Diving Antigua

[Alan Ewart]

Morning everyone. Have you ever considered Antigua in the Caribbean for a dive holiday?

I must say it was not on my list of must do's, but I went there last month. If you want to know why and what it was like my trip report is over at the TC website

http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/reports/antigua.htm

Have a good day

Alan

[Alison Boler]

Alan,

Please go out and buy my lottery tickets for me!!! I have never known anyone to be such a lucky b:) in all my life...

Anyway, great report fanx.

It's interesting about the diving and sailing thing. As divers we'd done years of small power boat handling but never any sailing. Got Yachtmaster theory even. Finally, went off and did a Day Skipper course 5 years ago in Greece - really great fun - and it's been enjoyable and opened up some new dive/sail experiences for us. The two sports go pretty well together - although most trad yachties think we're very odd because we tend to get excited and set course for isolated rocks, pinnacles just breaking, wrecks.... all the things they are generally plotting courses to give a wide berth to! Plus of course, being a diver saves you so much time and embarrassment when you get a rope caught round your own propellor :o

Being able to sail means that we have been able to visit a lot of places a bit more off the beaten track and dive. Bit like having your own liveaboard but with all the work! It's not ideal for an "all out dive till you drop" type trip but as a way of cruising around some beautiful areas and getting a dive or two a day in, its great. You can either call in at Dive Centres and go with them, arrange to meet up at the spot, have some sort of tank fill arrangement or even take along your own portable compressor (depends on the charter).

We have had combined trips to Turkey, the Greek Islands, Sound of Mull, the Aeolian Islands (fantastic!) and the Sea of Cortez - all thanks to that first learn to sail holiday. There's nothing like sitting on your own dry deck, watching the sun go down with a cold beer in your hand and a plate of garlic butter scallops just caught on the table.... Sigh...

Anyway, thanks for the report.

Allie

[Alan Ewart]

Allie,

I like the idea of doing some sailing so I think this may be my next venture.

I read your sea of cortez report on the TC website and loved the soundof it. Now if we could get someone to run a competition :D .......

Thanks for your kind comments

Alan

[Fiona]

If I was going on holiday just to relax, Antigua would be top of my list. I visited 5 times between 1988 and 1995, however if I was going on a diving holiday it certainly wouldn't be. My experience was of shallowish dives and poor corals unless you like Staghorn that is :)

I dived with operations from Halcyon Cove, Nelsons Dockyard and one near Jolly Beach.

My favourite hotel was Blue Waters and I stayed at Halfmoon Bay a couple of times but the hotel closed and then changed ownership so I don't know what is it like now. I also stayed at Pineapple Beach Club but as that is an all-inclusive hotel, it wouldn't be my choice again.

Great people and a fantastic place to visit, Sailing week must be a great time to go and Sunday at Shirley Heights is a must :)

[Paul Watts]

A trip you won.... pah,:mad: you kept that quiet... bet you had a spare place too... shame on ya!

[Alan Ewart]

A trip you won.... pah,:mad: you kept that quiet... bet you had a spare place too... shame on ya!


Yeah, nice to have a freebie :D Must fess up, I did consider taking a diving buddy, but SWMBO put her foot down!!

I was interested in Fiona's comments about the diving she did out there being pretty poor. Definitley not my experience. I would go as far as to suggest that some of the sites were at least as good as some of the sites around Sharm. Obviously I don't include Rasmo or Tiran in that and I do accept that many sharm sites are now totally trashed. Also considerably better IMHO than many of the med sites I have dived.

On a further point of interest if all goes according to plan for them Ultramarine will be running at least one extra boat next year which will be experienced divers only so no having to visit shallow sites normally used for open water training.

Its fair to say though I would probably treat somewhere like this as a holiday with diving rather than a diving holiday if that makes sense

[Fiona]

I was interested in Fiona's comments about the diving she did out there being pretty poor. Definitley not my experience. I would go as far as to suggest that some of the sites were at least as good as some of the sites around Sharm. Obviously I don't include Rasmo or Tiran in that and I do accept that many sharm sites are now totally trashed. Also considerably better IMHO than many of the med sites I have dived.



Arh well that will be it then, I haven't been to Sharm since 2001 as it is far too busy and most of the sites are in a poor condition IMVHO. For me now its further south the better :D

[Alan Ewart]

Arh well that will be it then, I haven't been to Sharm since 2001 as it is far too busy and most of the sites are in a poor condition IMVHO. For me now its further south the better :D


Fiona, Its fair to say though I would probably treat somewhere like this as a holiday with diving rather than a diving holiday if that makes sense

[Paul Watts]

Bl**dy 'ell....

Who'd turn down a freebee...

Fiona, I can here you now... " Thanks for the offer, but the divings not what I'm use to... thanks but no thanks!" :D

[Fiona]

Bl**dy 'ell....

Who'd turn down a freebee...

Fiona, I can here you now... " Thanks for the offer, but the divings not what I'm use to... thanks but no thanks!" :D

Sorry Paul only just seen this, now I didn't know you were offering me a free trip :D

I could be tempted into drinking copious amounts of Cavalier rum ;)