rhyz
Contributor
Just back from my cruise trip Sunday night. We went to San Jaun, Puerto Rico a day early
with the ship debarking Sunday at 10pm. Visited Havensight - St Thomas, Bridgetown - Bardados,
Roseau, Dominica - and Oranjestad, Aruba. Got a total of 8 dives in on this trip and used my
new Oly 350, only on St Thomas, Barbados and Aruba because I checked it at depth on PR. Pictures
didn't come out the best U/W mostly because I was still fooling around with it and trying get
used to the settings. And duh...thought I had pack the manual but didn't. Still trying new stuff
on Photoshop with my RAW shots. Not the best but atleast I have a crapload of pictures and video
remember it all from. Anyway on with it.....
Culebra, Puerto Rico:
Sunday we went to Culebra and dive a 1 tank dive with some friends we have in PR. Dove a wall off
a smaller island called Cayo Ballena, and brought the Oly housing down to test it. The wall was my
first and it was stunning to say the least. I was so amazed at the amount of life I was seeing, fish
were everywhere! Still trying to identify everything I saw but needless to say I was surrounded. Got
a chance to see my first turtles there too. Watched a couple hawksbill glide along like they were
flying.....
Spotted rays, Atlantic Spadefish, Spotted morays and lots of others. The wall was
just totally alive!!! Max depth at this one was 111fsw with water temp 86.
Havensight, St Thomas:
Monday morning I meet with Blue Island Divers at the Courtesy docks at WICO. I was one of 7 other divers
on the boat. Met Capt and our DM James.....now he is one funny guy. transplanted from the states and
was very outgoing with a great sense of humor. Our first dive was on a wreck called the WIT Concrete.
A concrete barge used to haul fuel around during WWII and sunk later as an artificial reef. Briefing
was done and I buddied up, no tour on this one, James was not playing tour guide, if you wanted to buddy
with you could or the buddies could go off and do you own swim. the water was unbelievable clear!! The
barge sits in 120fsw but my max was 108fsw as I was so fasinated by the amount of life on the top deck.
I spent alot of time playing around with a spotted moray as it was the best glimse of one I have seen
and morays just look so beautiful!!! We swam down over the port side and it was like diving a wall. So
unbeleivable beautiful, I was in awe!!! And having my camera..I forgot to do a WB check and was just using
one of the UW scenes, but I was snapping pictures left and right. We continued around the bow to the
starboard and back up to the top to the wheelhouse. I was done after 42 minutes and we assended to do our
SS and back onboard. Later I found out back at the stern we had missed 3 nurse sharks, a lemon shark and
a turtle! Oh well can't see everything I quess. But being the first time diving in the caribbean I wasn't
disappointed!!!
Our second dive was a reef dive on Flat Cay, a trio of small island to the west of Water Island I beleive.
Max depth here was 42fsw and water temp at 87. This sight just blew my breath away! I had buddied up with
a couple from Alaska, Twirl and Connie (who would be my buddies on my all future dives this trip). On both
dives the vis was around 65-80f I would quess. And this reef was unbeleivable!! HUGE braincoral, and coral
that looked like termite hills, fans...my god it was amazing!! Schools of fish everywhere and the colors!!
But my shots dont do it justice at all......still didnt get my WB right and everything was bluish. Spent 59
minutes on this dive. Back onboard got our gear togather and off we went, and I spent the next 30 minutes
BSing with James.....can't wait to get back down there to dive with them again.
Connie, Twirl and myself then went to Sapphire Beach to meet up with my wife and crew. There we snorkled for
another 2hrs......oh what a life!!
Bridgetown, Barbados:
OMG what a beautiful island!!! Connie, Twirl and myself got picked up by Hightide Watersport at the docks gate
and got a impompt tour to the dive shop. Located just north of Holetown, St James at the Coral Reef club on the
west side of the island. Meet up with Willie a partner of Gavins and Rajal(sp?) our DM. The shop was right on the
beach and Connie and Twirl got the equipment and off to the boat we went. The Ali Cat was a pontoon boat that was
very spacious!! The water was flat as glass...and the trip out was just excellent. Our first dive was the S.S.
Stavronikita. I had read about this wreck and wanted to do this one bad. Before I knew it we were at the site and
I was shocked by how close to shore we were for a 120fsw dive. Stern rests in 127fsw with the bow pointing towards
shore and the forward mast at 18fsw. We got our breifing and planned the dive, buddied up and Rajal would lead the
group, there were 6 of us. Now I must say my best wreck dive yet was the Oriskany, that was just jaw-dropping awesome!!!
Nothing prepared me for what waited for me on this wreck!! We descend on the middle hold and continue to the starboard
side and drop over the side and continue to the to a cumpled section for a swim though to the wheelhouse. Then down the
stern up the port side and we make our way forward to the forward mast. Swim to the bow then circle the mast up for our
SS. This ship is upright is it is just impressive!!!! As the Oriskany was awe inspiring this wreck was just absolutely
beautiful!!! Covered in corals, fans, tubes and a huge amount of like everywhere!!! This had to be the first time I've
truely listened to all the sounds U/W..it was unreal!!! Max depth was 121fsw and temp 83.
The second dive was my first drift dive on a reef called Dottin's. Average depth at 55. Not quite impressive as Flat Cay,
it seemed alot of corals have succumbed to bleaching I quess. Alot of the brainhead corals just looked dead in alot of
spots. but it was like diving through a forest......huge branching corals some atleast 5f high. Big bucket type corals
...amazing!! Still have to research all I saw. Lots of fish, a cpoule rays, no turtles though... And once again...bluish
shots. Oh well I'll continue learning. Current wasn't to bad but it kinda sucked for taking shots as I couldn't position
myself very well. But this is one island I could retire on!!!
After our dive we went to the Boatyard to meet up with my wife and everyone else. Their Connie, Twirl and myself went
snorkling for another 2 hrs and there I got my turtles!!! Three small hawksbill I found in about 40fsw on the bottow
eating grass it looked like. And a sea robin type fish with beautiful blue tinged wings crawling along the sandy floor.
Roseau, Domincia:
No diving or snorkling as we got into port after 10:30 am. Just hit the rainforest for the Trafalgar Falls & Emerald Pool
Oranjestad, Aruba:
Here Twirl and Connie left me as they where leaving the cruise to stay a week in Aruba. Excellent people though and
hopefully will be two great friends. We made plans to stay in touch and hopefully hit their tours in Alaska. Yeah I want to
go up and ice dive sometime in the future. I was meet at the Imagration Gates by Unique Sports of Aruba and met some very
wonderful people as we picked up 6 others on the way to the shop. A big and very organized operation. Our boat was a 40f
Reef Cruiser. Very nice and spacious once again. A total of 9 divers on this and I buddied up with a wonderful couple from Virginia.
First dive will be the Antilla, another wreck I didn't want to miss and Unique had it planned so I picked them to charter. the ride
out was great the seas were flat and the wind wasn't bad. we got our breifing, and we did 2 groups on this dive. We got our briefing
and dive plan and down we went. The Antilla is broken into two section laying on a sand bottom with a max depth of 61fsw. She lies
on her side and is very crumbled in sections. Coll story behind its sinking as well. There are no swim throughs on this as she is
deterrated so badly, so much so you can watch steel plates rise and fall in the current. Our vis was bad in it was only about 45-50f.
But the wreck itself was impressive, espessial the hull as it is like doing a wall dive....and I got my first experience with surge!
didn't get caught in it but watch it at the bottom with the sand flowing in and out. Once again alot of life with huge schools of
horse-eye jacks and sennet, groupers, and alot of others I can't identify as of yet. Sweet video, and more blusish shots...didn't
realize I could do a one shot custom WB till I got home. Well live and learn...I will be back.
Our second dive was on the Pedernales Wreck, at about 39fsw. The vis got worse here to around 30-35fsw. Here I got to see my first Green Moray and this one was layed out right in the open wrapped around a brainhead...it was huge!! Atleast for me... Length around 9-10f I quess and thik as hell. No good shots.....kinda blurry. We came across a Hawksbill wrapped in mono and I cut it free with my shears but not soon enough as it had drowned before we got there. Spotted an octopuss inside a holwe in the coral and didn't even know it till I saw the suckers on. Those guys can hide!!! Some stingrays, barracuda and lots of the normal fish I've seen on the others sites. Time on this dive was 55 and temp at 87.
Back on shore I meet up with my wife and we all took the jeeps to Eagle Beach for some Jet Skiing. But the wind was really blowing now and we were getting sand-blasted so we left and hit downtown for some partying.
with the ship debarking Sunday at 10pm. Visited Havensight - St Thomas, Bridgetown - Bardados,
Roseau, Dominica - and Oranjestad, Aruba. Got a total of 8 dives in on this trip and used my
new Oly 350, only on St Thomas, Barbados and Aruba because I checked it at depth on PR. Pictures
didn't come out the best U/W mostly because I was still fooling around with it and trying get
used to the settings. And duh...thought I had pack the manual but didn't. Still trying new stuff
on Photoshop with my RAW shots. Not the best but atleast I have a crapload of pictures and video
remember it all from. Anyway on with it.....
Culebra, Puerto Rico:
Sunday we went to Culebra and dive a 1 tank dive with some friends we have in PR. Dove a wall off
a smaller island called Cayo Ballena, and brought the Oly housing down to test it. The wall was my
first and it was stunning to say the least. I was so amazed at the amount of life I was seeing, fish
were everywhere! Still trying to identify everything I saw but needless to say I was surrounded. Got
a chance to see my first turtles there too. Watched a couple hawksbill glide along like they were
flying.....
Spotted rays, Atlantic Spadefish, Spotted morays and lots of others. The wall wasjust totally alive!!! Max depth at this one was 111fsw with water temp 86.
Havensight, St Thomas:
Monday morning I meet with Blue Island Divers at the Courtesy docks at WICO. I was one of 7 other divers
on the boat. Met Capt and our DM James.....now he is one funny guy. transplanted from the states and
was very outgoing with a great sense of humor. Our first dive was on a wreck called the WIT Concrete.
A concrete barge used to haul fuel around during WWII and sunk later as an artificial reef. Briefing
was done and I buddied up, no tour on this one, James was not playing tour guide, if you wanted to buddy
with you could or the buddies could go off and do you own swim. the water was unbelievable clear!! The
barge sits in 120fsw but my max was 108fsw as I was so fasinated by the amount of life on the top deck.
I spent alot of time playing around with a spotted moray as it was the best glimse of one I have seen
and morays just look so beautiful!!! We swam down over the port side and it was like diving a wall. So
unbeleivable beautiful, I was in awe!!! And having my camera..I forgot to do a WB check and was just using
one of the UW scenes, but I was snapping pictures left and right. We continued around the bow to the
starboard and back up to the top to the wheelhouse. I was done after 42 minutes and we assended to do our
SS and back onboard. Later I found out back at the stern we had missed 3 nurse sharks, a lemon shark and
a turtle! Oh well can't see everything I quess. But being the first time diving in the caribbean I wasn't
disappointed!!!
Our second dive was a reef dive on Flat Cay, a trio of small island to the west of Water Island I beleive.
Max depth here was 42fsw and water temp at 87. This sight just blew my breath away! I had buddied up with
a couple from Alaska, Twirl and Connie (who would be my buddies on my all future dives this trip). On both
dives the vis was around 65-80f I would quess. And this reef was unbeleivable!! HUGE braincoral, and coral
that looked like termite hills, fans...my god it was amazing!! Schools of fish everywhere and the colors!!
But my shots dont do it justice at all......still didnt get my WB right and everything was bluish. Spent 59
minutes on this dive. Back onboard got our gear togather and off we went, and I spent the next 30 minutes
BSing with James.....can't wait to get back down there to dive with them again.
Connie, Twirl and myself then went to Sapphire Beach to meet up with my wife and crew. There we snorkled for
another 2hrs......oh what a life!!
Bridgetown, Barbados:
OMG what a beautiful island!!! Connie, Twirl and myself got picked up by Hightide Watersport at the docks gate
and got a impompt tour to the dive shop. Located just north of Holetown, St James at the Coral Reef club on the
west side of the island. Meet up with Willie a partner of Gavins and Rajal(sp?) our DM. The shop was right on the
beach and Connie and Twirl got the equipment and off to the boat we went. The Ali Cat was a pontoon boat that was
very spacious!! The water was flat as glass...and the trip out was just excellent. Our first dive was the S.S.
Stavronikita. I had read about this wreck and wanted to do this one bad. Before I knew it we were at the site and
I was shocked by how close to shore we were for a 120fsw dive. Stern rests in 127fsw with the bow pointing towards
shore and the forward mast at 18fsw. We got our breifing and planned the dive, buddied up and Rajal would lead the
group, there were 6 of us. Now I must say my best wreck dive yet was the Oriskany, that was just jaw-dropping awesome!!!
Nothing prepared me for what waited for me on this wreck!! We descend on the middle hold and continue to the starboard
side and drop over the side and continue to the to a cumpled section for a swim though to the wheelhouse. Then down the
stern up the port side and we make our way forward to the forward mast. Swim to the bow then circle the mast up for our
SS. This ship is upright is it is just impressive!!!! As the Oriskany was awe inspiring this wreck was just absolutely
beautiful!!! Covered in corals, fans, tubes and a huge amount of like everywhere!!! This had to be the first time I've
truely listened to all the sounds U/W..it was unreal!!! Max depth was 121fsw and temp 83.
The second dive was my first drift dive on a reef called Dottin's. Average depth at 55. Not quite impressive as Flat Cay,
it seemed alot of corals have succumbed to bleaching I quess. Alot of the brainhead corals just looked dead in alot of
spots. but it was like diving through a forest......huge branching corals some atleast 5f high. Big bucket type corals
...amazing!! Still have to research all I saw. Lots of fish, a cpoule rays, no turtles though..
. And once again...bluish shots. Oh well I'll continue learning. Current wasn't to bad but it kinda sucked for taking shots as I couldn't position
myself very well. But this is one island I could retire on!!!
After our dive we went to the Boatyard to meet up with my wife and everyone else. Their Connie, Twirl and myself went
snorkling for another 2 hrs and there I got my turtles!!! Three small hawksbill I found in about 40fsw on the bottow
eating grass it looked like. And a sea robin type fish with beautiful blue tinged wings crawling along the sandy floor.
Roseau, Domincia:
No diving or snorkling as we got into port after 10:30 am. Just hit the rainforest for the Trafalgar Falls & Emerald Pool
Oranjestad, Aruba:
Here Twirl and Connie left me as they where leaving the cruise to stay a week in Aruba. Excellent people though and
hopefully will be two great friends. We made plans to stay in touch and hopefully hit their tours in Alaska. Yeah I want to
go up and ice dive sometime in the future. I was meet at the Imagration Gates by Unique Sports of Aruba and met some very
wonderful people as we picked up 6 others on the way to the shop. A big and very organized operation. Our boat was a 40f
Reef Cruiser. Very nice and spacious once again. A total of 9 divers on this and I buddied up with a wonderful couple from Virginia.
First dive will be the Antilla, another wreck I didn't want to miss and Unique had it planned so I picked them to charter. the ride
out was great the seas were flat and the wind wasn't bad. we got our breifing, and we did 2 groups on this dive. We got our briefing
and dive plan and down we went. The Antilla is broken into two section laying on a sand bottom with a max depth of 61fsw. She lies
on her side and is very crumbled in sections. Coll story behind its sinking as well. There are no swim throughs on this as she is
deterrated so badly, so much so you can watch steel plates rise and fall in the current. Our vis was bad in it was only about 45-50f.
But the wreck itself was impressive, espessial the hull as it is like doing a wall dive....and I got my first experience with surge!
didn't get caught in it but watch it at the bottom with the sand flowing in and out. Once again alot of life with huge schools of
horse-eye jacks and sennet, groupers, and alot of others I can't identify as of yet. Sweet video, and more blusish shots...didn't
realize I could do a one shot custom WB till I got home. Well live and learn...I will be back.
Our second dive was on the Pedernales Wreck, at about 39fsw. The vis got worse here to around 30-35fsw. Here I got to see my first Green Moray and this one was layed out right in the open wrapped around a brainhead...it was huge!! Atleast for me...
Length around 9-10f I quess and thik as hell. No good shots.....kinda blurry. We came across a Hawksbill wrapped in mono and I cut it free with my shears but not soon enough as it had drowned before we got there. Spotted an octopuss inside a holwe in the coral and didn't even know it till I saw the suckers on. Those guys can hide!!! Some stingrays, barracuda and lots of the normal fish I've seen on the others sites. Time on this dive was 55 and temp at 87.Back on shore I meet up with my wife and we all took the jeeps to Eagle Beach for some Jet Skiing. But the wind was really blowing now and we were getting sand-blasted so we left and hit downtown for some partying.
