Jamaica (Negril)

[PARADISE HUNTER]

I've dove Negril twice and have enjoyed both trips. There is certainly better diving out there, but as a complement to a great topside vacation, it is perfect. If your main purpose for the trip is to dive dive dive, then I might suggest another desitination.

The area has been over fished and you will not see many larger reef fish. But plenty of smaller ones. I have also seen many nurse sharks, eels, rays, dolphins and turtles. There is no wall diving in the Negril area that I am aware off. Most of the dives are garden reef dives in the 40' - 80' range. The health of the coral varies from site to site. But over all was in good condition. Water temps in the low 80's, with varying visibility. The popular sights are all a short boat trip from most of the resorts. You come back to the resorts for your surface intervals.

The only down side to diving with the resort ops, is that the bottom times are usually short. Partly because the boats have mixed levels of diver experience and partly because of a rigid schedule. You will see a lot of new divers needing assistance in the water. However, most of the all inclusives offer free diving and it is hard to pass that up.

Make the most of it! Have fun and enjoy Jamaica!!

 

[Twistedarts]

Was the fish you saw a "Yellow Stingray"?
http://www.csulb.edu/depts/biology/marine/species/Yellow_Stingray.html_f/5._Yellow_stingray.jpeg.JPG

Thanks for chiming in, nope that was not him. to date the weirdest fish i've ever seen. the best description would be an alligator gar with a shark dorsal fin and 2 protuberances from his head resembling a ray. i was at an all inclusive, but i had'nt even started drinking yet...lol

thanks again ScubaOne.

 

[craracer]

It's true that you won't see the larger fish due to over fishing. However, I did a dive at 130ft and saw a lot of large fish (because the fishermen can't get 'em that deep).

I have to disagree with the statements that there isn't a lot of fish. I've swam in huge schools of smaller fish. It really depends on where you dive. For giggles we did a fish ID at one site and filled our card within 20 minutes.

The key to diving in Jamaica is to SLOW DOWN! I see a lot of divers flying around and they really miss the small life (which there is a ton of if you slow down and look with a sharp eye).


Here's a list of the fish I commonly see in Negril:

Rock beauty, spotfin butterflyfish, Blue tang, porgy, French/bluestripe grunts, snappers, bicolor damselfish, yellow snapper, grouper, harlequin bass, barred hamlet, sergeant major, blue chromis, grasby, stoplight parrotfish, hogfish, creole/yellowhead wrasse, blueheads, longspine/longjaw squirrelfish, gobys, sand divers, trumpetfish, scorpion fish, yellowhead jawfish, blennys, sharpnose puffers, balloonfish, trunkfish, goatfish, THE LARGEST SPOTTED DRUM I HAVE EVER SEEN, nurse sharks, southern/yellow stingrays, spotted eagleray, morays (green and spotted), dolphins, turtles.........

 

[Willar]

craracer is right on the money. That list of fish is accurate to what we see every time we go out. The only correction I would have is to add Atlantic Spadefish for the deep dives, and move the turtles up to the top of the list. We see turtles on almost every dive. They are really thick around Negril and not too shy.

The reefs are thick with grunts, creole wrasses, and blue chromis. For the macro life, I see Yellowline Arrow Crabs all over the place. Friends of mine joke about how crazy I am about finding Arrow Crabs, Banded Shrimp, and Anenome Shrimp. Slow down and look, they are all over the place. The other thing we saw on this last trip was a good number of tiny brittle starfish wrapped around vase sponges. It was wild to see so many little brittle starfish clinging to one sponge.

Good job on that list craracer!

 

[Riksu]

We see turtles on almost every dive. They are really thick around Negril and not too shy.

The turtles is really something I would like to see

I was quite recently certified in Playa del Carmen, but did not see any turtles and at that time the Tortugas reef was closed due to some boats crashed to the reef. So, Negril sounds like a great and _easy_ place to see those creatures.
Now planning to spend the summer vacation somewhere diving, but, how are things usually in Negril in August? I know it is a hurricane season, but if there is no big storm coming, is the sea usually ok or very rough? And, the weather, is that usually very rainy (all time, all day...) or quick rains once in a while?

Thanks y'all!

 

[Willar]

August is going to be a roll of the dice in the Caribbean. If there is not hurricane then you should have really nice wether. Maybe an aftrnoon rain but otherwise good and hot.

The seas around Negril are pretty tame. It is the west end of the island which is known as the calm area. The north side of the island is the rough side and dive trips can frequently be cancelled. Negril is much more calm.

I'm not sure I'd make Negril the top choice for a vacation strictly for diving. It is nice and easy, but there are probably 6-10 other destinations in the Caribbean that are better overall diving if you are looking for a hardcore diving trip. If you are looking for a fun vacation on the beach and diving is secondary then Negril is great.