Dive shops in Barbados?

[Angelfish]

OK I have managed to score a 2 week trip to Barbados next month to work mostly but was hoping to get a bit of diving in. I will be staying near the airport area so the south east part of the island. Are theere any dive shops there? What is the diving like.. from maps cobbler's reef looks huge. any info gratefully received.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Angelfish,

I get to Barbados from time to time & it's not exactly a dedicated dive island. Take your golf clubs & tennis racquets as well as scuba gear. This, however, does not mean it's not worth getting wet. The wreck of the SS Stavronikita, a 365 foot Greek shipping vessel, is well worth doing, several times in fact, although it's for at least moderately experienced divers & you can't always get out there. Also can catch 4 much less grand wrecks, including the Ce-Trak, Wolfe & Berwind, on a single dive off the southwest tip of the island. Couple of okay reefs up toward northwest end. Don't expect much in the way of fishlife, and nothing big.

There are some real decent operators there. Try Dive Shop (don't let their basic shop throw you off) (800-513-5823; tell them you want to dive with Haroon) & High Tide Water Sports (800-513-5763). Both can be booked in advance at pado@sunbeach.net, although should be no problem in just walking up.

Have fun & let me know how it was.

DocVikingo

 

[Angelfish]

Hhhmmm one question springs to mind - what do you regard as moderately experienced? I have only ever dived in East Africa, am a PADI MFA but have less than 20 dives to my name. I would say I was still a novice although my instructors have always told me I was part fish as I never had a problem with any of the skills and spent most of my dives exploring with my instructor having whizzed throught the required skills. So how hard is this wreck to dive? And as for golf clubs - I think the people we ar eout there teaching diaster recovery to would think we were taking it a bit too lightly!! Sloping off for a dive is one thing but legging it from an operation to play golf is something I would get busted for! Thanks for the advice.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Angelfish,

Given your experience, you may want to pass on the Stavro, but ask at the dive shop how conditions are & what they think. As long as you're not planning on doing any major penetrations, current & depth are the only considerations.

Have fun.

DocVikingo

 

[Angelfish]

hey doc,
well i'm back again.... the diving off barbados was pretty good. the viz wasn't that hot and you were right about the lack of big wildlife but the purposefully sunk wrecks make for a good playground! as for diveshops.... we used The Diveshop first - and put it this way i wouldn't go back or recommend it. we then tried Roger's ScubaShack and it was a fantastic outfit - many goldstars for a decent operation and a well sporting DM. anyway thanks for the advice.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Angelfish,

Welcome back & thank you for the update.

Time to clean your gear for the next trip.

DocVikingo