Jamaica

[mcohen1021]

Just got back from Jamaica... 5d in Ocho Rios, 5d in Negril. I must say, after 3 trips to this island, I have visited Runaway Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril. Negril tops it all – the ONLY place to go in Jamaica...



I had the opportunity to enjoy 9 total dives – 2 in Ocho, 7 in Negril.. I thought the diving was outstanding in Negril and the dive team at Sandals did an excellent job. I was skeptical of this simply because of the opinions I’d received from ScubaBoard... My GF received her Advanced Open Water cert... It actually cost her less than if she’d taken it locally, and she got to do her cert dives in clear warm water... The dive team also put us with our own group, away from student divers – it was awesome. Among the cool things we encountered were: a spike tailed moray eel, a puffer fish we got to puff up, the largest nurse shark I’ve ever seen and believe it or not, I heard dolphins communicating underwater during my last dive (they came up to the surface after we were back on the boat)!

Anyways, thanks for all the help, I was very pleasantly surprised!

 

[ibj40]

Just got back from Jamaica... 5d in Ocho Rios, 5d in Negril. I must say, after 3 trips to this island, I have visited Runaway Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril. Negril tops it all – the ONLY place to go in Jamaica...



I had the opportunity to enjoy 9 total dives – 2 in Ocho, 7 in Negril.. I thought the diving was outstanding in Negril and the dive team at Sandals did an excellent job. I was skeptical of this simply because of the opinions I’d received from ScubaBoard... My GF received her Advanced Open Water cert... It actually cost her less than if she’d taken it locally, and she got to do her cert dives in clear warm water... The dive team also put us with our own group, away from student divers – it was awesome. Among the cool things we encountered were: a spike tailed moray eel, a puffer fish we got to puff up, the largest nurse shark I’ve ever seen and believe it or not, I heard dolphins communicating underwater during my last dive (they came up to the surface after we were back on the boat)!

Anyways, thanks for all the help, I was very pleasantly surprised!

You have discovered why we have been to Negril three times in the past ten years, and will be going back soon. We love the diving, and it keeps getting better.

With regard to an on-site dive op from a resort, we always stay at Couples, and dove with the on-site the first trip, and they were great. The only reason we have converted to diving with an off-site is due to our preference of doing multiple tank morning dives, and then spending the rest of the day "resorting". At Couples, you do one tank in the morning, and then one after lunch; we prefer to get wet, and stay wet, and then relax in the afternoon.

One troubling comment you make, though, which is something we have heard about diving in Jamaica, is that the dive guides sometimes handle the critters, and to us, that's wrong. We've never experienced it first hand with Sundivers, and will always shake a finger at a dive guide who motions toward touching anything.

Glad you liked it.

 

[mcohen1021]

I can understand your preference re: get wet / stay wet. The way it was set up at Sandals was a 9:00 meet time, depart the beach by 9:15/9:20. Generally, that morning boat was all certified divers. They then took you back to the beach, to drop off / pick up (11 AM ish). The 2nd dive departed 11:30 and carried experienced and beginner. The good part was they split us up by experience. My GF was already advanced, just not advanced certified. Outside of a slight bit of help I gave her with her navigation, she did great. I do by the time I got back to the beach, I was famished – we’d head straight to the beach grill


I do not condone the harassment of the wildlife either. I’ve been a certified divemaster for 25 years and me personally, I take nothing but pictures and memories, leave nothing but bubbles. I even had enough sense to go back and to pick up and throw away a plastic cup I found on the ocean floor on my last dive.



Thanks for the dive op recommendation. I have a few I like on other Islands as well. If you ever go scuba in Providenciales, try Flamingo Divers – Mickey and Jayne are wonderful folks.

 

[whitefang21]

bombooclat just get in di dam wata mon. Jump off di dam boat.... We be jamming

regulator = dat ting u put inu mouth

Tank = gas cylinder

Bcd - old stich up life vest

Den u irie......