Getting wet in Tobago in September

[Abopp]

Hi all

Just a quick question about weather conditions in Tobago in September - anyone been? My sis and I are both thinking about heading out there for a week or so from the UK. Have logged about 150 dives and want to get away from it all....a Caribbean island seems to fit the bill! Only problem is that September seems to be the tail end of the wet season and, not that I mind the odd downpour (in fact, there's nothing like sitting on a balcony during a tropical rainstrom) but I am partial to the sun and wouldn't want the weather conditions to be so bad that the diving will be affected....any advice? I've read that apparently in the wet season the water coming off the Orinoco river forms a layer over the sea creating a thermocline/canopy effect...sounds kind of cool....

Love to hear from anyone with words of advice - suggested dive operators would be good too....I think we'll be staying on the North West side of the island on Castara, but that the advanced diving is near Spreyside.....

Any advice appreciated - haven't dived with my sis for over a year and want it to be memorable!

Thanks!!

 

[rpodos]

There are interesting dives in Castara too, but definitely try to split your diving between there and Speyside. I've been with Aquamarine Divers, who are on-site at the Blue Water Inn (btw, I can recommend that as a hotel... if you stay there, ask for the room nearest to the dive shop).

Weather-wise, yeah, September is a bit iffy. It goes both ways though: you might have reduced viz, but when that happens you might also get more pelagics. Don;'t worry about sunshine, there'll be plenty.

 

[Abopp]

There are interesting dives in Castara too, but definitely try to split your diving between there and Speyside. I've been with Aquamarine Divers, who are on-site at the Blue Water Inn (btw, I can recommend that as a hotel... if you stay there, ask for the room nearest to the dive shop).

Weather-wise, yeah, September is a bit iffy. It goes both ways though: you might have reduced viz, but when that happens you might also get more pelagics. Don;'t worry about sunshine, there'll be plenty.

Cool - thanks. That's realy reassurning. Have decided that we want to be Speyside anyway - is that where Aquamarine Divers/Blue Water Inn is located?

 

[rpodos]

Yep. If you stay there, say hi for me... they'll remember me as "Da manta see da mon, but da mon no see da manta."

 

[Doc]

Cool - thanks. That's realy reassurning. Have decided that we want to be Speyside anyway - is that where Aquamarine Divers/Blue Water Inn is located?

Speyside is the place to be.

BWI is about 2 hrs drive North from the Airport through mountainous switchback roads (good but very dark). Absolutely- rent a Samurai... but drive in low gear!

Get into Speyside and at the end of the commercial district (such as it is), do NOT turn left, up the hill to Charlottesville. Proceed forward, towards the ruins of the sugar mill and the road will take you to BWI.

Contrary to previous posts, do NOT get a room near the dive op, ask for one of the seperate buildings with private lanais at the S end of the property at the entrance. They are just S of the dining area.

Get the breakfast package. Skip the rest. You will not have time for lunch as they dive on a European schedule- so if you want both morning and afternoon, you will have maybe 1:10 from off-to-reboard the boats. Dinner? Drive into town and savor the adventure of Tobago. Eat Roti, have a drink at the artsy bar at the Manta Lodge.

Look out over the bay at the stately house on the rocky island- any doubt that this is the home of Ian Flemming? The Chokalaka birds will replace any alarm clock you may have forgotten to carry.

The associated dive op Aquamarine is marginal (tired staff, by the numbers, prefunctory, absentee owners), altho the pier and boats are a big attraction- they're the best around! The true Tobago dive experience is best provided by Red Man (RedM) located in the business area of Speyside. Hands down, the best guy there. If there are Mantas, Red Man will find them.

Here's a trip report that I wrote: http://www.turq.com/trips/trinidad5.html

I put Tobago in the top 5 of Caribbean dive destinations.

 

[rpodos]

Follow RoatanMan's advice over mine; he's been there more than I.