Dive operator advice please!

[canuckfish]

Hi there,
I've gone through a few of the diveOp threads, but still can't quite get my questions figured out.
Going to GC early March for 10 days - we are staying in the NORTH-EAST end (Queen's Hwy).

We're looking for a diveOP with SMALL group sizes.
From what it sounds like, some of the best diving is off the east end? We really can't stand the bus boats, and have heard OF and Tortuga take 16 ppl out/boat, but if the diving quality is better - then that's way more important to us.
It would also be great since we'll be fairly close to these ops too, but wondering if anyone has any feedback on this?

We will also have a car, and absolutely willing to drive elsewhere for the best combo of small groups/excellent diving
I see in other threads Wall to Wall and Living the Dream are recommended.. but it would be an hour to drive out?

Any feedback is super appreciated!

 

[Doctorfish]

Given your location, I would dive east end with ocean frontiers. They run a first rate operation. I heard there was a new operator out at east end as well;Silver Sands? No personal experience with them.

Given a choice between east and west end; east generally is better diving. If you do end up diving west, both of the operations you listed are quite good.

 

[scubadada]

Ocean Frontiers is perhaps the best operation I have dived with, stellar

 

[Alex777]

OF boats don't usually take 16 divers. 8 - 12 is about average.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

The East End operators are Tortuga Divers, Ocean Frontiers, and the newish guys White Sands Watersports.

IMHO, having worked for TD, that while loads of 10-12 are typical for both TD and OF, that the boats capacities are more like 16, as needed. If either shop gets 20 bookings then they will send two boats. Only 15 bookings means probably one boat.

White Sands is new enough that I cannot comment on their operations.

 

[releck97]

White Sands "told" me that they max out at 8. No experience with them yet...

 

[Alex777]

How big is White Sands' boat?

 

[canuckfish]

Thanks everyone - super helpful! Have just contacted OF.
Sorry to add on another question - but thoughts on diving the Kittiwake? Pics make it look really crowded with boats and divers.. is it worth it? (We have tons of amazing wrecks around Ottawa in the seaway where we live, so not a novelty thing.)

Thank you all once again!!

 

[scubadada]

White Sands is new enough that I cannot comment on their operations.

But we do need their Jetovators

 

[releck97]

How big is White Sands' boat?

Here's the body of the email I got from White Sand:
We run a 34ft Kevlacat with Twin 315hp diesel engines. We like to run at about 7/8 divers.

Myself and my other boat captain both worked for OF for over 8 years so we know this end of the island well. We run exactly the same set up, unlimited bottom times, dive freedom and we serve Tea,coffee and Hot chocolate and a snack.

---------- Post added February 13th, 2015 at 11:46 PM ----------

Thanks everyone - super helpful! Have just contacted OF.
Sorry to add on another question - but thoughts on diving the Kittiwake? Pics make it look really crowded with boats and divers.. is it worth it? (We have tons of amazing wrecks around Ottawa in the seaway where we live, so not a novelty thing.)

Thank you all once again!!

It's a modern wreck which has been cleaned for diving. It will be a very different dive than those you are familiar with in the St. Lawrence. No muck, no gobies, no zebras .
It's also still fairly new, so it's still relatively clean. The wrecks in S. Florida are much more established and grown "up". To me, they are much more interesting and worth diving. With limited time on the island, I would focus on the walls. That's what GC is known for. OF is our "go to" operator, but we stay out east. We have also been very impressed with Epic Divers on the west side of the island. Say Hi to Leslie at OF for me.