Diving in Chile

[cgsac]

I am fortunate enough to be off to Chile in Jan for a number of months. I'd really appreciate it if anyone can send me details of dive sites/must dives etc. I will write a report for the excellent trip reports section upon return but could do with some ideas beforehand.
Thanks.

[Jeanne]

Hi,

Lucky you! I love Chile, and when re-born, that's where I want to be! However, I can't tell you about the diving there, as when on my primarily business trips I either had no time, or could not find anybody who could tell me about diving in Chile.

Truth is there is very little of it to be had. There is a chronic lack of operators, and a smattering of fishermen who will take divers out, here and there, with varying levels of credentials. I once found a very informative site which I managed to find again. It's in Spanish, well, Chilean Spanish, but I hope you'll be able to make some opinion on this. The best sites are to the north of the country, far, far away from the metropolis of Santiago, sadly. However, Santiago is where e you'll find the operators. Best deal is to find someone who runs expeditions to the best areas. Many of the central and southern sites are very cold (9 or 10 Deg C), thanks to the Humbold current, and the viz is 'bad', 3 to 5 m at best. The viz is never very good, but some northen sites top 15 to 25 m regularly, and the water there, say at the very top at Arica is around 16 Deg. C. Not shorty temperatures, pack your dry suit. Best time to dive is rated as winter (June to September) when there is less planction bloom. Los Molles and Punto Choros are rated the best areas for diving, with a distinct lack of operators.

I hope this will inform you and at least, will help you fathom what to expect. But I am waiting with baited breath for your reports.

Have fun, BTW, Santa Carolina Estate south of Santiago is a must, you will have a slap up dinner hacienda style, with their gran reserva wine for less than $20 a head. I am back there on business next June, and for once, will take a week off to travel North, where I have never been yet!

Jeanne

[cgsac]

Jeanne

Thanks for the answer, somehow I knew that the BSAC website would come up trumps eventually. I fully intend to dive and look forward to reporting back via Alison's excellent trip reports section (and I'll even do it for free!) when I return in June.

[alison boler]

Thanks for the kind words about our trip reports section!! You're not its only admirer - it's THE most visited page in all of the BSAC sites! I guess we all like reading about other people's holidays.:)

Have a great time in Chile and will really look forward to hearing all about it when you get back. Easter Island sounds a bit special if you can make it out there.

Keep an eye on the Trip Reports over the next few weeks. I've just finished editing about 80+ new ones - roughly split 50/50 UK and overseas.

Have a safe trip

Allie

[Keith Lawrence(BSAC)]

Thanks for the kind words about our trip reports section!! You're not its only admirer - it's THE most visited page in all of the BSAC sites!...

[FX : Cough!]

Errr... your own home pages actually beats it, don't even ask about the home page of bsac.org :-) But it is indeed the most popular part of the TC web site!

Keith L
BSAC Anorak In Chief

[cgsac]

So far having some success. Both river and sea diving, though it does seem generally unexplored, watch this space. thanks.

Hi,

Lucky you! I love Chile, and when re-born, that's where I want to be! However, I can't tell you about the diving there, as when on my primarily business trips I either had no time, or could not find anybody who could tell me about diving in Chile.

Truth is there is very little of it to be had. There is a chronic lack of operators, and a smattering of fishermen who will take divers out, here and there, with varying levels of credentials. I once found a very informative site which I managed to find again. It's in Spanish, well, Chilean Spanish, but I hope you'll be able to make some opinion on this. The best sites are to the north of the country, far, far away from the metropolis of Santiago, sadly. However, Santiago is where e you'll find the operators. Best deal is to find someone who runs expeditions to the best areas. Many of the central and southern sites are very cold (9 or 10 Deg C), thanks to the Humbold current, and the viz is 'bad', 3 to 5 m at best. The viz is never very good, but some northen sites top 15 to 25 m regularly, and the water there, say at the very top at Arica is around 16 Deg. C. Not shorty temperatures, pack your dry suit. Best time to dive is rated as winter (June to September) when there is less planction bloom. Los Molles and Punto Choros are rated the best areas for diving, with a distinct lack of operators.

I hope this will inform you and at least, will help you fathom what to expect. But I am waiting with baited breath for your reports.

Have fun, BTW, Santa Carolina Estate south of Santiago is a must, you will have a slap up dinner hacienda style, with their gran reserva wine for less than $20 a head. I am back there on business next June, and for once, will take a week off to travel North, where I have never been yet!

Jeanne

[cgsac]

Whoops, forgot to put link in. Looks good.

www.aquatica.cl

C