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Dive Review of Cabrits Dive Centre/Calibishe Lodges in
Dominica

Cabrits Dive Centre/Calibishe Lodges, Feb, 2007,

by Francis & Deb Bollag, NY, USA . Report 3138.

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 N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments 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.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving BVI, Cayman, Cozumel and Mexican Yucatan, Antigua, Saba, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather Seas calm, noCurrents
Water Temp 79-80°F / 26-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 5
Water Visibility 60-100 Ft/ 18-30 M

Dive Policy

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

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

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

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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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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