Scottshead snorkeling, Sunset Bay lunch

[moqui]

My nephew just returned to the states after attending Ross med school on the island. I asked for his lunch & beach recommendations for the day at Roseau.

He said if were willing to hike a bit, Scottshead on the southern cape offers the best snorkeling. For lunch the Sunset Bay Club will serve a giant plate of lobsters if we give them a heads up when we'll be there.

 

I don't see many cruisers commenting on either one of these spots. Scottshead I understand because it is a little ways past champagne reef, and looking at my nephew’s pictures, it appears to be a trail up and over a significant hill.

 

As for Sunset Bay, while we absolutely don't need any lobsters, the pics on tripadvisor sure look good.

 

There are many French entries on their website guest book.

Has anyone tried this spot and do they seem accommodating to cruise ship day users? Or is this pretty much a local /French clientele?

 

Thanks.

 

Were sailing on the Caribbean princess 4-15-12...

 

 

<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g147282-d560517-Sunset_Bay_Club_Seaside_Dive_Center-Roseau_Dominica.html"><img alt="Photos of Sunset Bay Club & Seaside Dive Center, Roseau" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/06/6d/65/famous-lobster-dish.jpg"/></a><br/>This photo of <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147282-d560517-Reviews-Sunset_Bay_Club_Seaside_Dive_Center-Roseau_Dominica.html">Sunset Bay Club & Seaside Dive Center</a> is courtesy of TripAdvisor

[Caribbean Beach Bum]

Last year, I was trying to decide between Champagne Reef and Scott's Head but couldn't find much info on the boards about Scott's Head. We ended up going to Champagne Reef and it was great, but on the ride back to Rosseau, I chatted with a guy who was spending 2 weeks bumming around the island. He thought Scott's Head was the better place. He did point out that it is a lot more strenuous snorkeling at Scott's Head as you go out pretty far from the shore. I don't think it would be that hard to get to, probably just another 10-15 min past Champagne Reef.

[snorkelgirlca]

My nephew just returned to the states after attending Ross med school on the island. I asked for his lunch & beach recommendations for the day at Roseau.

He said if were willing to hike a bit, Scottshead on the southern cape offers the best snorkeling. For lunch the Sunset Bay Club will serve a giant plate of lobsters if we give them a heads up when we'll be there.

 

I don't see many cruisers commenting on either one of these spots. Scottshead I understand because it is a little ways past champagne reef, and looking at my nephew’s pictures, it appears to be a trail up and over a significant hill.

 

As for Sunset Bay, while we absolutely don't need any lobsters, the pics on tripadvisor sure look good.

 

There are many French entries on their website guest book.

Has anyone tried this spot and do they seem accommodating to cruise ship day users? Or is this pretty much a local /French clientele?

 

Thanks.

 

Were sailing on the Caribbean princess 4-15-12...

 

 

<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g147282-d560517-Sunset_Bay_Club_Seaside_Dive_Center-Roseau_Dominica.html"><img alt="Photos of Sunset Bay Club & Seaside Dive Center, Roseau" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/06/6d/65/famous-lobster-dish.jpg"/></a><br/>This photo of <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147282-d560517-Reviews-Sunset_Bay_Club_Seaside_Dive_Center-Roseau_Dominica.html">Sunset Bay Club & Seaside Dive Center</a> is courtesy of TripAdvisor

 

Moqui I am on the same crusie as you. I just saw on the princess web cite that they are offering a snorkel boat to scotts head on this cruise for $39 ea.

 

and my son went to ross too for med school but transfer there his third year so he did not go to grenada. He went straight to their program in Florida

[moqui]

Moqui I am on the same crusie as you. I just saw on the princess web cite that they are offering a snorkel boat to scotts head on this cruise for $39 ea.

 

and my son went to ross too for med school but transfer there his third year so he did not go to grenada. He went straight to their program in Florida

 

Hi Snorkelgirlca, small world - I bet your son can tell you all the good spots to visit!

 

My nephew started rotation in so cal (La Habra then Moreno Valley) When I spoke to him last he said he would arrange a van/driver by the name of "Cowboy" to take us canyoneering. (with ropes, repelling etc.)

I don't know if we're ready for "Cowboy" on those narrow, winding roads and climbing around slick rocks. Scottshead sounds a safer...

 

I'll post over on the roll calls.

[amsp]

My nephew just returned to the states after attending Ross med school on the island. I asked for his lunch & beach recommendations for the day at Roseau.

He said if were willing to hike a bit, Scottshead on the southern cape offers the best snorkeling. For lunch the Sunset Bay Club will serve a giant plate of lobsters if we give them a heads up when we'll be there.

 

I don't see many cruisers commenting on either one of these spots. Scottshead I understand because it is a little ways past champagne reef, and looking at my nephew’s pictures, it appears to be a trail up and over a significant hill.

 

As for Sunset Bay, while we absolutely don't need any lobsters, the pics on tripadvisor sure look good.

 

There are many French entries on their website guest book.

Has anyone tried this spot and do they seem accommodating to cruise ship day users? Or is this pretty much a local /French clientele?

 

Thanks.

 

Were sailing on the Caribbean princess 4-15-12...

 

my husband and i love scotts head. your driver can drive you out to where, from the ship, there looks to be no land at all. but, there is enough room for a car to drive nearly to the bump that ends dominica. from there you walk out toward the end of the island and you will see a small plot of actual sand. enter here and find a fish to follow. some stronger swimmers than i actually swim out around the point, i just go into the bowl of the reserve and find the drop-off. it is way cool!!! saw a ray there a month ago. supposedly, in front of the church there is a beach that has bubbles and then if you swim 300 ft (yards?) there is a place called the pinnacles. maybe you could get a dive shop to tell you exactly where to go and swim for the best views. but, we have had fun off scotts head beach.

 

usually this is only about 40 minutes from roseau, but due to road construction i'd leave at least an hour. time it on your way down. there is no reason you couldn't have your driver take you to both (or all three) sites.

[moqui]

my husband and i love scotts head. your driver can drive you out to where, from the ship, there looks to be no land at all. but, there is enough room for a car to drive nearly to the bump that ends dominica. from there you walk out toward the end of the island and you will see a small plot of actual sand. enter here and find a fish to follow. some stronger swimmers than i actually swim out around the point, i just go into the bowl of the reserve and find the drop-off. it is way cool!!! saw a ray there a month ago. supposedly, in front of the church there is a beach that has bubbles and then if you swim 300 ft (yards?) there is a place called the pinnacles. maybe you could get a dive shop to tell you exactly where to go and swim for the best views. but, we have had fun off scotts head beach.

 

usually this is only about 40 minutes from roseau, but due to road construction i'd leave at least an hour. time it on your way down. there is no reason you couldn't have your driver take you to both (or all three) sites.

 

Thanks for the info. We'll give it a try!

 

I know about the roads there - Told my nephew the reason the medical school is less expensive than the states is because they can put out a spike strip in the evening and have a cadaver by morning :D

[kullamon]

moqui, my hopes are to get there a few days before you.

 

here is a sight written by a local serving the community. It was written for diving, but some is snorkable. The editor was able to help me with additional questions.

 

http://www.avirtualdominica.com/crystal_blue/diving1.cfm

[moqui]

Well we did exactly what we said we would do so here's my summary for any one interested in either of these stops.

 

Starting out by negotiating a driver/ guide for the day. That was a bit challenging since whomever you speak to will literally grab onto you until you accept their offer. We were able to select a very charismatic driver that fit our criteria and off we went to Scott’s Head.

 

Now the snorkeling at Scott’s Head was the best of all the islands on our cruise. (USVI, BVI, Antigua & Barbados) You do need some decent fins to get out there or if you want to dive down for any reason. There were so many different types of fish from morays to halibut (sole) to lobsters... everything was absolutely alive here.

I even had a huge barracuda cruise by - I estimate it was close to 5’ long.

I learned from my new Rastafarian friend (wanted to give me some Marijuana which I politely declined) that the drop off out side the point is over 200 meters. That would probably explain the current and the pelagic fish normally associated with open water.

If I do this again I'm definitely bringing my dive gear for this island.

2 pictures attached, one shows the point where you park and the other is a shot of the small, black sand beach where you can begin your entry into the cove.

 

After snorkeling, the eight of us climbed back into the van and took the scenic route north to the Batali River area where the sunset bay club is located.

This is really not that far from the cruise ship port although from Scott’s Head and through the rain forest it took a little over an hour.

 

My nephew had said this place is where the Ross university students go after finals and that we would be satisfied. We all order lobsters for around 34 USD, when our food arrives there were two small half lobsters on our plate and we all just thought this was another tourist rip off. About 5 minutes later they bring out another platter of lobster. Now were thinking this probably isn't so bad, what we didn't realize was that platter was just the beginning of the biggest lobster fest I've every witnessed. When it was all done, our count was just under 80 halves although we’re not absolutely sure because they would take away the empty plates as we finished them. We did finally say “no more please” after a while.

The Belgian couple that own the resort are extremely friendly - it was obvious they put a lot of care into the resort. I would definitely recommend this place to any one who really wants to over indulge on lobsters.

 

Couple more pictures attached