ReefHugger
Contributor
Breaking news - Just within the last week Lion fish have been reported at Runaway Bay. I believe there is a plan to kill one for DNA testing, in an attempt to figure out the source.
Runaway Bay, Jamaica
- Thread starter Tanked
- Start date
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My Wife and I stayed there last July and had a great time.
Make sure to bring your own insulated Travel mug.
The guys in the dive shop were great.
Most of the dive sites are right out from the resort.
They don't have a dock so you have to walk your gear to the boat and load it (if you have your own) if you take care of the dive crew (tip) they will load/unload and rinse your gear for you.
They have a number of dive sites that you can dive.
There is a Spanish Anchor that at one of the sites.
There are a few boat wreck (mostly small ones) and a few plane wrecks.
Most of the dives are on the reefs or the Wall.
the reefs are in good shape with lots of sealife.
Most of the fish are smaller since the locals tend to over fish.
But we saw Lobsters, Crabs, Stingrays, and lots of diffrent types of Fish.
We took lots of pictures (500 plus) I can load some of them up on my website if you want to take a look, just e-mail me if you want to see them.
The resort dives include a 2 tank dive a day you need to sign up for it the day before, if you want to do a night dive it is extra.
If you have any questions just let me know.
Make sure to bring your own insulated Travel mug.
The guys in the dive shop were great.
Most of the dive sites are right out from the resort.
They don't have a dock so you have to walk your gear to the boat and load it (if you have your own) if you take care of the dive crew (tip) they will load/unload and rinse your gear for you.
They have a number of dive sites that you can dive.
There is a Spanish Anchor that at one of the sites.
There are a few boat wreck (mostly small ones) and a few plane wrecks.
Most of the dives are on the reefs or the Wall.
the reefs are in good shape with lots of sealife.
Most of the fish are smaller since the locals tend to over fish.
But we saw Lobsters, Crabs, Stingrays, and lots of diffrent types of Fish.
We took lots of pictures (500 plus) I can load some of them up on my website if you want to take a look, just e-mail me if you want to see them.
The resort dives include a 2 tank dive a day you need to sign up for it the day before, if you want to do a night dive it is extra.
If you have any questions just let me know.
Reef Hugger, amazing news! Any update? I will be diving Ochi the end of August.
OP
Thanks thats good to know. I was on a dive boat last week, and this one dude was trashing Jamacia saying how dirty the water, and reefs were.
We're going for 8 nights, and im hoping to get at least 3 dives in since my better half is a non diver. And one of those days will be our weddings so I doubt can dive that day.
About what time do the dives leave, and come back?
Also i'd like to see your pictures.
dewayne405
Contributor
My new wife and I just got back from our honeymoon in Negril, Jamaica... I will the diving there is very nice... 75-90 ft viz, water was 84degrees at 72ft... We saw lots of Stingrays, lobsters, crabs, and a lot of fish. We saw one nurse shark on a deep drift dive.
Topside we stayed with Couples Swept Away, an All Inclusive and it was a tropical paradise...
All dives are conservative, and led by a DM. Resort gear was in good shape, and 95% Sherwood.
We are already planning a return trip next June, and I am trying to scrap up a bit to surprise her with a Christmas trip for a week as well....
For those who don't like Jamaica... Go blow some salt water out of blow holes... The people are great and the diving is truly first rate... You can experiencing everything from 100+ ft dives to shallow reef dives to night diving, as well as a few cave/ tunnel entries, and drift dives in currents that made me very thankful for my Jet Fins, had the pleasure of pulling my new wife along for a glorious ride....
Yo mon, no problem in diving in Jamaica... Pool's open, jump in and get there...
Topside we stayed with Couples Swept Away, an All Inclusive and it was a tropical paradise...
All dives are conservative, and led by a DM. Resort gear was in good shape, and 95% Sherwood.
We are already planning a return trip next June, and I am trying to scrap up a bit to surprise her with a Christmas trip for a week as well....
For those who don't like Jamaica... Go blow some salt water out of blow holes... The people are great and the diving is truly first rate... You can experiencing everything from 100+ ft dives to shallow reef dives to night diving, as well as a few cave/ tunnel entries, and drift dives in currents that made me very thankful for my Jet Fins, had the pleasure of pulling my new wife along for a glorious ride....
Yo mon, no problem in diving in Jamaica... Pool's open, jump in and get there...
If I remember right about 8:00 am, we would get up have braekfast then get our dive gear and meet the guys at the dive shop. If I remember right we were back to the dive show between 11:00 and 12:00.
I think most people try to compare diving Jamaica to some of the top 10 rated dive sites like Bonaire. And they try to clasify everything based on that and although Jamaica is not on the same level as Bonaire say a 10 then I would have to say the locations I went in Jamaica were a 7-8, I am sure there are some dive sites that are worse but none that I had the pleasure of diving.
Noob@40
Registered
Thanks for this thread Tanked.
We will be heading to the Gran Bahia Principe, Runnaway Bay in April and it's great to hear I will be able to get in some good diving while we are there.
Thanks also to flareless for your take on this resort and dive shop it has been a great help. The link to the local dive shop is still down but I have bookmarked it and will try later. Any extra info you have on this shop or resort would be appriciated.
We will be heading to the Gran Bahia Principe, Runnaway Bay in April and it's great to hear I will be able to get in some good diving while we are there.
Thanks also to flareless for your take on this resort and dive shop it has been a great help. The link to the local dive shop is still down but I have bookmarked it and will try later. Any extra info you have on this shop or resort would be appriciated.
Radnewt
Registered
Jamaica is a good place for novice divers and you come to really enjoy the resort workers particularly the dive guys......I am an amputee and Jamaica is where a divemaster convinced me to go for it....that was 10 yrs ago and I am a Rescue Diver as is my 16 yo daughter and my 19yo son is a divemaster......talk about passing it on....We always travel to the Carribean during hurricane season but now go to Curacao which is out of the huricane belt BUT we still get into delayed flights occasionally...if it happens, rent a hotel room get a nice bottle of wine and wait until it clears up then have a great time....so you lose a day here or there....just remember the Jamaican motto, "no problem mon".
I also stayed in Runaway Bay and dived with a shop called Jamaqua in October 2006. It may not exist anymore, because I can't find their website. Most of the hotels have gone all inclusive..owned by foreign corporations, and squeezing out smaller operators / mom and pop restaurants and facilities etc.
I have dived in several locations, and while the marine life there did not come close to places like Palau etc (what does???), it was certainly comparable to and better than most other Caribbean islands I have dived. In fact, I would even rate it better than my recent trip to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac... although my most recent experience in the Caymans may have been a fluke (seeing one stingray at stingray tower...two gray angelfish the entire trip, etc). I suspect the dirty reefs may be around the bigger cities etc. I do not recall the reefs around Runaway Bay being filthy. I enjoyed my diving and time there. My dive crew were also very good. Hopefully things have not changed for the worse in the past 2 years. As far as weather, we certainly had some significant rainstorms, but none affected my diving or the visibility.
If you are a reggae fan, check out the Bob Marley museum in Kingston. Good luck and enjoy.
I have dived in several locations, and while the marine life there did not come close to places like Palau etc (what does???), it was certainly comparable to and better than most other Caribbean islands I have dived. In fact, I would even rate it better than my recent trip to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac... although my most recent experience in the Caymans may have been a fluke (seeing one stingray at stingray tower...two gray angelfish the entire trip, etc). I suspect the dirty reefs may be around the bigger cities etc. I do not recall the reefs around Runaway Bay being filthy. I enjoyed my diving and time there. My dive crew were also very good. Hopefully things have not changed for the worse in the past 2 years. As far as weather, we certainly had some significant rainstorms, but none affected my diving or the visibility.
If you are a reggae fan, check out the Bob Marley museum in Kingston. Good luck and enjoy.
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