SLarkin
Guest
Just wanted to let everyone know that aside from being new to this site, my new wife Kristy and I just returned from a very unique and awesome dive expereince in Montserrat.
To start with we discovered Montserrat on our trip to Curacao this past May 2006 when its active volcano spewed so much ash that air travel to and from Curacao was cancelled due to aviation safety concerns. Upon our return we were discussing where to get married and we wanted something in the Carribean, that would be unique with diving. We started talking about the island with the volcano and started researching Montserrat. You can't get much more unique than travelling to a remote island in the Carribean with an active volcano. Now we had to determine if there was diving on the island.
A Google search pulled up www.divemontserrat.com the web page for the Green Monkey Dive shop owned by Troy and Melody Depperman. We also found a website for the Sea Wolf Dive School and intiated email correspondence with both shops. Both shops were very helpful with initial information requests, however, Troy and Melody were very responsive and once Melody learned that we were wanting to get married during our visit, she took the initiative to start researching the best way to obtain and submit the required paperwork to the Montserrat government. We had great correspondence with Troy and Melody all the way to our travel day.
Upon our arrival on the island on the 29th of September, we were very surprised that Troy and Melody met us at the airport. This was very awesome as they had once again shown initiative and wanted to make sure of our safe arrival as well as make sure we knew where our villa was located. Melody also coordinated a rental car for us through a former Montserrat police commissioner "Winston" who also met us at the airport.
Kristy and I took Saturday September 30th to relax and explore the island and in the process stop by the Sea Wolf shop, where we were met by an assistant to the owner that upon hearing our request to possibly dive with them on Sunday, told us that the owner did not like going out on Sunday as he may miss televised American football, with this statement as well as some less than considerate remarks about the island's dive shop competition we decided to use a football term and "pass" on diving with the Sea Wolf shop. Our original intent was to dive with both shops but this decision actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Meeting Troy and Melody was absolutely awesome, while we were diving with Troy, Melody was working on getting out marriage paperwork requirements correctly completed and submitted as well as planning for a small wedding at Woodland's beach.
The diviing in Montserrat is about as close to diving uncharted and pristine sites as you can get in the Carribean. The dive industry, in my opinion, has never been and is not now at its full potential. The only dive operation on the island for the past 20 something years has been Sea Wolf and in talking with other local divers the original owner was a great guy but never did much to promote Montserrat diving and was inconsistent with his operation in general. Sea Wolf was sold to the current owner who while, great at email response, does not seem to have much interest in promoting Montserrat diving either....... he is absentee and working on Antigua.
Troy and Melody opened the Green Monkey Dive Shop in January of 2006 and I think it speaks volumes that the government contract to locate and map dive sites was awarded to Troy and Green Monkey instead of the Sea Wolf. Troy has a genuine understanding of dive industry potential on Montserrat and is proceeding to make his vision a reality, knowing that it will take time given the setbacks the island has expereincied due to the volcano and tourism disruption that has occurred.
Anyway.... We started diving with Troy on Sunday October 1st and we had the time of our life. We found diving with Troy to be more like diving with a long time friend than with lesser familiarity associated with normal dive charters you would expect in a resort setting. We were able to go out and dive not only known sites but we also went along with Troy to explore and dive for the first time other sites that Troy wanted to possibly use in the future. These sites were very pristine and teeming with sea life...... on one mid day dive alone we saw squid, sea rays, sea turles, a rather large octopus, numerous crab, lobster, sea stars as well as the other common smaller fish. What was really cool was that most of this sea life acted as if it was the first time they were seeing man and seemed equally as curious of us as we were of them........ not conditioned to humans as often found in heavily dived areas. This trip was also unique, in that one afternoon we were discussing the devesation the volcano caused on land and decided to dive just off the coast of Plymouth, the former capital of Montserrat, which had been buried by the volcano. We dove two sites just outside the volcano safety exclusion zone and this was truly amazing in being able to observe not only the volcanic destruction on shore but also the damage to marine life caused by the pyroclastic flows and lahars. It was incredible to observe, how even though the reef structures were destroyed, some plant and fish life were very resilient to the ash flow as they continued to survive. Dives in this area are not for the beginner as the waters can be very ashy at times, there are no discernable terrain features making navigation difficult and the possession and use of a compass a must.
All in all this was an awesome adventure. As of now, this is not a destination for those divers seeking "resort" conditions. The diving is awesome and a very rewarding experience but travelers/divers need to understand that they will be diving in a situation where the dive industry is not only building from the ground up but where the entire tourism industry is rebuilding. If you have a love for diving, seek out of the way dive spots and do not mind diving that is not "resort" style this will be a trip you will love and always remember.
Our travel reccomendations would be to definately contact Troy and Melody at www.divemontserrat.com , let them know of your travel plans and ask for their asistance in planning from their end. As far a rental cars go ask that Melody set you up with "Winston" he is a former police commissioner, is very pleasant, accomodating and honest. His price is approximately $35/US per day and is cheaper than the rental facility located at the airport. Winston will meet you at the airport and be equally as attentive as Troy and Melody.
Again we really enjoyed the entire expereince, got married, met two quality people that we forsee having a lifetime friendship with and we are in fact planning to locate a home the next visit and start looking at some ex pat action!
Shawn and Kristy Larkin
To start with we discovered Montserrat on our trip to Curacao this past May 2006 when its active volcano spewed so much ash that air travel to and from Curacao was cancelled due to aviation safety concerns. Upon our return we were discussing where to get married and we wanted something in the Carribean, that would be unique with diving. We started talking about the island with the volcano and started researching Montserrat. You can't get much more unique than travelling to a remote island in the Carribean with an active volcano. Now we had to determine if there was diving on the island.
A Google search pulled up www.divemontserrat.com the web page for the Green Monkey Dive shop owned by Troy and Melody Depperman. We also found a website for the Sea Wolf Dive School and intiated email correspondence with both shops. Both shops were very helpful with initial information requests, however, Troy and Melody were very responsive and once Melody learned that we were wanting to get married during our visit, she took the initiative to start researching the best way to obtain and submit the required paperwork to the Montserrat government. We had great correspondence with Troy and Melody all the way to our travel day.
Upon our arrival on the island on the 29th of September, we were very surprised that Troy and Melody met us at the airport. This was very awesome as they had once again shown initiative and wanted to make sure of our safe arrival as well as make sure we knew where our villa was located. Melody also coordinated a rental car for us through a former Montserrat police commissioner "Winston" who also met us at the airport.
Kristy and I took Saturday September 30th to relax and explore the island and in the process stop by the Sea Wolf shop, where we were met by an assistant to the owner that upon hearing our request to possibly dive with them on Sunday, told us that the owner did not like going out on Sunday as he may miss televised American football, with this statement as well as some less than considerate remarks about the island's dive shop competition we decided to use a football term and "pass" on diving with the Sea Wolf shop. Our original intent was to dive with both shops but this decision actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Meeting Troy and Melody was absolutely awesome, while we were diving with Troy, Melody was working on getting out marriage paperwork requirements correctly completed and submitted as well as planning for a small wedding at Woodland's beach.
The diviing in Montserrat is about as close to diving uncharted and pristine sites as you can get in the Carribean. The dive industry, in my opinion, has never been and is not now at its full potential. The only dive operation on the island for the past 20 something years has been Sea Wolf and in talking with other local divers the original owner was a great guy but never did much to promote Montserrat diving and was inconsistent with his operation in general. Sea Wolf was sold to the current owner who while, great at email response, does not seem to have much interest in promoting Montserrat diving either....... he is absentee and working on Antigua.
Troy and Melody opened the Green Monkey Dive Shop in January of 2006 and I think it speaks volumes that the government contract to locate and map dive sites was awarded to Troy and Green Monkey instead of the Sea Wolf. Troy has a genuine understanding of dive industry potential on Montserrat and is proceeding to make his vision a reality, knowing that it will take time given the setbacks the island has expereincied due to the volcano and tourism disruption that has occurred.
Anyway.... We started diving with Troy on Sunday October 1st and we had the time of our life. We found diving with Troy to be more like diving with a long time friend than with lesser familiarity associated with normal dive charters you would expect in a resort setting. We were able to go out and dive not only known sites but we also went along with Troy to explore and dive for the first time other sites that Troy wanted to possibly use in the future. These sites were very pristine and teeming with sea life...... on one mid day dive alone we saw squid, sea rays, sea turles, a rather large octopus, numerous crab, lobster, sea stars as well as the other common smaller fish. What was really cool was that most of this sea life acted as if it was the first time they were seeing man and seemed equally as curious of us as we were of them........ not conditioned to humans as often found in heavily dived areas. This trip was also unique, in that one afternoon we were discussing the devesation the volcano caused on land and decided to dive just off the coast of Plymouth, the former capital of Montserrat, which had been buried by the volcano. We dove two sites just outside the volcano safety exclusion zone and this was truly amazing in being able to observe not only the volcanic destruction on shore but also the damage to marine life caused by the pyroclastic flows and lahars. It was incredible to observe, how even though the reef structures were destroyed, some plant and fish life were very resilient to the ash flow as they continued to survive. Dives in this area are not for the beginner as the waters can be very ashy at times, there are no discernable terrain features making navigation difficult and the possession and use of a compass a must.
All in all this was an awesome adventure. As of now, this is not a destination for those divers seeking "resort" conditions. The diving is awesome and a very rewarding experience but travelers/divers need to understand that they will be diving in a situation where the dive industry is not only building from the ground up but where the entire tourism industry is rebuilding. If you have a love for diving, seek out of the way dive spots and do not mind diving that is not "resort" style this will be a trip you will love and always remember.
Our travel reccomendations would be to definately contact Troy and Melody at www.divemontserrat.com , let them know of your travel plans and ask for their asistance in planning from their end. As far a rental cars go ask that Melody set you up with "Winston" he is a former police commissioner, is very pleasant, accomodating and honest. His price is approximately $35/US per day and is cheaper than the rental facility located at the airport. Winston will meet you at the airport and be equally as attentive as Troy and Melody.
Again we really enjoyed the entire expereince, got married, met two quality people that we forsee having a lifetime friendship with and we are in fact planning to locate a home the next visit and start looking at some ex pat action!
Shawn and Kristy Larkin
