Traveling to St Lucia in March

[Snoweman]

So many questions...

I have a co-worker from St Lucia that claims he can get me good pricing at an AI in the north. It is good pricing compared to what I can find on the internet, but it is more almost twice the price of what I can rent a villa with a kitchen in Marigot Bay ($360/night vs $190/night - prices are for two people). The AI has good to excellent reviews, but not perfect. The villas in Marigot Bay are almost perfect (one or two bad reviews).

While I am there, I would like to do two days of diving and maybe a night dive. Which location would be better for getting to dive shops and dive sites (shorter boat rides)? I don't mind boat rides, but my buddy can get a little sea sick. Also, I have read of one small dive op that will let folks spear lion fish (Action Adventure Divers). Can I bring my own spear/sling? How about night dives? Has anyone done one there?

It seems there is a lot to do on the island, but any thoughts of the best things to do are greatly appreciated.

 

[dbnewton]

So many questions...

I have a co-worker from St Lucia that claims he can get me good pricing at an AI in the north. It is good pricing compared to what I can find on the internet, but it is more almost twice the price of what I can rent a villa with a kitchen in Marigot Bay ($360/night vs $190/night - prices are for two people). The AI has good to excellent reviews, but not perfect. The villas in Marigot Bay are almost perfect (one or two bad reviews).

While I am there, I would like to do two days of diving and maybe a night dive. Which location would be better for getting to dive shops and dive sites (shorter boat rides)? I don't mind boat rides, but my buddy can get a little sea sick. Also, I have read of one small dive op that will let folks spear lion fish (Action Adventure Divers). Can I bring my own spear/sling? How about night dives? Has anyone done one there?

It seems there is a lot to do on the island, but any thoughts of the best things to do are greatly appreciated.

Action Adventure Divers is in Soufriere. I can confirm Chester will take divers fishing for lion fish and he will put you on reefs with a LOT of lion fish.

I will also point out that most of the best diving is in or near Soufriere.

To your question about long boat rides or drives to dive sites or dive ops: keep in mind the roads in St Lucia are seriously slow due to narrow, mountainous. windy, and poorly maintained. You can count on at least an hour drive from Marigot to Soufriere (one way). The boat ride is probably of a similar order but I have never done it so not sure.

 

[Snoweman]

DB - When did you last visit? Did Chester have a way of collecting the lion fish to prevent injury (homemade zoo keeper)? Did you bring your own spear?

 

[dbnewton]

DB - When did you last visit? Did Chester have a way of collecting the lion fish to prevent injury (homemade zoo keeper)? Did you bring your own spear?

I was there in Jan. Chester runs a small shop on the north end of the beach in town.

He has one boat probably 20 foot or so. Entry and exit are over the free-board (no ladder).

Chester supplied the gun and spear. He uses a short bungee powered gun with trigger on a pistol grip. The spear is a fixed five prong barbed tip on a short cord. Guests load the gun and spear the fish, Chester removes them from the spear by hand (sans gant) and bags the fish.

Using this method I brought back 56 lion fish on two dives. I left most with Chester since there were only my wife and I and one dinner remaining.

 

[Snoweman]

So, did you or Chester trim the fish of their spines while diving? I've seen that done in Belize.

 

[dbnewton]

So, did you or Chester trim the fish of their spines while diving? I've seen that done in Belize.

No. He just bagged them.