Anyone dive St Marteen from Carnival?

[fishnfan]

Thinking about booking the dive trip off Carnival Triump in St Marteen in May Has anyone been on the dives and could you tell me about your dive trip. I understand they use Dive Safari dive shop. Do they take bubble watchers?

[Hilary]

We chose not to dive in St. Maarten when we were there since it is well known as a dicey dive location. When the conditions are good, the diving is decent, but more often than not, the conditions aren't great and it's not fun.

 

We spent the day on Orient beach and dove in St. Thomas, Tortola, and the Bahamas instead.

[scubaran]

Hi Hilary,

 

But let me ask you this. On my cruise in April my stops are San Juan, Antigua and St. Martin (not the best cruise for diving :( ). If those were on your itinerary would you consider St. Martin then? I'm leaning towards St. Martin just because I've heard the water can be dicey but the shops are ok where I heard that Antigua the water's better but there's not any good dive shops. I've done diving in up to 6ft. waves in a hard bottomed zodiac boat (was like the Marines hitting the beach, almost couldn't fasten my BC buckles because it was like doing aerobic deep knee bends even while seated on the floor) so I figured I should be able to handle St. Martin. Any opinions on St. Martin would be appreciated (one of the few islands I haven't been to).

 

Thanks all,

Randall

[Hilary]

Randall,

 

You kinda hit upon why cruising and diving don't go together for me. However, given your scenario, I would dive St. Maarten. All I've ever heard about St. Maarten diving is that when the ocean is cooperative it is decent diving....not the best the Caribbean has to offer, but not bad by a long shot.

 

Plus with your experience level, you'll probably find even a rough day out there to be no big deal! ;)

[scubaran]

Plus with your experience level, you'll probably find even a rough day out there to be no big deal! ;)

 

Said I dove in 6ft. seas, didn't say I liked it. :) But it was just north of Barcelona, Spain and I couldn't 'not' do it after being that far from home. Actually except for the entry and exit (to get in the boat you had to take off your weight belt, then your BC/Tank, wait for the trough in the wave and flop over the gunwale into the bottom of the boat), the underwater portion was great. But I don't recommend tackling rough seas until you've got some ocean diving under your belt. :o

 

r

[fishnfan]

Thanks for the info. I know the last time I was in St. Marteen ahead of hurricane Jeanne the dive boat went out and we later heard that it was a rough dive. Lots of people sick. We dive in the Gulf out of St Petersburg Fl.

regularly but dont generally go if seas are 3-4 feet. To long of a ride, 20 miles to get 70 feet of depth.

 

Bruce