Dive Review of
Cabrits Dive Centre/Calibishe Lodges in
Dominica

 BVI, Cayman, Cozumel and Mexican Yucatan, Antigua, Saba, St. Vincent &
the Grenadines 

Dive Conditions

[Unspecified]  

[None]  

Overall Rating

Diving the boulder-strewn, northwestern bays of Dominica is a voyage of
discovery. The sites are pristine, uncorrupted by human civilization.
Besides the usual suspects, it's easy to spot strolling octopus, squid,
friendly balloonfish, flying gunards, frilly nudibrachs, beautiful crinoids
and more during the day. Cabrits' two-tank, twi-night dive trip is icing on
the cake. At night, we saw many species of cardinalfish, a multitude of
hunting trumpetfish, scorpionfish, colorful stars, tube-dwelling anemonies
and huge coralymorphs. Currents and surge are a rarity on sites that are
primarily sloping dropoffs and are interesting at all depths, right up to
the 15' safety stop.

Cabrits is run by Helen Repp, an energetic Brit who offers her
encyclopedic knowledge of the area at a mile-a-minute pace. If you want to
know where to eat lunch, ask before your mind is dulled by nitrogen.
Service is top-notch. The store offers a dry changing/clothes storage room,
bathroom, fresh-water outdoor shower and secure storage for gear and
valuables. REEF ID books are available. The full-service shop also sells
cold drinks, including Kubuli, the outstanding local brew. Cabrits will set
you up with anything you need: Lodging, take-out, laundry pick-up and more.
For week-long visitors with non-diving children, Helen offers a combo scuba
school/babysitting package. The pier is a short drive away via one of the
shop's vehicles. The staff takes care of gear transfers, setup and rinsing.
Helen prepared hot tea (with milk and sugar) and cookies for the chilly SI
-- a very pleasant and delicious surprise. During our trip, groups were
small and the divemasters allowed us freedom and max bottom time.

Calibishe Lodges gave us good value for our money. The hotel is very close
to Melville Hall airport on Dominica's eastern shore. The property is
beautifully landscaped and maintained. Each unit is a one-bedroom suite
with living room, kitchenette and front porch. Full breakfast is included
in the rate. Units are not air conditioned but there are fans in both the
living room and bedroom. Beds are equipped with mosquito netting which
wasn't used because tradewinds fresh off the Atlantic kept the room cool
and bug free during our February stay. Onsite, there's a pool and very good
bar/restaurant. A small market for staples is a short walk away. Fresh
produce and other items are readily available near the dive shop in
Portsmouth. The drive to the dive shop takes 25-30 minutes.

The northern half of Dominica has many unique sites to explore, including
some very nice beaches. Car rental is a must. We rented from Courtesy and
were extremely satisfied with their rates, service and quality. 

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