Jamaica Diving--getting better?

[chauncy19]

Wondering how the diving is in Jamaica. Was there in the seventies and eighties. Three times in Negril and once outside of MO Bay. Remember the diving as exceptional visibility but little fish life. great swim throughs and the clarity took my breath a way. Anyway just thinking of returning someday most likely to the Negril area. Too much petty and not so petty crime in the Mo Bay area but maybe that's changed too. Certainly Negril changed greatly in the time I first went there and the last . Not trying to re-capture anything, just wondering about the diving.

 

[ibj40]

We've been to Negril in both 2003 and 2008, and heading back there in 2013. The change in fish population, both in size, variety, and number was clearly (no pun intended) noticable in the five years we were away. We've stayed at Couples Negril both times, dove the first time with the on-site, dove the second time with Sundivers (who we heartily recommend).

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

I went to Couples Swept Away in Negril last year, the fish life was okay, nothing spectacular, the reefs looked okay also. The dives are in included, but they only do 2 dives per day on in the morning, and one in the afternoon. So depending on the amount of time you're there, you could take advantage of both Sundivers and the onsite shop. Going to Ocho Rio next week. will be my first time there.

 

[ibj40]

I went to Couples Swept Away in Negril last year, the fish life was okay, nothing spectacular, the reefs looked okay also. The dives are in included, but they only do 2 dives per day on in the morning, and one in the afternoon. So depending on the amount of time you're there, you could take advantage of both Sundivers and the onsite shop. Going to Ocho Rio next week. will be my first time there.

The one dive in the morning/one dive in the afternoon schedule is why we went with Sundivers the second trip. We are used to two-tank diving, and would rather do both dives back-to-back, and then return to the resort to hang out the rest of the day. Both times we did some of the same dives, so it is not as if one sees anything different than the other.

 

[scubawitch]

Hello
We have booked a trip to Couples Tower in October. I dive and my husband plays golf so it seemed perfect. We stayed in St Lucia in June with Sandals and had a great time. Having read some of the comments on scubaboard I am now a bit concerned, did I make a mistake to book this trip?
Can any one tell me what the weather will be like, are there any fish in the sea
A diver I met in St Lucia told me Jamaica was better than St Lucia, I hope he was right.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

Hello
We have booked a trip to Couples Tower in October. I dive and my husband plays golf so it seemed perfect. We stayed in St Lucia in June with Sandals and had a great time. Having read some of the comments on scubaboard I am now a bit concerned, did I make a mistake to book this trip?
Can any one tell me what the weather will be like, are there any fish in the sea
A diver I met in St Lucia told me Jamaica was better than St Lucia, I hope he was right.

The weather should still be very warm, yes there will be fish in the sea, it may be only smaller schools of fish, but there will be fish. I've found that here on SB the majority only post when they have something negative to say. When I went to Negril last year, the vis was great, the water was warm, and the dives were very relaxing. I really enjoy myself at Couples Swept Away, and plan on doing it again someday. The only thing I didn't like was the one take dives, but since it was included, it wasn't all that bad.

 

[scubawitch]

Thanks for the reassurance.
I will let you know how it goes

 

[ibj40]

Thanks for the reassurance.
I will let you know how it goes

Please do that, even though it will not change our plans to go next May, it might make the expectation a little different.

Thanks!

 

[dewayne405]

My significant & I have been to Couples Swept Away, once 5 yrs ago, and getting ready to leave for there again mid-September. Hoping to see lots of sea life, big, small... But the big draw is the topside attractions/resort... Its an easy choice, one Jamaica trip every 5 years = yearly dive trips to other dive oriented locations the years in between...

Diving in Jamaica is very laid back. Diving with CSA is even more relaxed...

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

Here are some pics from my dives in Ocho Rios this week, went with Scuba Caribe at Club Hotel RIU. I'm a little spoiled from diving Key Largo and Grand Bahama Islands. Was on the the dives with a guy from Kansas, a father and son from England, and the second with a guy from Portugal, they all thought they were great dives, and liked the sites. The reefs looked okay and the fish life was very small. The first pic is the best place I've seen lion fish that wasn't on a plate There were 4 or 5 in the cage, and one on the outside trying find his way in.