights at Cinnamon Wild, Yala Jungle Chalet- H/B

DAYS 08-09
[9-10 Apr] Early morning and late afternoon safaris at Yala National Park for wildlife viewing Jungle Chalet- H/B
Overnight at Cinnamon Wild, Yala
DAY 10
[11 Apr] Early morning, one last safari at Yala National Park
Late morning, leave for Jetwing Lagoon in Negombo (5 ½ hour drive)
Spend 01 night at Jetwing Lagoon, Negombo Bawa Room – H/B

DAY 11
[12 Apr] Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayaka (30 min drive)
*** End of Services ***
GLOSSARY

• H/B = Half Board (Dinner and Breakfast only)
[Tour Plan – Sri Lanka

DETAILED ITINERARY:

DAY 1: 2ND APRIL
You will be met on arrival by a representative of &Beyond and transferred to Mosvold Villa in Ahangama (approx. 3 hour drive). Remainder of the day at leisure.

Mosvold Villa:
Located right by a pure stretch of beach, Mosvold Villa has six en-suite rooms, all of which have ocean views and feature elegant décor and essential modern fittings. The Villa’s cool neutral pallet is offset by lively accents in the form of vibrant paintings and exquisite antique furniture. Dotted along the open plan verandah are sun beds, armchairs and loveseats to lounge on. Also yours to indulge in are the bright and breezy pool, bar and deck where champagne and fresh seafood barbeques are served.

During your stay at Mosvold Villa, we also suggest the following activities which can be included on any of the days:

Galle Fort:
Spend a half day to explore the Galle Fort UNESCO World Heritage Site taking a leisurely stroll along the Ramparts with its panoramic views. The once sleepy Galle Fort is now a vibrant and bustling area with a distinctively Mediterranean feel to it and is abuzz with activity. You can explore its narrow streets and laneways bustling with jewellery shops, numerous cafes, restaurants and luxurious villas. The Galle Fort Mosque, the Lighthouse, the Anglican and Dutch-reformed Churches and the Maritime Museum are must-see sites.

Stilt Fishermen:
From Galle, travel briefly along Sri Lanka’s palm-fringed beaches along the Southern coast towards the town of Ahangama, to see the stilt fishermen at work. This ancient technique of fishing unique to this region is still practiced to date by fishermen hailing from the towns bordering Koggala to Weligama. The fishermen are precariously perched on stilts with one hand holding on to the fishing rod and balancing themselves on the poles itself with the other. Seated at an elevation of 2 metres above the water to minimize the disturbance to the fish, they hold on patiently for hours to get their catch and the fish once caught are stored in a plastic bag tied around their waist or the pole itself.

Spend 06 nights at Mosvold Villa, Ahangama. Accommodation is in a Deluxe Room. Your stay is on a Half Board basis.

Mosvold Villa, Ahangama
Stilt Fishermen at Ahangama

DAYS 2-6: 3RD – 7TH APRIL
Early morning, take a packed breakfast and travel to Mirissa Fisheries Harbour and head out to sea in a privately chartered speed boat in search of in-water experiences with the largest animal that has ever lived, the Blue Whale. Mirissa is regarded as the world’s top location for watching Blue Whales with sightings occurring on most mornings during the season which spans from mid. November through to mid. April. The Blue Whales are resident to the Indian Ocean and live year-round in these waters and encounters of mother and calves, pairs of males and females are recorded every season. Pods of Spinner Dolphin are seen on most mornings while Sperm Whales are occasionally seen. Bryde’s Whale, Orca, Risso’s Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin and Striped Dolphin are among the other species of cetaceans which are seen a few times each season. Excursions typically average around 5 – 7 hours in duration and the boats usually return back to the harbour in the afternoons when the winds pickup. Guests need to be good swimmers in order to be able to get into the water with the whales. Please also do note that while sightings do occur regularly on almost a daily basis, the whales encountered are free roaming wild animals and encounters can never be guaranteed.

We will be using speed boats with on-board toilets and fast engines based on the mainland to get access to where the whales are sighted. The boats are registered with the local authorities to carry out whale watching and for in-water experiences and have a team which knows how to manoeuvre the boats around the animals when encountered.

You will return to your hotel in the afternoon where you can spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Overnight at the Mosvold Villa, Ahangama. Accommodation is in a Deluxe Room. Your stay is on a Half Board basis.

Blue Whale mother and calf off Mirissa
Sperm Whale, Mirissa
Photo Credits: Joshua Barton

DAY 7: 8TH APRIL
After breakfast, leave towards Yala on the south-east corner of the island and check-in at the Cinnamon Wild in the outskirts of Yala National Park. (Approx 5 ½ hour drive excluding stopovers)

Cinnamon Wild:
Named as a tribute to the surrounding milieu of the Yala National Park, Cinnamon Wild sits adjacent to the park boundary and could very rightfully be positioned as an extension of the park. A property that was first established in 2002 as an eco-friendly resort for wildlife enthusiasts visiting the Yala National Park, Cinnamon Wild Yala opened its doors after an extensive re-construction and refurbishment as a world-class game lodge, conceptualizing the unique architectural features of the ‘Wild’ into its rustic exteriors and luxurious interiors. Designed to four star accommodation standards, the chalets are spacious and enjoy views of the scrub jungle, located well away from the public spaces to give ample privacy but nevertheless in close proximity for fellowship and gatherings if needed.

Late afternoon safari at Yala National Park, where you have the use of a spacious and comfortable 4WD safari vehicle for your game viewing. Leopards are the star attraction here and research has shown that Block I of Yala National Park has the highest concentration of these big cats in the world. Asian Elephant, Sloth Bear, Jackal, Mugger Crocodile, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Asiatic Buffalo, Wildboar, Grey Langur, Toque Macaque and Black-naped Hare are among a variety of larger animals that may be encountered. Yala is also an excellent location for birding with close to 300 recorded species – Indian Peafowl (Peacock) and the Sri Lanka Junglefowl are plentiful; White-bellied Sea Eagles, Crested Serpent Eagles, Grey-headed Fishing Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagles, Brown Fish Owl and Brahminy Kites are among the most widely seen species of raptors. A dazzling array of waders & water birds (Greater Sand Plover, Painted Storks, Asian Open-bill, Eurasian Spoonbill and the endangered Black-necked Stork) and other dry-zone species including winter migrants (Sirkeer and Blue-faced Malkohas, Malabar-pied Hornbills, Chestnut, Green and Blue-tailed Bee-eaters, Barns Swallow) may also be observed.

Spend 03 nights at Cinnamon Wild in Yala. Accommodation is in a Jungle Chalet and your stay is on a half board basis.

Cinnamon Wild, Yala
Cinnamon Wild, Yala

DAYS 08-09: 9TH – 10TH APRIL
Early morning and late afternoon safaris in Yala National Park in search of leopard, Asian Elephant, Sloth Bear and a multitude of avian species and other mega fauna. The varied landscapes from lagoons to rocky outcrops among the scrub jungle are a treat to the eye as you seek out the park’s wildlife.

Overnight at Cinnamon Wild in Yala. Accommodation is in a Jungle Chalet and your stay is on a half board basis.

Leopard, Yala National Park
Asian Elephant, Yala National Park

Sloth Bear, Yala National Park
DAY 10: 11TH APRIL
Early morning, one last game drive at Yala National Park in search of Leopard and other wildlife.

After breakfast, leave for Jetwing Lagoon Negombo (5 ½ hour drive). Remainder of the day at leisure.

Jetwing Lagoon:
Spend the remainder of the day at leisure. Overlooking the tranquil Negombo lagoon lies Jetwing Lagoon, which offers a blend of rejuvenation and relaxation with a unique restaurant called Geoffrey’s by the Lagoon, offering some of renown architect Geoffrey Bawa’s favourites. Boasting the longest pool in the west coast complimented by a spa and sporting activities in the lagoon, this is the ideal location to rest, relax, and energize in the privacy of your spacious individual villas. It is without doubt the finest spa resort by the Negombo Lagoon.

Remainder of the day at leisure.

Spend 01 night at Jetwing Lagoon, Negombo. Accommodation is in a Bawa Room with en-suite facilities. Your stay is on a half board basis.

Jetwing Lagoon, Negombo
Jetwing Lagoon, Negombo

DAY 11: 12TH APRIL
Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo) for your departure flight (30 min drive). Please be at the airport 3 hours prior to departure of flight.

*** End of Services ***

ACCOMMODATION
DAYS HOTEL NAME ROOM TYPE NIGHTS MEAL PLAN
Days 1-6
[2-8 Apr] Mosvold Villa, Ahangama Deluxe Room 6 Half Board
Days 6-9
[8-11 Apr] Cinnamon Wild , Yala Jungle Chalet 3 Half Board
Days 10-11
[11-12 Apr Jetwing Lagoon, Negombo Bawa Room 1 Half Board

Cost per person based on an air conditioned Mini-coach with an English speaking local guide throughout the tour, the services of Cindi LaRaia from Dive Discovery Travel along with Scott Davis/wildlife Biologist professional photographer, will lead the in-water experiences with whales on above mentioned excursions, accommodation and meal plan.

USD $8775.00 per person

Single Supplement: $1815.00 Per Person

WHAT YOU GET…

 Accommodation at the Hotels and as per the meal plans mentioned above.

 All transport services using 01 Air-conditioned Microvan / Mini-coach with an English speaking naturalist guide.

 All sightseeing and related entrance charges as mentioned in the itinerary including the permit charges for obtaining in-water experiences with whales.

 Bottled water during sightseeing tours and when on the boat.

 All presently applicable government taxes.

….AND WHAT YOU DON’T

 Sri Lankan Visa
 Lunch unless stated otherwise
 Beverages, unless stated otherwise
 Items of a personal nature such as laundry, phone calls etc.
 Any Insurance
 International and domestic airfare.
 Tips to guides, airport and hotel porters and restaurants. (Tipping is expected!)
 Any change in tax structure resulting from the hike in published tariff.
 Any other item not explicitly mentioned under included price.

About the tour leaders:
Cindi LaRaia has been designing and crafting high quality travel experiences for guests for over 30 years. She is a true wild child traveling with friends and family since she was 16 years old, planning all the travel, logistics and tours.
With an unquenchable thirst for adventure, she followed her passion and founded Dive Discovery Travel in 1991 specializing in only the finest scuba diving around the world, while also offering unique and special land adventure and culture excursions to compliment the diving. She then expanded her focus and founded Africa Discovery Travel 5 years later.
Cindi has travelled extensively to all 7 continents, and 15 African countries several times over escorting her guests, always in pursuit of the perfect holiday. Her greatest joy is to spend time with guests exploring far flung places that touch the soul! Asia and Africa are among her favourites.
With camera in hand, Cindi is an avid photographer striving to create and capture the perfect image, be it wildlife in all its myriad and beautiful forms or the subtle nuanced landscapes that often reveal themselves in the far off remote corners off the planet.
As an expedition guide, Cindi’s smile and easy going manner help to smooth the way traveling around the world. When traveling to ‘off the beaten path countries’, you never know what situation you will be confronted with. Rest assured, Cindi’s 30 years of professional travel experience coupled with a “whatever it takes” attitude and perceptive eye for detail will help insure each unique adventure goes off without a hitch and with minimal surprises.
One of her favorite “surprise” but salvaged moments was in Papua New Guinea where she convinced Air Nuigini to change back the flight to what her group had originally booked. The main problem was that Air Nuigini forgot to advise the airport staff of this new change. Hey its New Guinea, right. As luck would have, the President of Air Nuigini happened to be on the same flight out of Alatou. He opened the airport doors where he and Cindi tagged all the luggage, and checked everyone in. Cindi even helped the incoming plane park and get all the luggage off and her guest’s luggage on the plane as the pilots and flight attendants watched in stunned amazement.
You just never know what fun situation will be next!
When back in the home saddle Cindi resides in Tiburon CA, creating and designing amazing adventures! www.DiveDiscovery.com and www.Africa-Discovery.com

Scott Davis is a wildlife researcher, international photography expedition leader, and professional assignment photographer specializing in wildlife, travel, documentary and editorial imagery. Originally trained as a wildlife and marine biologist, Scott’s research, photo assignments and expeditions have repeatedly taken him to the far remote corners of the globe and all seven continents.
Scott is a National Geographic Society Grant recipient and has co-authored and published several peer reviewed scientific articles investigating aspects of animal behavior. He has worked with and consulted for National Geographic, BBC, and Animal Planet Series. He has stringed for Reuters News Service in Africa. His photographic work has appeared in ad campaigns for Fortune 500 companies as well as commercial websites, prestigious stock agencies, national and international magazines and newspapers including the San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, Microsoft, Sport Diver, Conde Nast, AFAR, Focus, and Men’s Journal. He has also worked as a commercial photographer for several national and international ad campaigns including Barclays Global Investments, The Cayman Islands Bureau of Tourism, Atlantis Resorts, USA Aid, Rainforest Connection, California Bureau of Tourism and the World Wildlife Fund to name a few.

As an expedition guide and tour leader, Scott’s easy going style coupled with a passion for all things photography is contagious. He finds great satisfaction sharing his unique insight, experience and knowledge with others, be they aspiring or already established photographers.
When not hopping a plane, train or automobile in search of his next subject, Scott currently makes his residence in Monterey, California.

www.scottdavisimages.com

For more information, contact Dive Discovery at:
1 800 886-7321, (415) 444-5100
or Email us

One Day San Francisco Great White Shark Adventure

The Farallon Islands – Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

Our one-day shark adventures depart from Fisherman’s Wharf in the heart of San Francisco. We typically depart for the Farallones before sunrise so we can be on location and have our shark cage in the water during peak sighting times.

Getting to and from the Farallones is half the fun. You’ll travel to the Farallones aboard the Derek M Baylis, a specially-designed 65 ft sailing research vessel. If we’re blessed with wind, we’ll sail. If not, we’ll motor. The Baylis provides a safe, comfortable and environmentally-friendly platform for research and education. She’s the same vessel utilized by the Sanctuary’s long-time white shark researchers.

Typical travel time to the islands is about three hours. During the trip offshore, we’ll serve breakfast and our certified naturalist will fill your brain with shark facts and Sanctuary trivia. We may even show some shark videos!

One Day Adventure

Download Trip Details [pdf]

For more information, contact Dive Discovery at:
1 800 886-7321, (415) 444-5100
or Email us

Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen), Cuba
By Bob Pecoraro

With the doors to the forbidden island opening ever so slightly, I thought it would be prudent to get to Cuba before the first McDonalds or Starbucks opened in Havana.  I wanted to experience Cuba as it is now, and probably how it had been for the last fifty-five years.  After poring over Treasury Department documents, I was able to secure a “travel license” through an Ocean Conservation “people to people” education program.  This would allow me to meet with Marine Biologists and Conservationists and would also allow me to participate in Scuba diving activities in one of the most pristine ecosystems remaining in the Caribbean, Jardines de la Reina (The Gardens of the Queen).  This area is a cluster of small cayes and mangroves located about fifty miles off the southern coast of the island.  Getting there was no easy task.

I began my journey by flying to Cancun, Mexico.  At the time that I booked my air tickets, flights from JFK to Havana had not yet been announced, and existing flights from Miami to Havana were booked solid.  After overnighting in Cancun, I flew non-stop into Havana, where I spent the night.  I was up at 3:30 am to meet the bus for a six hour drive to the town of Jucaro, where I then boarded a boat, arriving at Jardines de la Reina about three hours later.

Avalon Cuban Diving Center operates six live aboard boats in Jardines de la Reina.  They cater to divers and fishermen (catch and release only).  They are the only company allowed to operate there by the Cuban government.  That limits the amount of divers who visit the area and it helps to preserve the pristine reef system, which still exists there.  Apparently, Fidel Castro was a scuba diver and he used to dive at Jardines when he was a young man.  It was declared a Marine Protected Area in 1996 and the only fishery permitted to operate there is a lobster fishery.  That probably explains why I only saw one lobster in fifteen dives, although many appeared on the dinner table almost every night.  My home for the next six days was a stationary liveaboard called Tortuga, which was tied off in a clearing in the mangroves.  It was basically a floating hotel, surrounded by a dive shop, crew quarters, boat docks and a generator room.   The Tortuga had eight guest rooms, holding from sixteen to twenty-one divers.  The rooms were large and comfortable, with their own private bathroom.  Food was served in an air conditioned dining room or on the back deck, where there was a small bar and a couple of large picnic tables.  Food was plentiful and quite good.

Dives were performed from small boats, which picked up the divers at the front of Tortuga.  There were three scheduled dives per day.  More dives could be requested for an additional cost.  Time to the dive sites ranged from ten to twenty-five minutes.  On some days the boat would return to Tortuga between the first and second dives.  On other days it would stay out and the divers were taken to a small island while the crew changed the tanks.  The island contained a lot of friendly iguanas and Hutia (a small rodent that looks like a miniature Capybara).  Other between-dive activities included snorkel tours near the mangroves and searching for Nino, one of the friendly American Crocodiles with whom the crew of the Tortuga was familiar.

I have heard that diving in Jardines de la Reina was like diving in the Caribbean fifty years ago.  I cannot attest to that statement, since I have only been diving in the Caribbean for about the last twenty years; However, I can say that I went into this trip with high expectations and I was not disappointed.  The reefs were the healthiest that I had ever seen in the Caribbean, teeming with life.  Grunts, porkfish, snappers and goatfish covered the reefs like a carpet.  There were sharks, tarpon and numerous species of grouper seen on pretty much every dive.  The three species of shark that I encountered were Caribbean Reef Sharks, Silky Sharks and Nurse Sharks.  We saw a smallish Whale Shark swim by prior to one dive.  It just kept going and we were not fast enough to see it in the water while snorkeling.  Baiting for sharks was a common practice for Avalon Cuban Diving Center.  The lead Divemaster, Tony, did ask the group if anyone objected to this practice; nobody did.  They did not, however, do this on every dive.  On the shark baiting dives, Tony or Noel, the other Divemaster, would bring down a white aluminum box with a few fish parts in it.  The box had a line on it that they would use to pull it open at the conclusion of the dive to expose the yummy morsels there in.  On one dive the sharks obviously did not pay attention to the briefing and opened the box on their own…at the beginning of the dive.  It created quite a feeding frenzy, which was fun to observe.

Another rather unique opportunity that exists in Jardines was the chance to swim with American Crocodiles.  Among the many crocodiles that live in the mangroves, there were three that were known by name.  They were Tito, Franco and Nino.  Tito and Franco lived near the Tortuga. They visited just about every day, lured by the possibility of handouts in the form of chicken parts.  Franco was apparently shy and he didn’t get along with Tito.  We did not see Franco during our stay, since Tito showed up every day, presumably keeping Franco away.  Nino lived in the mangroves, some distance from Tortuga.  We visited him between dives one day.  The funny thing about Nino was the way in which the crew attracted him to the boat.  Once the boat engine was turned off the crew began to shout “Niiiiinnnoooo, Niiiiinnnoooo”…and it worked.  After a few minutes, Tony pointed across the mangroves and declared:  “Here he comes”.   Really???  Now that’s cool!  The way that guests interacted with the crocodiles in Jardines was vastly different from the experience that I had interacting with the same species in Mexico one year ago.  In Mexico it was very controlled, with a limit of two “swimmers” per guide.  It was done in shallow, chest-deep water, where you could easily stand up.  The guide was armed with a pole spear.  He used the non-spear end to gently nudge the crocodiles if they got too close.  In Cuba, there was not necessarily a guide in the water with the guests.  When Tito came for a visit at the Tortuga, the guests were allowed to suit up in snorkeling gear and go into the water on their own, without supervision.  The water surrounding the boat was about ten feet deep.  When Nino showed up at the boat from his mangrove lair, swimmers all just got into the water at their leisure.  The depth varied from one foot to around ten feet.  The two crocodiles that we interacted with in Cuba did not show any signs of aggression or agitation.  I assumed that they were coming around, expecting a handout at some point. They were usually not disappointed.

My entry and exit point into and from Cuba was Havana.  I spent a total of three nights there.  I had one full day to tour a city that appeared to be stuck in a time warp.  1950’s model cars were seen everywhere.  Many were convertibles and served as taxis, because people will pay more to ride in them than they would to ride in a plain old modern cab.  Classic architecture ruled in “old Havana”.  There was even an exact replica of the U.S. Capitol building there.  Much of the infrastructure was in disrepair, but attempts were being made to restore some of those classic buildings.  For the last four or five years it seemed that more opportunities had opened up for average Cubans to make a little more money for themselves.  Homestays and small restaurants inside residences had become somewhat commonplace.  I dined at several of those restaurants and they were very good.  Food and drink were relatively cheap.  Small souvenir stands, art shops, bars and restaurants were plentiful in the market area in “old Havana”. The people of Cuba seemed to welcome the new influx of American visitors.  Most were friendly and outgoing.  They were honest and open about how they lived and would share their experiences with you if you were so inclined to ask.  On a cautionary note:  when traveling anywhere in the world, be it Queens, NY, Orlando, Florida, Rome, Italy or any other place you can think of, one must be careful and take necessary precautions to avoid becoming a victim of a crime.  Unfortunately, a member of our party had her purse snatched on the streets of Havana, while walking back to the hotel following dinner.  She had her purse strung across her body, however, the purse strap was flimsy and a thief ran by her, ripping it from her body and escaping with passports belonging to her and her husband.  They were then stranded in Havana for an additional three days because the newly opened US Embassy was closed for a three day holiday weekend.  Although the crime rate is reported to be low in Cuba, many people are poor and desperate; tourists are often the victims of petty theft and scams.  Luckily our friend was unhurt and they were able to safely leave the country a few days later.

With all that I’ve heard about Cuba over the years, particularly about the diving in Jardines de la Reina, I went into this adventure with great anticipation.  It is safe to say that this trip certainly lived up to my high expectations.  For those that may be interested in traveling to this destination, you can reach out to Cindi LaRaia of DiveDiscovery.com.  She arranged everything from the travel license to the flights, hotels and diving.  I have been using her travel services for the last fifteen years.  I suggest that you hurry though.  It is my understanding that prices are already beginning to rise and American companies are already trying to negotiate deals in Cuba.  You’re definitely going to want to get there before the first cruise ship pulls into port, and before you can get a McMojito at the local McDonalds!

Watch video: https://youtu.be/DIUOXcwPwiU

For more information, contact Dive Discovery at:
1 800 886-7321, (415) 444-5100
or Email us