Oct. in Barbados 3mm or skin?
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kccpa
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Zuzanne,
May I ask where you're staying in Barbados? I'm always on the lookout for great spots.
Thanks,
Kathy
May I ask where you're staying in Barbados? I'm always on the lookout for great spots.
Thanks,
Kathy
OP
zuzanne
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Hi Kathy, we are going to be staying at The Bougainvillea Beach Resort in the Maxwell Coast area. It was an TS exchange thru RCI. We have never been to Barbados before so we're really excited about diving there. I heard that the Stav is a great dive if there current isn't ripping so I hope we get a calm day to do it. A TUGGER should be just back from there. I posted on the TUG Caribbean Board to see how she liked it. I don't think she dives but would be able to give us a review of the resort & the Island overall. Here is the web site for the resort it looks beautiful. www.bougainvillearesort.com
If you go to the Scuba Board Home Page, click on gallery then arrow down to wrecks then in the search field type in Stav, it will bring up a couple of photos that someone took of the winch and mast. very cool photos.
Zuzanne
If you go to the Scuba Board Home Page, click on gallery then arrow down to wrecks then in the search field type in Stav, it will bring up a couple of photos that someone took of the winch and mast. very cool photos.
Zuzanne
jbm
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zuzanne:
I last dove the "Stav" in November........the Suunto said 86 degrees F. Dress accordingly but do wear some gloves for the up line.
Have a wonderful trip!
jbm
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zuzanne
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Thank you so much for the heads up on the gloves. I'm so excited about the trip that I did not even think about the gloves. Hubby & I both have warm water gloves with the added grip & padding in the palm. I have already put them in the scuba bag so that I don't forget to pack them.
Could you advise on which dive shop you went with and what other dives you made? Any advice on the Island itself for must see & do land/water things. We have another couple going with us who do not dive, so looking for things to do with them as well as things for them to do while we are diving.
Thank you again for your help.
Zuzanne
Could you advise on which dive shop you went with and what other dives you made? Any advice on the Island itself for must see & do land/water things. We have another couple going with us who do not dive, so looking for things to do with them as well as things for them to do while we are diving.
Thank you again for your help.
Zuzanne
RICHinNC
Contributor
There is a place called...the dive shop....that has a pretty rep from a friend of mine. I used another I wouldnt recommend. If you have gloves with kevlar palms...handy. Those ropes are very crusty.
I also stayed at the Boug. I would recommend you call them before you go and confirm you are in the main building.....and tell them if not....youre moving to a new place. They have a tendency to get people there and then move them to a smaller building that is theirs across the street. Not good.
Be sure to dive the PAMIR.....and do it early in the morning before a bunch get there and muck up the water. It is a great little ship and great swim thoughs....plus...not very deep so you have loads of time on site.
Also....do not buy FOOD TICKETS from the hotel or anyone else for the Oustins fish fry that takes place on Friday and Saturday nights. It is cheap and you get ripped off big time with those tickets. There were offering them at $35 each and myself and companion both ate and had four beers each for only $20.
Also....rent a car and get out. There are some great beaches there to visit. Rent a regular car with AC....not a moop....the moops are "fun" golf like cars and cost more actually.
Yell if you have any questions. (oh....stay away from the horse back rides....they will kill you!!)
I also stayed at the Boug. I would recommend you call them before you go and confirm you are in the main building.....and tell them if not....youre moving to a new place. They have a tendency to get people there and then move them to a smaller building that is theirs across the street. Not good.
Be sure to dive the PAMIR.....and do it early in the morning before a bunch get there and muck up the water. It is a great little ship and great swim thoughs....plus...not very deep so you have loads of time on site.
Also....do not buy FOOD TICKETS from the hotel or anyone else for the Oustins fish fry that takes place on Friday and Saturday nights. It is cheap and you get ripped off big time with those tickets. There were offering them at $35 each and myself and companion both ate and had four beers each for only $20.
Also....rent a car and get out. There are some great beaches there to visit. Rent a regular car with AC....not a moop....the moops are "fun" golf like cars and cost more actually.
Yell if you have any questions. (oh....stay away from the horse back rides....they will kill you!!)
Hi, I put about a half dozen dives on the Stav in May of last year and a 3mm full suit was good. There were a large amount of jelly fish so be sure to cover up. The Stav is great and Carlisle bay is full of shallow wrecks. However when I was there I was disapionted in the vis (2-5m). Hope it's better for you. Enjoy the spicy fish sandwiches near the beach!zuzanne:
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Thermal comfort is somewhat idiosyncratic. To put it in perspective, below is a piece, in part, from my June '00 "Ask RSD" column in "Rodale's Scuba Diving":
"Have you ever been out on the street in the spring or fall and noticed people wearing everything from shorts & T-shirts to full coats with hats & scarves, all apparently in comfort? Well, things are no different underwater. This comfort is highly variable among individuals depending on such factors as percentage of body fat, age & tolerance to thermal discomfort. Other determinants, like how many dives a day over how many days you are planning, are also important. When you ask "What wetsuit should I wear?, you'll get answers ranging all the way from "just a bathing suit" through "7mm full."
The question is better asked: "What water temps can I anticipate at my destination?" You'll receive a pretty accurate answer to this, and then can decide what's best for you based on your personal thermal comfort needs.
It's always a good idea to come thermally prepared, just in case."
That having been said, expect Barbados water temps in Nov of 84 plus/minius a degree. Personally, if I was doing multiple dives over multiple days at that temp I'd take a 3mm full. If you get a bit too warm during a dive, you can always let some water into the suit. Much harder to warm up. Also, take a beanie and gloves.
Have fun.
DocVikingo
"Have you ever been out on the street in the spring or fall and noticed people wearing everything from shorts & T-shirts to full coats with hats & scarves, all apparently in comfort? Well, things are no different underwater. This comfort is highly variable among individuals depending on such factors as percentage of body fat, age & tolerance to thermal discomfort. Other determinants, like how many dives a day over how many days you are planning, are also important. When you ask "What wetsuit should I wear?, you'll get answers ranging all the way from "just a bathing suit" through "7mm full."
The question is better asked: "What water temps can I anticipate at my destination?" You'll receive a pretty accurate answer to this, and then can decide what's best for you based on your personal thermal comfort needs.
It's always a good idea to come thermally prepared, just in case."
That having been said, expect Barbados water temps in Nov of 84 plus/minius a degree. Personally, if I was doing multiple dives over multiple days at that temp I'd take a 3mm full. If you get a bit too warm during a dive, you can always let some water into the suit. Much harder to warm up. Also, take a beanie and gloves.
Have fun.
DocVikingo
Depends on if you get cold or not. I'm fine with a t-shirt over my swimsuit or a dive skin. On my last trip there, my dive buddy needed a 5m.
If you're doing more than just a couple of dives on a day -- consider some sort of protection though, as DocV says, you can always cool down by letting in a bit of water, but to warm up - its' not that easy.
If you're staying at the Bougainvillea, you're quite a bit down the coast where most of the "action" is.
Things to see on land -- Harrison's caves (if nothing else, to get cooled off), The Orchid World, Andromea (sp?) Gardens, Bathsheba coast.
On the water -- take a catamaran tour (use one of the mid-size boats like Cool Runnings) to see the island from another perspective.
Dive Ops -- all operators that I know of will do pick up & return to your hotel. Ops that I like:
The Dive Shop run by Haroon
Hightide Watersports is run by Willie
Scotch & Soda is run by Ram. (I'll dig up the phone number -- I couldn't find a url for them)
If you're doing more than just a couple of dives on a day -- consider some sort of protection though, as DocV says, you can always cool down by letting in a bit of water, but to warm up - its' not that easy.
If you're staying at the Bougainvillea, you're quite a bit down the coast where most of the "action" is.
Things to see on land -- Harrison's caves (if nothing else, to get cooled off), The Orchid World, Andromea (sp?) Gardens, Bathsheba coast.
On the water -- take a catamaran tour (use one of the mid-size boats like Cool Runnings) to see the island from another perspective.
Dive Ops -- all operators that I know of will do pick up & return to your hotel. Ops that I like:
The Dive Shop run by Haroon
Hightide Watersports is run by Willie
Scotch & Soda is run by Ram. (I'll dig up the phone number -- I couldn't find a url for them)
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