Dive Review of
Oasis Divers/Ospry Beach Hotel in
Turks and Caicos/Grand Turk

Many Carib islands, S Pacific

Dive Conditions

Dive masters set a max depth for each dive and kept the group together and
at the dpeth specified, or less.  Got upset with some wandered off and got
out of dive master's sight.   

[None]  

Overall Rating

Osprey Beach Hotel was recently removated and in fairly good condition -
for a typical small Carib island operation.  Staff very accomodating, on
the other hand air-conditioner rattled and wheezed, distrubed by other
occupants next door and above rom due poor construction.  

4 restaurants in walking distance, all had same basic island food - conch,
fish, chicken, curry, steak; all reasonable well done and inexpensive. 
Service varied from slow to glacical, but usually friendly.  New cruise
ship terminal just opened at South end of island.  Attempt at upscale
restaurant there just opened, may prove to be a nice alternative to local
places near the hotel.  Rental car unnecessary as hotel, restaurants and
dive operation all a few blocks apart.

Dive operation well below usual standards.  Small boats with beach access
to board, tank racks not set up behind seating beches but rather on boat's
center deck/floor.  Only caried tanks for one dive, so AM, two dive trips
required a return to the beach and a 20 - 25 minute wait while the
operator's staff changed out tanks across the beach.  Access by back roll
from bow was usual, return to boat via unusually small, unsteady, and
poorly designed ladder adjacent to outboard motor - with minimal hand holds
to complicate it.  One member of our group lost a day of diving to back
strains directly attributed to poor ladder. Also, one dive master/boat
captain, so boat left unattended while all were in the water (all divers
expressed concern about this - the dive master's response "Well a few
boats have drifted off before but it hasn't happened to me."  [yet!]).
 Finally boats used moorings where available (about 50% of the sites), but
anchored freely as needed - usually managed to get the anchor into the
sand, but chain frequently dragged across coral.  This was a
"PADI" dive center, the best on the island according to most
reviews.

Underwater typically saw rich assortment of small fish, but little large
stuff.  Given dive operator, would not return.    

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