Dive Shops Recommendations For Caribbean

[cruisin 07]

Visiting St Thomas, Antigua, Martinque, St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, St Vincent, and Maarten. Looking for recommendations for dive ops and islands not to miss and others that diving isn't that great. After all have to spend some time ashore with my wife.

 

Prefer dive Ops that pick up at terminal vice having to take a taxi.

 

Thanks

[omeinv]

St. Thomas: I’ve used both Blue Island Divers and AquaMarine St. Thomas.  I think Blue Island may be out of business.  AquaMarine does provide port pick-up/return.  They have nice reef dives, but if you want to dive some of St. Thomas’ many wrecks, you’ll want someone closer to the port.  (https://www.diveaquamarine.com/ )

 

Antigua:  The diving is down on the south side of the island.  The distance and expense of diving there are not worth the quality of the diving.  I’d skip diving in Antigua.

 

Martinique:  If your ship arrives at a time you can take the ferry to one of several dive shops, you should be OK.  Mine didn’t so I did some shore diving north of Fort de France.  It was OK, but more hassle than it was worth. 

 

St. Lucia:  I’ve dove with both Scuba Steve’s and Eastern Caribbean Divers.  I prefer Eastern Caribbean.  Both pick you up in the boat right at the ship pier.  It’s a beautiful boat trip out to the Dive sites near Soufriere, in the shadow of the pitons. (http://www.easterncaribbeandivingstlucia.com )

 

Barbados:  Always a great day with Peter and Heather at West Side Scuba Centre.  They pick up at the port, and they’re located in the nearby Boatyard Beach complex.  If you have non-divers in the group, they can have a good day there while you dive.  Lots of good wrecks, including the Stavron Ikita, which is always fantastic.  (https://www.westsidescuba.com/ )

 

Grenada:  Scuba Tech Grenada is fantastic, and the diving is top notch.  Every time I’ve dove in Grenada the fish life has been astounding.  Eveline for Scuba Tech will arrange to either pick you up by car at the port, or by boat a short walk from the pier.  (https://www.scubatech-grenada.com/)

 

St. Vincent:  Vaughn Martin’s Serenity Dive is the answer here.  Great dive sites and great people.  The boat picks up at the cruise pier.   (http://www.serenitydive.net/dive-club)     

 

St. Maarten:  I used to use Octopus Diving SXM.  However, between the hurricane and a change of ownership, they’ve had difficulties, so I can’t really recommend them anymore.  The diving is good in St. Maarten, but not the best.  I like the Dutch side sites more than the French side, and getting back from the French side can be a hassle, with afternoon traffic. 

 

My ranking of these islands would be:

 

1)     Grenada

2)     Tie between Barbados and St. Vincent.  If you like wreck diving, Barbados, otherwise St. Vincent.

3)     St. Lucia

4)     St. Thomas

5)     Martinique

6)     Antigua

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Edited November 5, 2019 by omeinv

[cruisin 07]

Thanks for your input omeinv.