This is a lovely island with plenty of hotel amenities (and lots of swinging-singles and couples-only all-inclusives), but the impoverished population (22 percent of whom are unemployed) eats anything a fisherman can scoop up, and you can hardly blame them.... Experienced divers will become bored on the first dive, but the diving's okay for beginners (although the local divemaster may be stoned if he's not working for a respectable hotel or shop).... Jamaica lies in the hurricane belt....

Breezes at Runaway Bay, May 1998, Dan Bobbitt, Concord, NC. Extremely nice resort with good food and service. All-inclusive resort with dives included ($45 extra for night diving). They require a C card and if you do not have a dive log, you need to do a check out with them. If you answer yes to any questions on the medical form, you're automatically excluded unless you can obtain a fax from your doctor at home that clears you or unless you visit the local doctor for clearance-even if it's been five or more years since you've had any problems or medication. Sign up one day in advance for all dives and when the dive boat is full you must then wait until later that day or til another day for diving. You can only sign up one day at a time. . . . Staff knowledgeable, good diving gear available. Sites were less than 10 minute boat ride. The coral was in decent shape, but the reefs were fished out; many empty large fish traps. Vis: 80-150 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Restrictions: depth limit, diving together with a dive guide in front of and behind. If there were any reason they could delay or disqualify you from diving, they did. Not a place to do much diving.

Club Jamaica Beach Resort, August 1998, Rick & Lynn Wohlers, Blue Grass, IA. Glenda, master instructor, was cautious as we are only occasional divers. Geared toward resort divers, certification and the working poor divers who only get to dive sporadically. Average fish 2-3", but a marvelous variety. Lots of coral and sponges, urchins. Dunn's river falls is a must; enjoyed tubing the white river. Rain most afternoons in the summer. All-inclusive, adult resort. Apple Vacations got us a great price.

Couples, Ocho Rios, April 1998, Lynda Deuble, OH. Good weather! All-inclusive but they restrict you to one dive/day. Awful boat, small and overcrowded. Geared to resort divers. Limit dives to 45' and go to the same wreck daily! One day they dropped 3 of us off for a 97-ft dive and took the others back to the usual site. Vis: 80-100 ft, water: 82-83 degrees. Manager rude. Guides wonderful. Resort awful. Bad food, fair rooms, no room service.

Negril Scuba Ctr./Point Village, August 1998, Neil Charles, Jamaica, NY. Jamaica is not for experienced divers. Fish traps everywhere. Three days of diving and all I saw was dead coral. One turtle, spotted eagle ray, two morays. Vis: 50-60 ft., water: 82-84 degrees. Dive restrictions: 90 ft. maximum, but let you dive deeper. Dive Centre has excellent staff, helpful, especially James the divemaster. Dive boat has no oxygen, but dives are only 10-25 min away. Point Village Resort is very nice. Staff excellent but the rooms need work. Toilets leak, no a/c on ground floor, only in the bedrooms. Very small kitchenettes. Dive center on premises, but did not dive with them. Island very expensive. Locals always try to rip off the tourist. $45 US for one jerk chicken and jerk pork fat take out. Ask for the price first. (Ph: 809-957-4425, Website: www.negril.jamacia.com/nsg)