Main Menu
Join Undercurrent on Facebook

The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers Since 1975 | |
For Divers since 1975
The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers Since 1975
"Best of the Web: scuba tips no other
source dares to publish" -- Forbes
X
 

Dive Review of Sea Saba/Shell Cottage in
Saba

Sea Saba/Shell Cottage, Mar, 2010,

by Deirdre Boyle & Cynthia Flynn, DE, US ( 2 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 5405.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 4 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 2 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments We ran into winter winds in Saba. The Win Air flights were cancelled for 3 days due to cross winds and rain. Win Air doesn't tell us that the flight is cancelled until after the pm ferry had departed. We overnighted in St. Martin and then took the high speed Edge ferry the next morning. Relatively smooth ride for the conditions. For most of the week divers were worried about return trips. The slower Dawn II ferry broke down late in the week but fights resumed.

The days start with van pick up near your cottage or hotel. Our cottage was near Juliana's. 6 to 8 divers staying in nearby cottages file into the van for an interesting ride to the Bottom and Fort Bay. Van drivers are great local guys and really know the road since the locals built it. Getting on and off the dive boats at the dock is a challege. I have a bad knee and it was a big lateral step down but crew was helpful and it worked. But this is not easy for handicapped divers. We did 3 dives a day. Need to bring your own lunch and snacks and towels. Water and lemonade provide on board.

Diving was good for Winward Caribbean. Due to winds we had to start the week on mostly winwardside and tent bay dives and repeated dive sites more than usual. Turtles on most dives, occasional southern sting rays. Cowfish and Angle fish prominent. Octopus during the day multiple times at Hole in the Corner. Once we got to the pinnacles it was worth it. Descending down the line while the 3 5ft Caribbean reef sharks checked us out at shark shoals was a thrill. Also saw 2 reef sharks at outer limits and nurse and reef sharks at twilight zone. Green, white mouth and gold spotted morays at several sites. Dive masters all very professional with various styles. Marcus and Ellie pointed out the fish and critters and Steve was a huge help in assisting divers on and off the boat safely.

Very quite island. Sea Saba will stock your cabin prior to arrival with no extra deliver cost. Small container ship brings fresh supplies on Wed. Most restaurants only open a few nights a week and rotate and have limited menus. Always bring a flash light at night. Staying on the windward side you can walk to most resturants but it was worth a cab ride for Eco-Lodge Indonesian night and Sherwater's Italian resturant. Burgers are great at Tropics.

If you like to hike during your surface intervals this is the trip for you. The only road on the island was built in the 1930's so trail with uneven steps run up and down the island.
Websites Sea Saba   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Belize, Kona, Wider Caribbean, Thialand and Indonesia
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather windy, rainy, cloudy Seas choppy
Water Temp 78-80°F / 26-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 60-100 Ft/ 18-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Decent and Assent along anchor line was encouraged during pinnacle dives. No decompression depth limits. Individual computer profiles.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

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

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 1 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 2 stars Shore Facilities 1 stars
UW Photo Comments I flooded my point and shoot on the first dive. Only one rinse bucket for cameras on boat and we had no fresh water in ours. (broken hose). No camera table.
Was this report helpful to you?
Leave a comment (Subscribers only -- 200 words max)
Subscribers can comment here
 

Subscribe Now
Subscribers can post comments, ask the reviewer questions, as well as getting immediate and complete access to ALL 122 dive reviews of Saba and all other dive destinations. Complete access to all issues and Chapbooks is also included.

 

Want to assemble your own collection of Saba reports in one place?
Use the Mini Chapbook Facility to create your personalized collection.

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.

Undercurrent Home


Get more dive info like these and other important scuba updates sent monthly to your email.
And a FREE Recent Issue of Undercurrent

Free Undercurrent Issue
Get a free
monthly email and
a sample issue!


Find in  

| Home | Online Members Area | My Account | Login | Join |
| Travel Index | Dive Resort & Liveaboard Reviews | Featured Reports | Recent Issues | Back Issues |
| Dive Gear Index | Health/Safety Index | Environment & Misc. Index | Seasonal Planner | Blogs | Free Articles | Book Picks | News |
| Special Offers | RSS | FAQ | About Us | Contact Us | Links |

Copyright © 1996-2024 Undercurrent (www.undercurrent.org)
3020 Bridgeway, Ste 102, Sausalito, Ca 94965
All rights reserved.

Page computed and displayed in 0.09 seconds