Any info on - certified dive instructors - experienced guides/boat rentals - dive shops/refill centers etc -- would be greatly appreciated. Heading down to the Bay over Labor Day weekend

There is curently no source for air fills in Bahia. The Vermillion Sea Station has one, but is out of service as of last month. Unknown when (if ever) it will be repaired, I hooked them up with Compreesed Air Specialties in Anahiem for parts but who knows. No dive shops. No instructors. Villa Bahia is getting a compressor at the end of September (I am installing it), but not by Labor Day. Larry and Raquel's had one, but she told me last month it is not working (you might check with her and see). Your best bet is to bring as many tanks as you need and ALL the gear you need. The diving is great. Beach dives north and south of the town are fun. Rent a Panga or get Villa Bahia (Jean and Roger)to rent their 23' cruiser to you. Enjoy the trip. Keep an eye out for Whale Sharks. They should start coming in around the time of your trip.

Tony
There is a man/guide (Ricardo) in town with a working compressor. He is a commerical diver (non cretified). Decided to head to Mulege but will stop in Bola on the way back and look him up for a day. Thank you.

Rizzler,
Thanks for the update. Ricardo's compressor was down in May. Good to see he got it fixed. Enjoy the diving. Whale Sharks started coming in last week. South end of the Bay.

Stayed at Villa Bahia prior to Labor day. The boat rental is $175/day and well worth it. Has anybody mapped the dive sites in the area? We'll be going back down in November.

If you would like some GPS info on dive sites...
email meg@vsfs.org from the Vermilion Sea Field Station....meg has been diving for the past year there and has many sites on the GPS...

Dr.Abraham at camp Geck at the 6km marker south
of the town of L.A. Bay can fill tankscampgecko.com

Check out Ricardo's Diving Tours at www.scubabaja.com and email: ricardoarcen@hotmail.com

Look for sign on right as you enter town. Shop is white building with dive flag on wall up above town on right.

Ricardo runs a professional operation (check out June issue of Undercurrent. Safe air, superpanga with big engine for fast trips to the outer islands. NO ONE in LA Bay knows diving like Ricardo. Has many sites that are 5-star and unknown to fishing and eco-guides guides. Ricardo is only guide who actually dives with you (great eyes-frogfish, nudibranchs, sea horses). He is certified as an open water diver and has 1000+ commercial dives but don't expect full divemaster service (he is planning to do rescue cert this fall and eventually divemaster cert0. Villa Bahia is great place for divers but use Ricardo if you want to hit the really good spots that no one knows. Believe me, i've been diving LA Bay for years and the really good sites are not always obvious...Ricardo's the way to go.