Cuan Law cancellation

[Lucy's Diver]

My wife and I were scheduled on the Cuan Law during the second week of December of this year. We reserved knowing it could get cancelled as the boat was not at the time full. We just got an e-mail form them cancelling the trip. They feel the can't fill the boat with the current econonic conditions.
We still have tickets to Tortola from Saturday to Saturday that week and intend to go.

Does anyone know of any other high end BVI live aboard or good dedicated dive resorts?

 

[robint]

the only other liveaboard I know of in that region in December is the Nekton boats which will be doing their PuertoRico/St.Croix trips. You might want to look at that. Nekton Cruises > Home
Not quite as luxurious or high-end as the Cuan Law, but great crew and roomier accomodations.

 

[diversteve]

Juliet is in the BVI's during the winter. Juliet Sailing and Scuba Diving. But they sail out of St. Thomas not Tortola. You could take the ferry back from Tortola if you can't change your flights - maybe. A couple years ago you could get from Tortola to St. Thomas on Saturday up to about 2PM, not sure about the return.

Blue Water Divers has a location on Nanny Cay - just off Tortola. There's some sort of affiliated hotel there. Blue Water Divers

Dive BVI has a shop on Marina Cay. Which in effect is a dive resort - 3 hotels and a small harbor on a tiny cay. They also have a location at Leverick Bay Resort on Virgin Gorda. They're good people - one of the few diveops that actually exceeds what they promise on their website. Dive BVI

Or for something a little nicer... Necker Island

 

[Roguewarrior2]

You might try Promenade Sail Dive Charters in The British Virgin Islands liveaboard.

Or Dive Shops

 

[Rhone Man]

Sorry to hear Cuan Law couldn't fill the boat (sign of the times down here). Steve and Jackie and crew are a great bunch, and you would have had a fantastic time.

Cuan Law and Promenade are the two main liveaboards running out of the BVI, although a number of skippered chartered yachts also have crew who double as divemasters.

The other option, as sjspeck points out, is just to grab a hotel next to one of the better dive shops.

Leverick Bay (Leverick Bay Resort & Marina) on Virgin Gorda (next to Dive BVI) is nice, but the disadvantage is that you have to travel up to Virgin Gorda (nice island though), and you are slightly stuck doing the dive sites in the East of the BVIs.

Hodge's Creek Marina (Hodge's Creek Marina Hotel) has a perfectly decent little hotel, and they are next to my favourite LDS, Sail Caribbean Divers (Sail Caribbean Divers :: Scuba diving and water sports in the British Virgin Islands). During season they usually have 3 different boats going out a day, so you are usually spoiled for choices.

Nanny Cay also has a hotel (Nanny Cay Marina and Hotel in the BVI :: Welcome) next to Blue Water Divers, although they are redeveloping at the moment, so there is quite a bit of construction around.

There are others too (dive shops in town, but you probably want to stay in town - there is also a fabulous hotel and dive shop on Peter Island (Welcome to Peter Island, a British Virgin Islands Resort), but it is pretty brutal on the wallet), but the above three are probably the best three land options to think about.

PM me if you need me to look up any details for you locally.

 

[PNW Dive Girl]

We travel there and stay at Long Bay Beach resort, rent a car and dive with either Blue Water Divers BVI or with Dive Tortola.

 

[Lucy's Diver]

It looks like we will land base the vacation, with a few days here http://www.cooper-island.com and a few days in Tortola.

By the way, see http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cr...ion-forewarned-when-you-book.html#post3851886

It turns out the Cuan Law did not actually cancel the trip. Instead, they kicked out the customers who had booked the cruise (us and a few others) in favor of a chance at a whole boat booking. Look at their schedule.

 

[Rhone Man]

Cool. If you are staying on Cooper (bit rustic, but nice and quiet), I am guessing you will probably be diving with Sail Caribbean Divers, in which case I'll see you on the boat at some point... !

Real shame that Annie and Duncan can dump people out for a better option, but it is pretty tough making ends meet down here in the tourism sector with the world the way that it is.

 

[Lucy's Diver]

Right now my wife is saying three nights (two days diving) at Cooper Island (first part of the week), and they do use Sail Caribbean, and the rest (4 nights I think) at Long Bay Beach Resort, which does package deals with Dive Tortola.
My wife's a 2 maybe 3 dive per day person, I'll try for four a day if I can.

What's the water temp like in December?

 

[Rhone Man]

Water temp is pretty good year round - I wear a shorty in the winter, but truthfully could go without if necessary.

The main difference with diving in winter is that you get clearer waters, but stronger currents. There is some great diving all around Cooper - "Wreck Alley", Wreck of the Rhone, Thumb Rock, Ginger Steps, Carval Rock. You won't have any trouble filling the itenerary. Nice to squeeze in a night dive if you can as well...

I am less familiar with the dive sites out West, but I am sure you will have fun during that segment too. Long Bay do a fantastic Sunday brunch if you are there on a Sunday and you feel like gorging yourself...