WHY IS DR NOT A SCUBA DESTINATION ??

USA DOC

Bronze
Feb 20, 2016
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...was doing some diving few months ago between Punta Rucia, and Monte Christy park, far western north coast, was the best...just like other places I have been in the DR.....but never hear anyone talking about the diving here?......Doc.....
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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...was doing some diving few months ago between Punta Rucia, and Monte Christy park, far western north coast, was the best...just like other places I have been in the DR.....but never hear anyone talking about the diving here?......Doc.....

maybe it is relative, DOC...the Cayman Islands are so far ahead of most every other area in the region..
 

joe

Brain Donor!
Jan 12, 2016
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Some stiff competition out there;
Belize
Saba
Roatan/ Utila
Bonaire
Cozumel
Florida
Caymans
etc.

Having said that, Punta Rucia is awesome.
 
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Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
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My non professional guess would be that no one has ever pushed it with a few million dollars behind them.
Der Fish
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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Reefs not doing well around here is what I hear not a scuba guy myself... North coast lost dive shops over the yrs.. 
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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joe is correct. There are far better places, reef conditions in general are not great, Punta Rucia being the exception on the north coast. That said, some people are OK with the conditions.
 

Garyexpat

Bronze
Sep 7, 2012
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I have dove in Bayahibe but would like to try PUnta Rucia.
I agree that the competition is stiff. I am hoping to get to Belize this year to do the drift dive that I hear is fantastic.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Loads of excellent diving in the DR. Main place is Bayahibe, Catalina island is a national underwater park and is fab diving. Also just this side of Las americas is a national marine park with two wrecks. Diving in Las Terrenas is good. Monte Cristi has amazing wreck diving too. There are dive schools all around the island. There is also great cave diving.

Matilda
(ex dive instructor Juan Dolio)
 

lifeisgreat

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May 7, 2016
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Anyone know why a lot of reefs in bad condition particularly North Coast? Damage by tourism?
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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The reefs have been damaged by human activity, including a rise in the ocean temperature. My son recently obtained a special PADI certification in coral restoration and is volunteering for the Punta Cana Ecological Foundation's reef restoration programme:

[video=youtube_share;-DcYrqYyMFI]https://youtu.be/-DcYrqYyMFI[/video]
 

habi

Active member
Oct 17, 2015
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And the human activity includes also overfishing, so the reef health even declines faster!
Regarding Punta Rusia, really nice coral formation but actually less fish live than for example in Sosua...
Getting back to the OP question, not enough enforcement of the existing laws and no intere$t from the politicos!:(
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
The reefs have been damaged by human activity, including a rise in the ocean temperature. My son recently obtained a special PADI certification in coral restoration and is volunteering for the Punta Cana Ecological Foundation's reef restoration programme:

Kudos to your son Chiri. Proves there is hope coming from the next generation.
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
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The DR recently banned Parrot fish fishing and put them on endangered list ..they were tasty 
 

Conchman

Silver
Jul 3, 2002
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www.oceanworld.net
Diving in the DR is not that great compared to Bahamas, Cayman Islands, etc because the DR has mountains and rivers which cause:

1) Rains bring silt, mud, and dirt to shore lines and reefs, causing visibility issues.

2) Rivers bring bacteria (like feces) and other pollutants into the waters, killing reef and fish.

The South (Catalina Island, etc) and North-west (Punta Rucia) have less rain and less mountains, hence better visibility.

Note that Bahamas and Cayman Island do not have any mountains or rivers.
 

monfongo

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Feb 10, 2005
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not to mention, the spear fishermen here used to or still do, use bleach to get the octopus to come out of their hole.
 

USA DOC

Bronze
Feb 20, 2016
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... good answers....been diving sense 1971, started in a small country that was just renamed Belize...I think It had got its independence in 1968 from England...at one time jamaica and then British Honduras(Belize) were considered one colony by England.. Gorgon would know...any way the money still said British Honduras on it....the reef then was amazing, almost untouched....but what I wanted to say is if you know a very good place to dive,do it soon....the degradation of coral and fish is worldwide...and going fast.. very fast..........Doc..........
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
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The DR recently banned Parrot fish fishing and put them on endangered list ..they were tasty 

In Samana recently, I was quite nauseated to see what they were Spear fishing..
Fish no bigger than the inside palm of your hand.. DOZENS on a Stringer ... Sad ..
They had one nice size fish, the rest all very very small.. and these kids are out there every daydoing this .