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 Scuba Fun Dive Center/Pasanggrahan Hotel in
St. Maarten

Scuba Fun Dive Center/Pasanggrahan Hotel, Nov, 2010,

by Michael J. Millet, CA, US (Top Contributor Top Contributor 92 reports with 58 Helpful votes). Report 5857.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity 3 stars
Dive Operation 3 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 3 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 2 stars
Comments The diving off of St. Maarten is very average and the weather conditions due to Hurricane Tomas made the conditions less than average.
We had relatively poor viz with lots of surge and surface chop. Getting back on the boat was a real adventure. The boat did not throw out a surface line. The boat captain was a bit too aggressive for the conditions and as a result the boat listed terribly to the starboard side with the camera bucket crashing to the deck. One of my strobe arms was damaged.

Most of the divers are from cruise ships (I was not) and as result, the dive sites and bottom times are limited.

I did 3 days of diving before boarding the Caribbean Explorer for the trip to Saba and St. Kitt. It is doubtful that I will dive St. Maarten again.
Websites Scuba Fun Dive Center   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Indonesia, Solomon Islands, GBR, Palau, Yap, Kosrae, Galapagos, Fiji, Vanuatu, Revillagigedos, All over the Caribbean.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather windy, rainy, cloudy Seas choppy, surge
Water Temp 82-84°F / 28-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 40-60 Ft/ 12-18 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions Scuba Fun primarily caters to cruise ship divers many of whom have limited diving experience and are on a tight schedule. Bottom times were limited to no more than 45 minutes
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? no

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics N/A

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

Subject Matter 3 stars Boat Facilities 2 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 2 stars Shore Facilities 1 stars
UW Photo Comments No dockside camera rinse or table. Dive boat had no camera table but did have a small rinse bucket that could not accommodate all of the cameras.
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 45 dive reviews of St. Maarten and all other dive destinations. Complete access to all issues and Chapbooks is also included.

 

Want to assemble your own collection of St. Maarten 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 0.1 seconds