Grenada April 2016 Trip Report

[bmorescuba]

Two friends and I decided to take a Caribbean trip in late April, 2016. We started naming islands until we got to one that none of us had ever visited. So, Grenada it was. After looking online and sending a few emails, we decided to stay at the Flamboyant Hotel and dive with Dive Grenada, booked as a package through Dive Grenada. We like to get in as many dives as possible and this seemed like the most efficient approach.

We were flying from Washington DC area and had a couple choices, but we went with Delta DCA->ATL->GND and GND->ATL-DCA. Not a bad flight, but we only left 90 mins between flights coming back. A weather delay, plus insane ATL immigration lines meant we missed our last flight. Delta got us on standby, though, and we all got home on the planned day, albeit very late. That's one advantage of ATL and flying Delta - so many choices, like American and Miami.

I have a full review of the hotel on TripAdvisor, but the summary is:

Pros:
Clean rooms
Everything worked - AC, Frig, Hot Water
Good Location, Beautiful Beach
Good Breakfast
Affordable, esp the Bar
We didn't need a car

Cons:
Steep and long hill between Beach/Dive Shop and most rooms

We had breakfast (included) at the hotel each morning, then walked 50ft. to the dive shop, got geared up, and did 2 morning dives. Dive Grenada uses a small boat (I'd call it an 8-pack) and there is no dock, so they tie up close to shore and you wade out each morning and climb in, which was fun. All the dives sites were within 15 minutes. After AM dive 1, we'd head to a protected bay for the SI, then do AM dive 2 and head back to the shop. The schedule was a little compressed at that point. We'd arrive back around noon or 12:15, and they wanted to leave for the afternoon dive at 1pm. My buddies would just eat lunch at the hotel and be ready to go - the boat would even call in orders for them over the radio. But I had to go back to the room to swap camera batteries and check on camera gear. This is when I really started to feel the 15 flights of stairs. 45 minutes to get up to the room, swap everything, eat lunch, and get back meant I had to rush.

The dive shop was run well. Most of our dives were led by a guide named Kojak and he was fantastic. One of the best guides I've ever had. Great at finding creatures and keeping an eye on things, but not in your face at all. And lots of jovial stories. We were not usually able to dive our tanks, but rather had a preset time to end the dive, even on shallow dives. This is not my preference, but I understand their choice based on the group and their schedule. Most dives were still close to an hour. Nitrox was available, but not permitted on the deepest wrecks out of an abundance of caution. It would have been nice to have a little more time on the Bianca C with 28%, but that was not allowed. When the boat was full, it felt very crowded. There was a small canopy over the helm, but one guest at most could fit under here. The sun was very intense - Grenada is only 12 deg. north, so be warned. We managed 18 dives in 5.5 days - here are the sites we visited:

4/24 AM1: Flamingo Bay
4/24 AM2: Dragon Bay
4/24 PM1: Japanese Gardens
4/25 AM1: Buccaneer Wreck & Grand Mal Reef
4/25 AM2: Happy Hills
4/25 PM1: Purple Rain
4/26 AM1: MV Shakem Wreck
4/26 AM2: MV Veronica L Wreck
4/26 PM1: Dragons Wall
4/27 AM1: Bianca C Wreck & The Wibbles Reef
4/27 AM2: Kahonee
4/27 PM1: Sculpture Garden
4/28 AM1: Black Forest
4/28 AM2: Bertie Barge & Southern Comfort
4/28 PM1: Happy Valley
4/28 PM2: MV Veronica L Wreck (NIGHT)
4/29 AM1: Boomshakalaka
4/29 AM2: Flamingo Bay

A standout for me was the MV Veronica L Wreck, both in the day and night. The entire wreck is covered with Orange Cup Coral, which was beautiful. When we went back at night, it was all open and feeding - amazing. The sculpture garden was also really stunning. Another standout was the MV Shakem wreck, which has intact cement bags in its hull. The Bianca C was uneventful. You only get 10 minutes at 130'. We saw the swimming pool on deck and the atmosphere was interesting, but not enough time to really explore on rec.

One pleasant surprise was the amount of unusual marine life we saw - probably 5 different seahorses, at least 2 different frogfish, and lots of weird stuff on the night dive, like sponge decorator crabs. Small life was abundant, but larger fish were completely absent. A couple turtles and rays here and there, but mostly nothing bigger than a dinner plate. It was fun to watch the walls of chromis and creole wrasse, and I finally got to see (multiple) fingerprint cyphomas, which I've been looking for since I saw my first flamingo tongue hundreds of dives ago.

My main goal for this trip was to practice underwater wide angle photography. I mostly shoot macro, and I find getting good lighting without backscatter much harder when shooting wide angle. I used my Olympus EM-10 with Panasonic 8mm fisheye and 2x YS-D1 strobes. I still need a lot fo practice, but Grenada is definitely an awesome location for wide angle. Of course, I couldn't resist putting on the 14-42 for a couple dives for some fish portraits. Glad I did, esp. the night dive.

We only reserved one afternoon, the final day, to tour the island. Kojak hooked us up with a cousin and he drove 5 of us around all afternoon for a very reasonable fee. We went to a rum distillery, waterfall, a couple forts, and toured St. George's a little. I wish I had rented a car and taken a whole day or two to explore more. But this trip was about maximizing dive time. It was fascinating to see wild growing Cacao, Nutmeg, Mangoes, Bananas, and pretty much everything else. We could have explored more on foot from the hotel, but were mostly tired after diving. Breakfasts at the hotel, lunches quickly in my room, and dinners at the bar (also at the hotel). But I don't care about food, so check with others about real dining options.

Here's my full gallery: Grenada 2016

And here are some samples:

 

[maj2]

Thanks for the trip report.

My first time to Grenada was for our honeymoon before I started diving. We were there for two weeks and left thinking we could have stayed another two weeks to have seen everything the island had to offer. We were back last year (almost 20 years later) and my daughter and I had some fantastic dives together on her first trip to Grenada.

Hope you brought some nutmeg home! After a decade, our first batch from Grenada still tasted better than any "fresh" stuff we could get here, and we brought a good couple of pounds (in shell) back on the most recent trip.

The sites you listed look to be all on the leeward side (i.e. north of the airport). The bigger fish (e.g. eagle rays, huge nurse sharks, etc.) tend to be seen south of the airport in the more open ocean at sites like Shark Reef and the King Mitch wreck.. Those sites can be far more weather-dependent with respect to wind/waves/etc.

Great photos, by the way!

EDIT: Just remembered your pre-trip thread in the Lesser Antilles forum. Glad to know everything worked out for you!

 

[drrich2]

Good, practical dive report on a lesser known dive destination, apt to be useful to others researching it. IIRC, Grenada is seen as a wreck diving destination, but I'm glad you included some info. about the marine life. Any comment on the coral reefs aside from what grew on wrecks?

A destination like Grenada is apt to be hit once by some who visit, and some people like to rack up lots of dives anyway, so the info. on how many dives you could reasonably get, and the trade-offs (e.g.: rushed lunch time, short island exploration time) involved, is good to know. 3 Dives/day is pretty good for land-based, plus you got a night dive in.

Overall, comparing Grenada to other, more mainstream places you've been in the Florida/Caribbean region, how do you believe it stacks up as a dive destination? Is it indeed one of those new places to hit when you've been to a bunch of others, or is it a so-called 'hidden gem' that more people ought to seek out earlier in their dive tourism?

Richard.

 

[bmorescuba]

Thanks for the trip report.

My first time to Grenada was for our honeymoon before I started diving. We were there for two weeks and left thinking we could have stayed another two weeks to have seen everything the island had to offer. We were back last year (almost 20 years later) and my daughter and I had some fantastic dives together on her first trip to Grenada.

Hope you brought some nutmeg home! After a decade, our first batch from Grenada still tasted better than any "fresh" stuff we could get here, and we brought a good couple of pounds (in shell) back on the most recent trip.

The sites you listed look to be all on the leeward side (i.e. north of the airport). The bigger fish (e.g. eagle rays, huge nurse sharks, etc.) tend to be seen south of the airport in the more open ocean at sites like Shark Reef and the King Mitch wreck.. Those sites can be far more weather-dependent with respect to wind/waves/etc.

Great photos, by the way!

EDIT: Just remembered your pre-trip thread in the Lesser Antilles forum. Glad to know everything worked out for you!

Yeah, that was me. I updated that thread with this report, just in case the people who helped me with info (like you!) were interested. You're 100% right about our locations - they were all north of the airport and on the leeward side. I shouldn't have concluded anything about the bigger marine life without seeing sites on other parts of the island. I'll just have to go back! Honestly, I would enjoy going back someday, exploring the land features more, and maybe a little more diverse choices for dives sites. I'd also like to check out Carriacou - maybe I can plan a trip to do both some day.

 

[maj2]

Richard:
I know your questions were directed at the OP, but I can offer my thoughts...

I was there in August 2015 and used Native Spirit Scuba. The OP was there in April 2016 and used Dive Grenada. Therefore, the experiences may be different based on time of year and operator.

I similarly had a great experience with Native Spirit. In August, my daughter and I were the ONLY ones on the charter most days, so basically had privately guided dives for as long as we wished to stay underwater. Travel during busier times may be different.

We were there for a family vacation with diving as opposed to a diving vacation. We did a couple of dives most mornings, and then spent the afternoon with family. Lunch time probably depends on how many others are there. In August being the only divers around, you probably have longer for lunch (your schedule, not theirs!). That said, there are a couple of very good grocery stores both close to the main hotel strip on Grand Anse, so planning lunch is generally fairly easy if you are good with keeping some groceries in your room.

As for island exploration time, that will be highly dependent on the person. Grenada has a lot to offer from great beaches, rum distilleries, rainforest walks and waterfalls, remnants of the 1983 intervention, etc. I would plan at least a day for exploration, Maybe more, or maybe less, depending on one's interests. Because of the rainforests, etc., Grenada is a very diverse island and well worth exploring. If you tire of the heat on the beach, then a trip to the rainforest and temps in the 70sis only 20 minutes away. Tons of history as well.

Driving is on the left side of the road, with lots of narrow mountain roads that may or may not have guard rails. Driving there is not for the faint of heart. I drove for a couple of days, but anything much more than a quick trip into St Georges (the Capital) was pretty stressful. I found it better to use cabs or public transit. BTW... the public transit system is great. A couple of bucks US gets you from Grand Anse to the St Georges very easily.

In terms of diving, I do not think Grenada matches up to places like Bonaire or Cozumel, but Grenada offers topside advantages that can't be beat anywhere else. Carriacou probably has better reefs, while Grenada has great wrecks and pretty good reefs. Carriacou takes a bit of work to get to from Grenada, but is well worth the visit. Makes the rest of Grenada and the Caribbean in general seem pretty fast paced!

 

[Rhone Man]

Great report, but surprised you didn't have more to say about the Bianca C?

 

[bmorescuba]

Good, practical dive report on a lesser known dive destination, apt to be useful to others researching it. IIRC, Grenada is seen as a wreck diving destination, but I'm glad you included some info. about the marine life. Any comment on the coral reefs aside from what grew on wrecks?

A destination like Grenada is apt to be hit once by some who visit, and some people like to rack up lots of dives anyway, so the info. on how many dives you could reasonably get, and the trade-offs (e.g.: rushed lunch time, short island exploration time) involved, is good to know. 3 Dives/day is pretty good for land-based, plus you got a night dive in.

Overall, comparing Grenada to other, more mainstream places you've been in the Florida/Caribbean region, how do you believe it stacks up as a dive destination? Is it indeed one of those new places to hit when you've been to a bunch of others, or is it a so-called 'hidden gem' that more people ought to seek out earlier in their dive tourism?

Richard.

Thanks for the feedback. I would say the coral health on the reefs we visited was moderate. Lots of sponge growth, some pretty beat up fans, but then amazing stands of black corals, and dense fields of sea plumes and sea rods. Brain and star coral was moderately healthy, but not very big overall. Not much evidence of bleaching, but defintiely harm from storms and runoff.

I think the answer to your question about a 'hidden gem' depends a little bit on the type of diver taking the trip. I would not necessarily recommend Grenada for new divers - there's lots of shallow stuff to explore, but to get the most out of it, you need to be comfortable deep. Also, there's not as much diving-centric infrastructure there, compared to places like Grand Cayman or Bonaire. I think they expect a little more self reliance. On the other hand, I do think it has a lot to offer and shouldn't be treated as something to do after everything else. We found so much cool stuff (seahorses, frogfish, black coral) that is hard to come by in many caribbean locations. Add to that the variety of wrecks and the easy boat rides and I think it deserves to be on more peoples' must-see lists.

 

[bmorescuba]

Great report, but surprised you didn't have more to say about the Bianca C?

Well, I was very much looking forward to it and I enjoyed it, but deep wrecks to me just aren't as fun. We dropped quickly to 120', poked around between 120' and 130' for about 10 minutes, then swam up slowly to about 50' and had fun on Wibbles Reef. It was an overcast day so overall it was pretty dark down there, even pumping out lots of lumes with out lights. Viz was OK. We saw the swimming pool and a few other features. Some very cool black coral and tons of wire coral. I'm not taking anything away from it - I think it's a great dive. But to me, spending a full hour on the Shakem was much more satisfying. More varied and unusual marine life and better photo opportunities. But, that's just an opinion and you know what they say about opinions

 

[Steelyeyes]

My GF and I ended up in Grenada when the weather motivated us to leave Belize last September. We also stayed at the Flamboyant Hotel and dove with Phil's outfit. Our DM was Kojak.

We liked the island and people. The diving was really pretty good. The Shakem and Veronica L were definitely the best wrecks. Weather kept us off of the more remote wrecks where rumor had it the odds of seeing some sharks were better.

The Bianca C was interesting but being 130 feet down we didn't get to spend as much time as we'd liked. We did take an island tour later and our guide had watched the ship when it was burning in the harbor and later saw it sink when it was being towed.

There are a lot of places in the world to see yet but I think we'll be back in Grenada one of these days.

 

[Gary_Ward]

Richard:

In terms of diving, I do not think Grenada matches up to places like Bonaire or Cozumel, but Grenada offers topside advantages that can't be beat anywhere else. Carriacou probably has better reefs, while Grenada has great wrecks and pretty good reefs. Carriacou takes a bit of work to get to from Grenada, but is well worth the visit. Makes the rest of Grenada and the Caribbean in general seem pretty fast paced!

You should definitely contemplate the trip up to Carriacou if you are thinking about Grenada. The diving there is a little different to what is on offer on Grenada and the reefs are a lot healthier. The little island of Carriacou is reached by a small plane a couple of times a day or a two hour ferry from St Georges. It does not have resort style hotels or shopping malls, but is how one would envisage the Caribbean was maybe 40 years ago. Quaint, laid back and very friendly! There is little agriculture on the island and no rivers, so there is no run off from the island. As a result there is very little (comparatively) pollution in the water. What this means is that the reefs around the island are fairly well developed and vibrant. They also have pretty healthy fish biomass and diversity too.

Overfishing is an issue throughout the Caribbean Islands where diving tourism is not the mainstay of the economy, and that is true of Carriacou as it is in Grenada, St Vincent etc etc. There is a Marine Protected Area which on the whole is respected, and the fish sizes there are generally larger than elsewhere. The south coast is great for shark encounters and we've had numerous 'holy trinity' dives (seeing sharks, turtles and rays on the same dive) down there. Currents can be a little more unpredictable and the depths a little deeper, so something for the more adventurous.

All in all, well worth putting on your bucket list