2000 Chapbook

Trinidad, the southernmost island in the Caribbean chain (it's actually south of Caracas) isn't for divers, but its smaller sister to the north is.... Diving from resort hotels along the southwest coast of Tobago is inferior to the diving to the north, where you'll find huge coral heads and good fish life, with mantas common in the spring. Strong currents and choppy water make this a place for experienced divers. (The owner of the Man Friday dive operation disappeared while diving in 1994, and his body was never recovered; his shop is now operated by his son. In 1997 a woman lost contact with her dive boat and spent 27 hours in the water before washing ashore.).... Blue Waters Inn is the main dive hotel; it's situated on a nice beach about 15 minutes from all sites.... Tobago is covered with rainforest and has good hiking, friendly people, and serene and beautiful beaches. Birding there is excellent (visit Bird Island offshore with a guide), but Trinidad's Asa Wright Nature Center (a small hotel with a view that's almost guaranteed to be filled with scores of tropical species) is unparalleled, as is the lagoon trip to see 2000 scarlet ibis fly in from Venezuela each night....

For full reviews of the following Tobago destinations, see:

Blue Waters Inn/Manta Lodge - Tobago, Undercurrent- March 1998

Tobago

R & Sea Diver's Co. Ltd./Sandy Point Beach Resort, June 1999, Nancy Jeff, Glendale, AZ. Vis: 40-60 ft. Water: 80-83 degrees. Restrictions: return with 500 psi, got one hour + in 40' dive. Good dive shop, accommodating, able to dive profile. Shop near airport. Best diving in Speyside at other end of island, 26 miles away, one hour drive on winding roads. We were supposed to have a trip to Speyside but didn't happen, not enough divers. They pickup and drop off at hotel. If you go to Tobago to dive, stay in Speyside. (Phone/Fax: 868-639-8120 or 868-680-9006)

Ron's Dive Shop/Man O War Bay Cottages, February 1999, CK & JS Botz, London, Ontario, Canada. Vis: 60 ft. Man O War Bay Cottages in Charlottesville in the northwest side of the island (simple but civilized). In the past we have dived with Man Friday and with Ron. I recommend both. The staff in both are knowledgeable, courteous and friendly. They dive the same sites. Ron has an advantage for me as a middle-aged woman diver; he leaves from the town pier and uses a buggy to transport dive gear. Man Friday leaves from the shore and often the able-bodied staff leaves the customers to lug the tanks and gear in and out of the waves and up the beach. Lots of fresh water at both places. Man Friday has organized lockers while Ron has a general dive gear room. Both have web sites. On the west side of the island (Charlotteville), the water is a little colder and the average dive is a little deeper than on the warmer and more colorful corals, Caribbean side (where we dive at Speyside/Little Tobago island area). Charlotteville is in a beautiful beach fringed bowl surrounded by rainforest mountains. Unlike the south part of the island, it is peaceful and quaint. Visitors can rent rooms with local families, there are small boarding room houses and Man O War Cottages. The latter are considered "the best in the area." Nearest hotels are 3 miles over the hill in Speyside, Bluewater Inn (highly recommended) and Manta Lodge. In February high winds may stir up the sea and there are sometimes long heavy downpours. We dive both the Atlantic side and the Caribbean side. On the former you have a better chance of seeing bigger fish. We saw a school of tarpon followed by large barracuda...turtles, couple of small reef sharks and lots of lobsters and the "usual stuff." Then we travel over the mountain to the east side (Speyside) where we saw a small reef shark and a turtle and the usual beautiful reef fish. Some dives are exciting and fast drift dives. Few spots for snorkelers on the Atlantic side but more on the Caribbean side at Speyside. When it is unsuitable for diving we walk, sit around and do nothing, or birdwatch. There are hard walks and easy walks. Coffee plantation trails are still used by local farmers and an adventurous group might find themselves on a Robinson Crusoe beach with only some palm trees, boobies, frigate birds and long tailed tropic birds for company. Main island road is incomplete, often washed out in the north west so Charlotteville is the farthest away town on the island. Direct flights from Britain and Germany. Fly Miami, San Juan, Tobago or to Barbados then transfer to LIAT to Tobago, or to Trinidad and then local hopper. (Telephone: 868-673-0549)

Wild Turtle Divers/Sanctuary Villa, April 1999, Thomas Sharp, Kirtland, OH. Vis: 25-50 ft. Water: 80-82 degrees. Restrictions: Mandatory group descents, single file in strong currents, two divemasters. About half our diving was in 3-4 knot current, which can be dangerous to the careless or the stupid. Reportedly, 4 divers perished off Tobago last year and the dive guides are careful that everyone stays together and safe. Sean, Edward, Bevin and Salim amiable, friendly, relaxed, open, until you got in the water. Then no fooling around. One dive was aborted because two of our group got separated. They were quickly found and the dive was commenced with more care. Lot of dead mountainous star coral and other species appeared troubled. Balance with the many small black corals at relatively shallow depth. Lots of fish. Best diving in the north at Speyside. Saw the tame harbour manta, nurse sharks off Little Tobago and Goat Island. Here visibility was best, the reefs were thriving, fish and birds were abundant current not too bad. Speyside turned an overall negative diving experience into a positive one. In heavy current, the first dive at 65' for 45. After a 25 minute surface interval, our guide (not one of 4 mentioned previously) was cavalier about our concerns about another 60' dive. Four of our 6 computers agreed: 25 minutes max. Still, we had to abort the dive after an hour. We kept drifting higher and finally pulled his buoy string to get his attention. Tobago is gorgeous, the people warm and friendly and the food fabulous. Sanctuary Villa was superb - pay the housekeeper to fix you an Island dinner. (Telephone: 868-639-7936; Fax: 868-639-7232)