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Dive Review of Marlin Dive Centre/Sol Cayo Largo in
Cuba/Cayo Largo del Sur

 
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Marlin Dive Centre/Sol Cayo Largo: "You're on your own!", Mar, 2016,

by Steve Clayman, ON, CA (Reviewer Reviewer 6 reports with 2 Helpful votes). Report 9082.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 3 stars
Dive Operation 1 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 3 stars
Beginners 1 stars
Advanced 1 stars
Comments The hotel, Sol Cayo Largo is part of the Spanish hotel chain, Melia. It was very comfortable and clean. Staff was always friendly and helpful and most spoke English. There was entertainment in the evenings. There is a reasonably equipped fitness area. The food was available in a buffet style with more formal dining on-site. The food was plentiful and there were always several choices. The hotel was not affiliated with the dive operation. The recommendation came from the charter airline local representative. The cost of diving was paid separately from the hotel charges.
I signed up for five dive days. On the third day I decided I didn't feel comfortable diving with Marlin. I followed the dive guide's rules as best I could, having decided to slowly ascend from about 90' to 50' to conserve air as my tank emptied. I always had the group in sight and felt in control of my situation. When we all returned to the dive boat, the dive guide came over to me and chewed me out for not following his rules. Although I signalled my intentions to him and told him I felt comfortable with my decision, this was not acceptable.
The last dive I went on, I followed the dive guide's rules and signalled when I was down to 500 psi (we were at about 90'). He gave me the "OK" sign. At 250 psi and still at depth, I went to him requesting his octopus. He refused to hand it to me and instead pointed ahead. It took a few seconds until I saw the mooring line. He signalled for me to go to it and guide myself to the surface. I immediately did that arriving at the rear of the dive boat. It was windy and I was being pushed towards some reefs. What astonished me was the ladder was up, there was no trailing line and none of the crew was on lookout. I yelled, blew my whistle and kept swimming towards the transom. Eventually someone came on deck, lowered the ladder and I came on board. My tank was at 0 psi. I decided not to return and sent a report to the charter representative.
Websites Sol Cayo Largo

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Canada, U.S., Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Greece, Carribean
Closest Airport Cayo Largo, Cuba Getting There Direct with one stop from Toronto. Smooth charter flight.

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy Seas choppy
Water Temp 70-80°F / 21-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 60-90 Ft/ 18-27 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions Dive guide insisted all divers follow him and stay an arm's length from a buddy. If any diver ran low on air the diver was to come to the dive guide and breath on his octopus. If any diver had to surface, then everyone surfaced.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 1 stars Tropical Fish 2 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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