Dive shops in Barbados? Who's Best?

[phoenix III]

Cruising on the Carnival Victory in August and want to go diving in Barbados and St. Kitts. Already contacted "Barbados Blue (Hilton Hotel) and "The Dive Shop Limited". Are they any good? And where do you recommend in St. Kitts?

 

Many Thanks-Phoenix III

[Laurie S.]

I dove with Barbados Blue last November and they were pretty good. The DM, however, I felt was a little lax with people. There were several brand new divers there and he allowed them to do a pretty extensive wreck penetration. I've been trained in wreck diving but even I didn't have the background for that penetration at the time. I did it for the experience but kept an eye on all the exits. The dives were good, however, and I enjoyed them.

[Sailfish]

We absolutely love ANDREW at Ecodive Barbados. We have been diving with him for years - if you go to our group webpage/blog, we have this year's scuba cruise video up and running. It's Day 8 (scroll down then look to your right) of the 2011 Scuba Cruise.

 

My group charters our dives through him every time we go to Barbados, and he does an amazing job. He's an accomplished underwater photographer - we chose to dive with him for this reason. But he's a class act, to say the least.

 

As to the comment about penetrating a wreck - not sure which wreck you dove - there are a lot of them in Barbados. The rule has always been such that if there are wide openings, with lots of light, it's considered a swim-through and okay for most divers. I cannot think of any wrecks in Barbados with ropes or ones with very tight spaces that would require "wreck" certification. Laurie, just curious, but which wreck did you dive in Barbados?

 

Andrew is very professional, and though my group is low maintenance, he's also very much "by the book" especially when he sees divers he doesn't know.

 

Good luck.

 

Suzi

[Laurie S.]

It was a dive with seven "wrecks," but only two really had a structure remaining and only one could be entered. The first wreck was a definite penetration. We were taken maybe 40 feet or so into the forward hold, which did not have an opening above. It was a clear violation to take beginning divers (several of which didn't have control of their bouyancy yet and were clueless to their surroundings) in there.

 

I was certified (SSI) in wreck diving at the time, but not for penetration. However, you have to start somewhere. :)

[Sailfish]

It was a dive with seven "wrecks," but only two really had a structure remaining and only one could be entered. The first wreck was a definite penetration. We were taken maybe 40 feet or so into the forward hold, which did not have an opening above. It was a clear violation to take beginning divers (several of which didn't have control of their bouyancy yet and were clueless to their surroundings) in there.

 

I was certified (SSI) in wreck diving at the time, but not for penetration. However, you have to start somewhere. :)

 

The only wreck I have been to in Barbados was in Carlisle Bay - I don't recall the name of it. It was a very easy dive in shallow water (about 30 feet I think) , and all of us went through it with no issues. All in my group are AOW certified, but no one has any wreck specialty cert. This wreck did not require this.

 

Wrecks are not among my favorites, but in 2012 we will be diving the wreck of the Rhone in Tortola. I have done that wreck four times - always swimming through with my group. Every wreck we have been to in the Caribbean was penetrated by all the divers in the group - none were difficult dives, but neither required any special certification. Yes, good buoyancy control is important, but same goes for swim-throughs.

[phoenix III]

Suzi - Thanks for the info on your favorite dive shop on Barbados - will look them up. As for wreck diving...may be fun for some, but my "little girl" is just getting certified. My better half and I have had our c-card for over 30 years, yet have not had a tank on our back for years. Getting re-certified/trained, here we go! Thanks again!

[Sailfish]

Suzi - Thanks for the info on your favorite dive shop on Barbados - will look them up. As for wreck diving...may be fun for some, but my "little girl" is just getting certified. My better half and I have had our c-card for over 30 years, yet have not had a tank on our back for years. Getting re-certified/trained, here we go! Thanks again!

 

One thing to note is many dive sites in Barbados are shallow with great visibility, no current and warm water - perfect for a newly certified diver! If you have time, visit Andrew's facebook page - he often posts photos and info on weather and visibility. His dive shop is Ecodive Babados and it's easy to locate on facebook. If you do dive with him, let him know Suzi says hi.

[Laurie S.]

Any wreck where there isn't an opening above would fall into a technical dive and the diver should have speciality training. There is so much opportunity to get in trouble if there isn't an easy access to the surface. I really love wrecks because they're great for photography. A quick swimthrough is okay, but not what they did in Barbados with the beginner divers. I believe that was Carlisle Bay.

 

I also did an extended penetration wreck dive in St. Thomas, and we were questioned 1on our skills before being allowed to do it. That was a fun dive!

 

Barbados is great diving, someday I hope to get back over there. I'll try Ecodive next time.

[Sailfish]

Any wreck where there isn't an opening above would fall into a technical dive and the diver should have speciality training. There is so much opportunity to get in trouble if there isn't an easy access to the surface. I really love wrecks because they're great for photography. A quick swimthrough is okay, but not what they did in Barbados with the beginner divers. I believe that was Carlisle Bay.

 

I also did an extended penetration wreck dive in St. Thomas, and we were questioned 1on our skills before being allowed to do it. That was a fun dive!

 

Barbados is great diving, someday I hope to get back over there. I'll try Ecodive next time.

 

I agree, but it's important that divers understand that the type of "wreck diving" a recreational diver will usually do while in the Caribbean is considered non-penetration diving - swimming over and around the wreck and exploring the inside within the ‘light zone’. The four dive "wreck specialty course" is not necessary to dive most wrecks. Furthermore, the non-tech specialty courses that are part of the AWO classes through PADI, is a waste of time for most divers. Though any excuse you have to go diving (like taking a class) is a good thing.

 

Diving deep with full penetation beyond the 'light zone’ requires a tech diving cert and not at all my cup of tea. Non-penetration wreck diving can be undertaken even by relative beginners and a watchful DM. Full penetration wreck diving requires advanced training and special safety equipment.

[Laurie S.]

I agree about most of the wreck diving there. I actually really want to do one out of the light zone and am working toward that. The one wreck I did in St. Thomas was very close to that. I still don't believe any beginner diver should be in a situation where there is a ceiling of any type overhead. The wreck we did in Barbados was a swim into and then swim back out of. More than half of the divers with us should not have been as far inside as we went.