Instant Reader Report
on The Dive Shop / Grand Barbados in
Barbados / Carlisle Bay on
2002/07
by
jim morus , ohio, usa
Report Number 020922111140707

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Send an email to the author of this report

 Curacao,Bonaire,Bahamas,Belize,Cozumel 

Dive Conditions

Let divemaster see you were comfortable in the water and dive youe own
profile  

No rinse tanks on boats, no tables on boats  

Overall Rating

Newly learned rule: When someone at a dive resort extols the virtue of a
different resort, ask if they own part of it.

The Dive Shop:  Two locations.  One beachside within walking distance of
the Grand Barbados Hotel, the other in Bridgetown.  Owner, Haroon Degia,
extremely friendly and cooperative.  Has rental equipment available and I
heard no complaints about it from any of the customers who used it. Boat
had no ladder for entry.  It had been broken for several months, but
“nobody complains much.”  No dock at beachside
location.  You carry your gear and tank to the boat from 25 to 150 yards
from dive shop to boat.  They carry if you ask.  No water on boat,from
beachside, but warter and juice on larger boat from downtown.  Dive
masters harvested conch for dinner while on dives with customers.  The
last dive of the day was always the Carlisle Bay Wreck dive.  
Water temp was in the mid 80’s.

One unusual thing was that they would leave the mooring, with divers still
in the water, if someone was taken by the current. The first time you
surface at the mooring and see the boat as a spec on the horizon is a bit
unnerving.  They said.  “We knew you would be down a while
longer and they were lost.  You know how to dive.”  We were
never that far from shore to induce fear.  The second and third times were
not nearly as upsetting. 
 
We did see turtles on most of the dives, one dive as many as six.  As bad
as the vis was the turtles sometimes were within 3 to 4 feet of the divers
and were clearly visible.  One was so close I saw my reflection in his eye.
 Small fish life was a little sparse, but mid size had been nearly
harvested dry by fisherman.  

Dived Stavro Nikita 4 or 5 times.  Spent most of those dives near the
mast, as that is where the fish were.  Went down to the deck and to the
sand bottom once, not much to see.

Beautiful island, a great place for a family vacation. If you dive and
your wife doesn’t it would be a great place because the beaches
are as beautiful as any in the Caribbean.

As a dive only destination, we won’t go back.  Food prices were
exorbitant -. KFC $40 American.  That was our cheap date.  There was a
converted camper near the beach at the hotel and dive shop called
“Cuz’s.”  Pepsi in real glass bottles fresh
fish steak or flying fish sandwiches and burgers for inexpensive prices. 
He opens at 9 and stays until about 5.  


If you need medical attention go to the old military outpost.  Modern
facility with English trained doctors.  It is right near the horse racing
track.
 

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