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Dive Review of Castle Comfort Lodge in
Dominica

Castle Comfort Lodge, May, 2012,

by MetriRN, CA, US (Reviewer Reviewer 3 reports). Report 6697.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving 5 stars
Snorkeling 3 stars
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This is a great little place nestled between two hotels on the water with its own pier and on site dive operation. No beach. While the property is compact, the rooms are large and the place is very well laid out. Oceanview rooms have a lanai, other rooms do not. There is neither a view nor a garden outside the "gardenview" rooms, but they are huge, comfortable, nicely appointed, with a decent bathroom. Minus: no in-room fridge for bevs. Food is delicious, but a lot of fried stuff. Some options for vegetarians/vegans. Nice tiki bar at water's edge with good selection.

Staff are warm, hospitable, responsive, and attentive. Good wi-fi service. Tiny gift shop, no dive accessories or gear. Rental gear available: BCDs, footie fins, regs, masks, wetsuits, lights. Anything else, bring spares, they don't have it. Nor in town (1 mile away).

The dive operation is first-rate: good fills, Nitrox, gear loading and set-up, and they'll provide extra assistance if required. Their gear storage area is nicely set up, locked yet accessible for random diving, but a bit difficult to use because they store the filled tanks in the center of it, leaving not much room to get to/from your PVC-tubing cubby area. DMs helpful, not obstructive. Bring a mesh bag for your mask, fins, etc. gear to make it easy to store. Staff get it on/off the boat.

The best part is the diving: really the best in the Caribbean that I've seen in a long time. Sponges galore, including stupidly big barrel sponges, great diversity in reef fish and eels, crabs, mantis shrimp, juveniles of all kinds, some nice hard/soft corals, crinoids, basket stars, pipefish, turtles, rays, flounders. Lionfish have arrived, but not yet decimated fish population. Crew very good at hunting and killing, but they won't be able to keep up for long. No sharks, no pelagics except some sperm whales we saw from the boat.

The house shore diving is great muck diving, (esp. night diving) with all kinds of critters--octos, batfish, eels and crabs, etc. You can dive for hours alongshore and see tons of stuff and not run out of air as it's all within 5-30 feet. They'll let you shore dive as much and as often as you like on regular air.

Caveat---On the flight OUTBOUND from Dominica, the baggage limit changes and is strictly enforced. Total 70 lb. weight limit (not per bag) and no bag can weigh over 50 lbs. Bags pick up significant moisture weight while in Dominica, so plan accordingly. Check with the resort for the latest baggage info.

I recommend this place--loved it! Would definitely go back. Good value for the great diving. Can be a bit hard to get to--most itineraries require a one-night layover to & from.
Websites Castle Comfort Lodge   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Indonesia, Malaysia, Micronesia, etc.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 80-82°F / 27-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 50-70 Ft/ 15-21 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified]
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales 1 or 2
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 2 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities 3 stars
UW Photo Comments Lots of fresh water available at all times for camera rinse barrels on the day dive boat and on shore. Crew careful & helpful with camera gear.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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