Trip Review-St. Thomas, Dominica, St. Kitts

[shoturtle]

Love the pics of the sea turtle. Your camera takes really nice photo underwater. Did you take an underwater photography class?

 

[shoturtle]

Smokey-
I've considered a liveaboard...but I'm not sold yet. They are much more expensive than cruises...but with all the diving included, it makes sense that they are more.

It's three main reasons (besides cost) that keeps me from booking a liveaboard instead of a cruise
1. I travel with my mom, who doesn't dive and loves to cruise.
2. I am VERY picky eater and I'm worried I won't like the food on the liveaboard.
3. Robin mentioned about no ballrooms, or formal wear, shows, etc...except that I like the ballrooms, formal wear, shows, etc.

If my master plan to move to FL comes together, and I either start dating a diver or get a core group of diving friends...I may try a liveaboard. I just don't see it happening anytime soon while I'm in Northern VA.

There is more things to do on cruise, I not a fan of the live aboard. I like my luxury of a 4 star and 5 star hotel. At night I like to go out and do other things. That is something a cruise offers. I guess I like to experience just more then diving when I go on vacation.

I you do not meet a diver you like, find a guy you like and beat him into submission in to learning to dive That way you have a larger pool to chose from. That is what my wife did to me.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Love the pics of the sea turtle. Your camera takes really nice photo underwater. Did you take an underwater photography class?

Thanks! I haven't taken an u/w photography class. I just read a lot on scubaboard about getting really close and trying to shoot up if you can (which I couldn't most of the time). I also spoke to someone at my dive shop for about an hour and half about ISO settings, white balance, macro etc. Then he had me practice in the pool during one of their open water classs. I tried all the different settings and got use to changing the settings while underwater. I think it's a very good idea for new photographers to practice in a pool first.

 

[shoturtle]

Thanks! I haven't taken an u/w photography class. I just read a lot on scubaboard about getting really close and trying to shoot up if you can (which I couldn't most of the time). I also spoke to someone at my dive shop for about an hour and half about ISO settings, white balance, macro etc. Then he had me practice in the pool during one of their open water classs. I tried all the different settings and got use to changing the settings while underwater. I think it's a very good idea for new photographers to practice in a pool first.

That is pretty cool of you LDS, you have a quality one there. smiles

 

[Chocoholic]

Thanks for the great review and pics. I am thinking of either Dominica or St. Kitts. We haven't been on a cruise yet, but we are thinking about it. I often end up being the DM's buddy since my hubby doesn't dive, and they do tend to just do their thing and forget you are their buddy, I just hang out and stay kinda close since they know where the good stuff is.
Good luck with the Rescue class, everyone should do that class.

 

[pterantula]

"I was thrown around for another few minutes and think…maybe I should descend. So I start down and immediately think 'what the hell am I doing, I am a new diver, exhausted, and no nothing about this location…I can’t descend without a buddy!'”

You should have a look at "Solo Diving", by Robert von Maier... in fact, everyone should! The Buddy System is a nice concept, but dangerously flawed; I realize I was more quickly in-touch with this than many given that I do a lot of cold, lo-vis diving, but self-reliance in the water is something you must develop, for a variety of reasons....

 

[Wayfarer2]

Great trip report!

I would recommend Bonaire as a good place to pick up some experience. I stayed at Buddies and all you do is stride off the end of the dock and you are on the reef after a short swim. Rescue is also a really good idea it will show you your limits and where you need to improve.

 

[NTSilver]

Emily
Great trip reports. I believe the other divesite at St Kitts may have been Brimstone.

 

[SBP Studios]

Thanks for this! Im actually diving in St. Kitts with Prodivers next week. This review helped.

thanks!

 

[TerryC]

Hi Princess
I am pleased that the whole experience has not put you off diving.
I used to live in England, my wife loves cruising and i first started diving as something i could do to relieve the boredom of a 2 week cruise.
My first experience of "cruise ship" diving was similiar to yours, big seas, no help for a new diver (I was OW with about 10 dives). I finished up totally exhausted!
Very quickly I learnt a very important lesson, the only one to look after you is YOU. I quickly took my AOW for the experience, the rest is history.
I was interested to read your comments on Pro Divers and Austin as I now dive regulary with him.
PM me If ever you are in need of a buddy when your next cruise boat docks in St Kitts................