Lovely island, plenty of hotel amenities, but an impoverished population (22 percent unemployment) eats anything a fisherman can scoop up and you can't blame them. . . . Experienced divers will become bored on the first dive, but OK for beginners (local divemaster might be stoned if not working for respectable hotel or shop). . . . In the hurricane belt. . . .

Boscobel Beach

Fantasea, May 1997, K. Yager, Hermitage, PA. "All inclusive for families. Bar/restaurants. Good value. Sunken freighter dive ok. Only one dive/day; limited to 30 minutes. Too many inexperienced divers. Two ran out of air at 25 minutes at 85 feet! Water 80 degrees, vis 50-80 feet. No big fish. divemasters fed fish on morning dives, then took dive tank out in afternoon by themselves and speared the fish."

Montego Bay

Fun Divers, March 1997, Kelly Hayes-Raitt, Santa Monica, CA. "Two 5' nurse sharks, lots of fish. Healthy sites. Magical night dive with bioluminescence. Saw squid, lobster, shrimp. Fun crew. Owner Martin, along with Trevor and Layton, runs an operation based on lots of enthusiasm and create pleasurable dives."

Sandals Royal Jamaican, February 1997, K. Yager, Hermitage, PA. "Two dives/day included in rate. Restricted to 85 feet for 30 minutes. They handle groups of 2-8 divers. Great Walls; 'Widow Maker' cave a must. Brought own equipment but gear provided is ok. Divemasters thorough but took conch on most dives. Water 80 degrees, 60-100 feet vis. Leopard rays, turtles, crabs and lobster. No live coral below 50 feet except on walls. A tiger shark on outside of Barrel Reef in front of resort. Great food/fun/accommodations."

Ocho Rios

Sandals, July 1997, Dave Sino, Ft. Madison, IA. "Water 78- 82 degrees; vis 40-70 feet. Too many restrictions to list. Diving a joke. Came to surface (forced up) with 1800 psi on two dives. Head divemaster had the personality of a pit viper. experienced divers were totally disgusted. Great resort, terrible dive operation."

Sandals, August 1997, Les Alan Levinowitz, Brooklyn, NY. "Water 85 degrees. All dives guided. Good operation for an all inclusive resort. AM dive for certs - only to 80-85 ft for 28 minutes. PM dive for certs and resort course people to 55 feet for 30-35 minutes. Boat has shade, water and fruit, small rinse bucket. No ladder: you hand your BC up and kick your way on: Can be tough in 2 to 4 foot seas. First-aid, oxygen, radio on boat. Staff quite good. No tipping permitted or solicited."

Sea Castles, May 1997, Bernie Benson, Lincoln, IL. "Two dives, just off the resort, will not make my list of "Best 125 Dives."

Copyright 1998 by DSDL, Inc., publishers of Undercurrent. All rights reserved. No portions of this report may be reproduced in any way, including photocopying and electronic data storage, without prior written permission from the publisher. For more information, contact DSDL, Inc., P.O. Box 1658, Sausalito, CA 94966.