Tobago for intermediates

[Jersey Guy]

Hello all,

My wife and I were thinking about going to Tobago -- the northern shore, to be specific -- the first week of December for a bit of diving, hiking and relaxing. However, having researched the other posts on ScubaBoard, I'm getting the impression that perhaps the diving is too advanced for our experience.

Although we've managed to do a bit of diving over the last eight years -- Roatan, the Visayas in the Philippines, Cuelebra and Dominica -- it's been a couple of years between dives. Also, the only drift diving we've done has been in The Philippines, where the visibility was amazing, and currents manageable. Would Tobago be a good fit?

Also, the travel time from our place in New Jersey to Speyside is giving us pause. Would Castara be too far away from the dives sites to be doable?

Lastly, does anyone have any suggestions for a place that offers good diving and hiking within reasonable striking distance?

 

[pin]

Hi, there was me thinking you were from the proper Jersey in the Channel Islands!!

Castara is a great place to stay, but it is a bit of a mission to get to Speyside (about 1.5 hours by car). There is one operator who occasionally picks up customers from Castara, but it depends on where they are diving.

For most things Tobago related, may I suggest you have a look at www.mytobago.info, a wealth of information about all things Tobago.

 

[Jersey Guy]

Thanks Pin,

You're right. www.mytobago.info is a surprisingly comprehensive site. One of the best I've come across.

I was wondering if you've dove Tobago, and if there's enough good sites to satisfy a non-advanced diver such as myself. And if so, where would be the best base of operations.

 

[Doc]

Tobago will test you in several ways. "Advanced Diving" is merely a piling-on of new and different dive situations, exposing you to task loading and sometimes difficult environments. Tobagos is well known for:

- Mild currents of .25 mph on almost any North End (Speyside-Charlottesville) Dive Site

- Occasional rip-roaring roller coaster rides of 2-3.5 mph, short spurts of maybe 4.5+ mph.

- Vertical currents (downwellings) that your DM should be well aware of and steer you away from.

- Having to transit from shore to boat (in all but very few operations) by slogging through the surf. ANy decent dive op should carry everything out to the boat for you.

- Back roll entries on command, everone 3-2-1-GO! so we can dive as a group in the current. Doing this off of a very small boat and safely.

- Staying with the group in the current.

- Knowing how to inflate and shoot your safety sausage from a depth of 25' with a tethered line, hanging at 15' waiting through your safety stop and the boatman to find you.

- Doffing your gear and safely handing it up to the boatman, climbing a vertcal ladder, getting safely aboard and assisting others while you stay out of the way.

Tobago is many types of diving for many different divers. On the South End, Pigeon Point, it is packed with day-dive ops that cater to cruise ship divers. On the North End of Speyside and Charlottesville, that's the E-Ticket rides.

The most versatile operation in the North is the dive op at the Blue Waters Inn. More experienced divers who are prepared for lower grades of infrastructure (boats, piers, etc) may find greater rewards in other less structurally established dive ops ranging from Manta Lodge, Red Man and others.

Something for everybody, just understand what you want and what is being offered.

 

[Jersey Guy]

THANKS ROATANMAN,

This post -- and you others on Tobago -- give me food for thought. I was hoping to avoid the cruise ship sites, so it sounds like the north end is the only place to be.

 

[ACAS1207]

Jersey Guy,
What was the best way you found to get to Tobago? I'm also from NJ.

Thanks,
Anthony