English speaking guide-Catalina Island

aim2dr said:

We are looking for an honest guide for a trip to snorkel at Catalina Island. We live here and speak moderate spanish, but we feel more comfortable with someone speaking English for this trip. Thanks for your help.

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i went thru a man name jose antonio.the guy is great.speaks a bit of everything.he'll pick ya up from your front door.all equipment is provided.nice scenic tour to la romana a lil shopping then booze cruise,buffet,snorkel,and r&r on catalina.
his # is 1-809-758-5197.
the price should be very reasonbable.
please let me know how it went.
have fun,
zach

Where are you located????
Send me a PM and I'll give you a phone # to call if you are in the JD,SPM,LR or Bayahibe area.......
He speaks English, great price and great tour!

How about Martina and Werner in Bayahibe? They have a shop site in the Dominicus area. You can call Martina on her cell at (809) 757-1059.

I went to CatalinITA and Saona with them in April. Pictures at http://travel.webshots.com/album/550135582VbyNRT

Kaki

Catalina Trip

Kaki said:

How about Martina and Werner in Bayahibe? They have a shop site in the Dominicus area. You can call Martina on her cell at (809) 757-1059.

I went to CatalinITA and Saona with them in April. Pictures at Snorkeling at Catalinita, Saona and Piscina Natural, Dominican Republic pictures from caribbean photos on webshots

Kaki

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I was at their hotel 3-weeks ago, but I didn't go snorkeling or scuba diving. Did you guys travel to Catalina and Saona? If so, what time did you guys leave and return from the hotel?

Thanks,
Helpmann

Catalina vs. Catalinita

We were at Catalinita Island in the passage between Saona Island and the southeastern tip of the DR. I haven't been to Catalina. I talked to Martina about visiting both Catalina and Saona in the same day and she said it's hard to make happen. A bit of distance between the two across open water. When you speedboat down from Bayahibe, you're never too far from the shore. I wonder if that's what makes the difference.

We had a very full day with the option of leaving earlier or later. We opted for earlier so met on the beach at 8:30 (we were on vacation after all! They suggested 8 a.m. but I had to put my foot down!). We returned to Bayahibe at about 4 - 4:30.

Highly recommended...

Kaki

If you check a map you will see quite a distance between Catalina Island and Saona Island.
This is why it would be very difficult to make it happen in one day.
Travel from La Romana to Catalina is about 20 minutes and from Bayahibe to Saona about 35 minutes. Both by boat non-stop with a powerful inboard motor.
We've gone from Juan Dolio to Cumayasa in a launch with a 75 horse motor and it took about 2 hours one way......

I don't know that distance alone is the biggest concern for the boat, but rather the waters that it must ply are the consideration. To go to Catalinita and then to Saona meant that we went into the channel to Catalinita and then had to come back from whence we came and then all the way around the western coast of Saona, past Mano Juan on the south and then further east to Canton de la Playa. It was planned such that we made stops at the Piscina Natural and Mano Juan and even so it was 30 minutes at a stretch in the boat. It was not an option to circumnavigate the east coast of Saona because of the unforgiving waters of Mona Passage. Or so I was told...

It's a 90 minute ride from Saona to Bayahibe by catamaran and I know that some of the stretches of that duration are uncomfortable for some people. I have salt water running in my veins so I don't really understand it, but I've heard it a number of times!

Kaki