SBP Studios
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Is Dominica the same as the Dominican Republic?
Dive Dominica - Disappointing
- Thread starter DontLieToMe
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Damselfish
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goodluck99
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To/ Whoever didn't like Dominica's GREAT Diving
Dominica Diving is "top notch" and I don't know how you could possibly dissagree! May I remind you that Dominica has won the following awards...
In the Caribbean/Atlantic:
TOP DIVE DESTINATIONS - # 3
TOP WALL DIVING - # 5
TOP SMALL ANIMALS - # 1
TOP MARINE LIFE - # 1
HEALTHIEST MARINE ENVIRONMENT - # 1
TOP SNORKELING - # 5
And people such as Johnny Depp & keira knightley would agree with me; who have been snorkelling around Scotts Head in Dominica, whilst filming Pirates of The Caribbean 2 & 3.
I aggree, Dominican life may be a little slower than life in London or N.Y., but that is the way they do things over there, and you just have to learn to embrase it and, ENJOY THE GREAT DIVING
Goodluck99
Dominica Diving is "top notch" and I don't know how you could possibly dissagree! May I remind you that Dominica has won the following awards...
In the Caribbean/Atlantic:
TOP DIVE DESTINATIONS - # 3
TOP WALL DIVING - # 5
TOP SMALL ANIMALS - # 1
TOP MARINE LIFE - # 1
HEALTHIEST MARINE ENVIRONMENT - # 1
TOP SNORKELING - # 5
And people such as Johnny Depp & keira knightley would agree with me; who have been snorkelling around Scotts Head in Dominica, whilst filming Pirates of The Caribbean 2 & 3.
I aggree, Dominican life may be a little slower than life in London or N.Y., but that is the way they do things over there, and you just have to learn to embrase it and, ENJOY THE GREAT DIVING
Goodluck99
I could care less what awards they've won.
I was there for a week last July and the diving SUCKED. It's the worst dive destination I've been to.
There is nothing larger than a grouper to be seen at any site. Even with the marine park, the entire island has been overfished. Nearly all of of our dives were in the marine park.
Dive Dominica was a horrible operation. They refused to go to any sites other than the ones they selected, even though they ended up repeating several sites several times. The DM repeatedly took new divers to 100 feet in strong currents, even after he was repeatedly asked not to. The DM and DMC were HORRIBLE examples of marine conservation. They BOTH destroyed several barrel sponges and were constantly hanging on to coral.
The locals were incredibly rude. Several of our female travelers were accosted by locals demanding money. Another of our party had a group of locals tell him to get off their island and go home.
The island is gorgeous, but does not have the infrastructure to support the amount of tourism they are drawing.
I happen to love the laid back pace, but diving on Dominica is TERRIBLE.
I was there for a week last July and the diving SUCKED. It's the worst dive destination I've been to.
There is nothing larger than a grouper to be seen at any site. Even with the marine park, the entire island has been overfished. Nearly all of of our dives were in the marine park.
Dive Dominica was a horrible operation. They refused to go to any sites other than the ones they selected, even though they ended up repeating several sites several times. The DM repeatedly took new divers to 100 feet in strong currents, even after he was repeatedly asked not to. The DM and DMC were HORRIBLE examples of marine conservation. They BOTH destroyed several barrel sponges and were constantly hanging on to coral.
The locals were incredibly rude. Several of our female travelers were accosted by locals demanding money. Another of our party had a group of locals tell him to get off their island and go home.
The island is gorgeous, but does not have the infrastructure to support the amount of tourism they are drawing.
I happen to love the laid back pace, but diving on Dominica is TERRIBLE.
Dominica may not have the 'best' diving in the Caribbean. After all, it's a volcanic island, not a island formed from a coral limestone base. It has rapidly sloping rocky shorelines and a narrow band of diveable coral areas growing over the hard volcanic rock and boulders, about from 10 to 50 meters depth. There are a few fabulous spots within those limitations, and the condition of all the reefs is pristine.
The lush unspoiled island itself, with mountains, rainforests, and countless rivers and streams, is almost Edenic, as good as it gets in that part of the world.
I personally do not stay at diver specialized resorts. I do not need anyone to hold my hand, and would rather muddle through on my own. It's much more of an adventure that way, and dive resorts generally have some serious problems, most especially the number of other divers staying there.
In Dominica, I make my own private living arrangements, and dive with either East Carib or Cabrits. I also spend much more time exploring this spectacular place than I do diving. If I just wanted to dive, I'd go to Bonaire or Cozumel. The prospect of multiple dives every day, surronded by a motley assortment of scuba divers, divemasters, instructors, etc. is not appealing to me.
Dominica is for those who can appreciate her. A tiny emerald in a dark sapphire sea. Very few people. Dense tropical forests, fireflys the size of small birds, and a deep primal beauty. The divings fun, if you stay away from those diver dedicated ambitious commercial operations.
The lush unspoiled island itself, with mountains, rainforests, and countless rivers and streams, is almost Edenic, as good as it gets in that part of the world.
I personally do not stay at diver specialized resorts. I do not need anyone to hold my hand, and would rather muddle through on my own. It's much more of an adventure that way, and dive resorts generally have some serious problems, most especially the number of other divers staying there.
In Dominica, I make my own private living arrangements, and dive with either East Carib or Cabrits. I also spend much more time exploring this spectacular place than I do diving. If I just wanted to dive, I'd go to Bonaire or Cozumel. The prospect of multiple dives every day, surronded by a motley assortment of scuba divers, divemasters, instructors, etc. is not appealing to me.
Dominica is for those who can appreciate her. A tiny emerald in a dark sapphire sea. Very few people. Dense tropical forests, fireflys the size of small birds, and a deep primal beauty. The divings fun, if you stay away from those diver dedicated ambitious commercial operations.
Dive Dominica is a dive op on Dominica. I think you misunderstood the post.
By all means please don't go back. (Dude, you've only been 4 other places according to your profile) I would like to have that beautiful island and the great diving on Dominica all to myself. You should have used Nature Island Dive.
WOW --- I have been to Dominica a few times and have always used Dive Dominica both at thier own lodge and at the Fort Young hotel. They have provided our groups with the absolute best service we can get in the carib. We were always taken to the best spots, given free run of our profiles, many many times down at Scott's Head, etc.
Now granted this might also have to do with the fact that we travel with 30 divers and have done scouting trips there ahead of time etc. But even when I send a few people they get taken care of well.
As to the island .... it's very very poor. Other than a nature tour I would not even set foot in the towns they are riddled with stupid crime and significant amount of homeless and infirm.
Considering all that I would go back in a heartbeat. It's some of the most beautiful reefs and juvi fish in the eastern carib.
cheers
Now granted this might also have to do with the fact that we travel with 30 divers and have done scouting trips there ahead of time etc. But even when I send a few people they get taken care of well.
As to the island .... it's very very poor. Other than a nature tour I would not even set foot in the towns they are riddled with stupid crime and significant amount of homeless and infirm.
Considering all that I would go back in a heartbeat. It's some of the most beautiful reefs and juvi fish in the eastern carib.
cheers
Wow! Doesn't sound like the same place I visited last October! We stayed at the Castle Comfort and loved it. The staff were friendly and very accommodating. We had no issues with Dive Dominica. By the third day, they were letting us select the dive sites we wanted to dive. I never felt threatened by the locals either, we found Dominicans to be a friendly, happy people and wanted us there. Our time on Dominica turned out to a pleasant suprise and one of our all time favorite vacations. We plan to go back to Dominica in the near future. 
almtree: Bobbe
almtree: Bobbe
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I'm sorry to hear that you had such a bad time there. Dominica is my favorite island in the Caribbean. Great macro diving, beautiful topside and lots to do. One of my best friends went there a few years ago and didn't have a good week photographically, and decided that he didn't like the island because of it. A small bad experience can color your whole impression.
That being said, things have definitely gone downhill since all the cruise ships starting going in there. It brings out the worst in places. There never used to be people hassling you to buy stuff downtown, or beggars looking for cash. That all started with the cruise ships. They start to see all tourists as moneybags instead of people. It's a shame. I just don't go to Roseau anymore.
There are rude people everywhere....hard to generalize like that about the people not being nice. I have met my share of friendly and not-so-friendly people everywhere I have been--except Fiji. (They are all friendly there...must be in the water).
Jonathan
That being said, things have definitely gone downhill since all the cruise ships starting going in there. It brings out the worst in places. There never used to be people hassling you to buy stuff downtown, or beggars looking for cash. That all started with the cruise ships. They start to see all tourists as moneybags instead of people. It's a shame. I just don't go to Roseau anymore.
There are rude people everywhere....hard to generalize like that about the people not being nice. I have met my share of friendly and not-so-friendly people everywhere I have been--except Fiji. (They are all friendly there...must be in the water).
Jonathan
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