Diving Haiti

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Travel Haiti

Anyone been diving there? Off the coast of Gonaives, it is supposed to be pretty good.

Man, I want to tell you----Haiti is another planet!!! If you look up the word "corruption" in the dictionary, you'll find a map of Haiti. I've never seen this level of poverty in my life. If you can't speak Creol, you don't want to walk the streets without an interpreter. If you're going to stay at a resort, STAY AT THE RESORT! I don't know what the diving is like off the coast, but the only way I would find out would be on a liveaboard. If you have a highly adventurous spirit, Go For It!! Your first major obstacle will be getting through the airport, both coming and going; it is absolute chaos. Good Luck!
 
Lived there back in the mid fifties. Age 14. Plantation Dauphine,Phaton Hati. Have many a fond memory. Snorkled/Free dove around the mouth of the bay and remember it fondly. Damn shame how time (and a ruthless dictator or two) as changed a beautiful place.

PS Caught a 90 lb baracuda just to the east of the inlet to Phaton Bay.A piece of paradise lost but remembered
 
Good luck with your trip if you do go there. I am sure that you will never forget your experience. Personally, I would not even refuel there if I was sailing through and was heavily armed.
To get a feel for Haiti during the Papa Doc years, read "The Comedians" by Graham Greene. Even though it was written 51 years ago, it's still a pretty good read. You can even stay in the Mick Jagger suite in beautiful downtown Port-au-Prince in the real-life version of the fictional hotel.
Bon chance.
 
We dived there in May 2006. Started with a few days at Port Morgan which is a lovely spot but they didn't have a dive guide at the time so one of their local fishermen took us out & it was a bit hit and miss (more miss than hit). We walked over to the other resort on the south side of Ile a Vache & they said they intended to restart their operation.

Then we went to Kaliko Beach & dived with Jose & this was much better. Started off staying at Wahoo Bay but moved to Kaliko Beach when they turned off the generator as we were the only guests. Kaliko Beach was full with a conference from PaP. Jose will take you to a few small islands just off the coast with nice reefs and also a wreck. The best diving we did wasa day trip with him to Ile Gonaives - nice walls.

We went to Cap but I phoned the people at Cormier Plage before we went & they said they had no diving then so we will have to return. Still, the Citadelle visit was great.
 
Been there in 2003, 2004 and 2007 to drill fresh water wells for people without water. Got to snorkel alot, but no diving. We are looking to go back in August to begin a marine conservation effort for fishermen in Mon Trois. We have to instill some other source of income for them first before they will attempt any conservation and we are looking into Tilapia farming to give them income instead of the reef fish. For more see our website:Big Fish Missions. I am in the process of lining up a dive operator myself and like nipi said the Roy's at Kaliko are a great couple. I have not met them, but talked with them a couple years ago when we were going to try and start this opportunity then.
 
We are Nicole & Jose Roy from Kaliko Beach Club/Marina. We will be glad to welcome you upon your return and are willing to give you support and assistance if needed.

Happy day,
Nicole & Jose


Been there in 2003, 2004 and 2007 to drill fresh water wells for people without water. Got to snorkel alot, but no diving. We are looking to go back in August to begin a marine conservation effort for fishermen in Mon Trois. We have to instill some other source of income for them first before they will attempt any conservation and we are looking into Tilapia farming to give them income instead of the reef fish. For more see our website:Big Fish Missions. I am in the process of lining up a dive operator myself and like nipi said the Roy's at Kaliko are a great couple. I have not met them, but talked with them a couple years ago when we were going to try and start this opportunity then.
 
Hi Guys,

I do remember you!!! It's great to find you on this forum: we just joined ScubaBoard and we think this is the best way to exchange information about diving and meet new people from everywhere. Hope to see you again in a near future.

Regards,
Jose



We dived there in May 2006. Started with a few days at Port Morgan which is a lovely spot but they didn't have a dive guide at the time so one of their local fishermen took us out & it was a bit hit and miss (more miss than hit). We walked over to the other resort on the south side of Ile a Vache & they said they intended to restart their operation.

Then we went to Kaliko Beach & dived with Jose & this was much better. Started off staying at Wahoo Bay but moved to Kaliko Beach when they turned off the generator as we were the only guests. Kaliko Beach was full with a conference from PaP. Jose will take you to a few small islands just off the coast with nice reefs and also a wreck. The best diving we did wasa day trip with him to Ile Gonaives - nice walls.

We went to Cap but I phoned the people at Cormier Plage before we went & they said they had no diving then so we will have to return. Still, the Citadelle visit was great.
 
Hello James,

There is Gonaives, a City along the North coast of Haiti, where diving is not great. But further along that same coast you have Anse Rouge and Mole St. Nicolas (right in front of Cuba 70 miles across) where it's worth diving.

Now there is La Gonave, that big Island in the middle of the bay, where diving is absolutely great: shallow reefs and deep wall in cristal clear water. In the same bay, you have the Arcadins Islands and the coast of St. Marc where diving is a must.

While in Port-au-Prince one must be very careful and avoid certain areas like in any other big city in the world, on the "Cote des Arcadins" where we are located, life is peaceful: we sleep with open doors!!!. There is a lot of misinformation about Haiti's situation: though there are many problems, they are always over-exposed by the medias and individuals. And the ones who give more details about us, most of the time, never put a foot in this Country. Hope this will be useful to you.

Best regards,
Nicole & Jose ROY

Travel Haiti

Anyone been diving there? Off the coast of Gonaives, it is supposed to be pretty good.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom