Best Sandals for Diving

[Papa_Bear]

If you are interested in a good 5 star resort with fantastic food and services plus top notch diving: Club Med Columbus Isle in the Bahamas.

Fantastic wall dives, they operate with two catamarans and offer three dives daily.

Last march I've seen 4 hammer head sharks, big snappers and other 2-3 foot trigger fish, many groupers, one they call Bob, we could pet him and he followed us during the dive. There was also a clown fish coming around sometimes, the locals called him Reed. .

Are you sure it isn't San Salvador? They use the old US Air force Base for the planes it is huge for the size island! It is where Columbus Landed in the New World at "Landing Beach"! The diving is great! I was introduced to the grouper as Oscar and Bob at Long Island? Never seen a Clown Fish in the Bahamas or The Caribbean? What did it look like?

Here are pictures of Oscar at San Salvador!
Two Tanked Productions HD & SD Underwater Productions and video services

 

[peterbj7]

I was going to say that I don't dive in sandals.....

 

[Doc]

Beat me to it.

And me, too. I originally hit reply thinking that was really the question being posed.

 

[Papa_Bear]

They don't hold much water do they? What size tank would you use?

 

[Doc]

Are you sure it isn't San Salvador?

Columbus Isle is the name of the Club Dread as well as a local moniker for the rock itself. I was going to suggest that as being the best of the worst, but Sandals was the OP question.

If I haddta gotta go to one of those style operations, Columbus Isle would be the winner. They will take you out, but not to the places that Riding Rock will. (The other dive op on the island)

There are such similar kitschy upscale play parks all over the world- why the Caribbean has them in almost universally bad diving areas I could never figure out.

They do tend to destroy any local resort shore diving with their never ending dredging of sand for their beaches. Unfortunately, since these resorts are usually built purposely on the breezy point, the current carries the sand down towards where nature had placed the reefs.

I would not pick any given Caribbean Sandals based on diving. That is simply not their focus, yet an interesting thread nevertheless!

 

[Papa_Bear]

I meet the Operator of Riding Rock, Seemed like a nice guy! Had a nice boat as well and after talking to him he knows the good spots!

I am still interested in the "Clown fish"!!!!

 

[Doc]

I am still interested in the "Clown fish"!!!!

For years I just looked at the CoCoView brochure and often had a few in my briefcase to hand out to new diver buddies.

It was not until the reprint in 2005 that it was pointed out to me that there was a thumbnail image on the back of Nemo in his Anemone.

Somebody's little joke. But- can they be far behind the Lionfish?

 

[911Diver]

I’ve been to Negril, Montego Bay, the Grand Bahamian, and St. Lucia. I thought the diving was okay (not great) at all of them, but the staff in St. Lucia was not at very accommodating with full boats and some days we were unable to dive since they were full prior to us arriving. (The dive staff at the other places was okay.) After four trips I’m not certain we would go back to Sandals based on the dive experience in St. Lucia—despite the really nice resorts.

Steve

Hmmm.. I had the complete opposite experience from the crew in St. Lucia. Which resort were you at? We stayed at the Regency in Aug '06 and had a great time. The diving was pretty good and the staff was top notch. I did hear that those who stayed at the Grand had a difficult time doing anything because it was so full/packed/busy...

This one is the only one I have stayed/dived at, so can not comment on the other ones, but I would go back without any hesitation. Ubi the DM there was great and very professional.

Plus the whole resort experience that Sandals offer is wonderful.

Safe diving everyone!!

 

[mbs]

.... They will take you out, but not to the places that Riding Rock will. (The other dive op on the island)....!

Does Riding Rock go to sites other than they list on their web site? Looks like the same moorings that the other dive op uses...

 

[Doc]

Does Riding Rock go to sites other than they list on their web site? Looks like the same moorings that the other dive op uses...

Riding Rock will, when the weather is appropriate, take you to the East side. I have never seen CM's boats over on that side, but I have seen RR tied up there. That's where I came up with that statement.