Diving at Beaches Resorts

[scubamon]

Hello Scubaboard!

I am hoping that someone out there can provide some experience diving at Beaches resorts in the recent past. Particularly interested in the diving at Boscobel, Negril and Turks & Caicos. We are looking at taking our family there and would love some diving insight before we choose a resort. Thanks in advance to all of you!

---Wes

 

[ScubaInChicago]

Turks and Caicos was awesome, the dive op was very professional w/ a good sense of humor...If you have a rescue cert, computer, and compass they will allow you to dive with your buddy and leave the DM behind. Good dive briefings before each dive and logging of all diver in and out of the water.

Nitrox is a bit pricey at $20 per tank so EAN 21% may or may not be the best option. The wife and I did 14 boat dives a piece and couldn't get enough.

The resort was also very nice and before you book, take a look at the map of the various villages. Try booking the units closer to the beach as the ones further away are about a half mile away (give or take).

If you have any other questions I can answer for you just put em out there.

 

[scubamon]

Turks and Caicos was awesome, the dive op was very professional w/ a good sense of humor...If you have a rescue cert, computer, and compass they will allow you to dive with your buddy and leave the DM behind. Good dive briefings before each dive and logging of all diver in and out of the water.

Nitrox is a bit pricey at $20 per tank so EAN 21% may or may not be the best option. The wife and I did 14 boat dives a piece and couldn't get enough.

The resort was also very nice and before you book, take a look at the map of the various villages. Try booking the units closer to the beach as the ones further away are about a half mile away (give or take).

If you have any other questions I can answer for you just put em out there.

Thanks, ScubaInChicago! What can you tell me about your travel arrangements? Did you fly direct from Chicago? United? Thanks!

 

[Scuba One]

Below are the general diving rules we received from Sandals/Beaches, that I have posted before. Make sure you can either put all "No's" on a PADI course medical release or bring a release with that is signed by a doctor.

The under mention are need to know information. It is straight forward, and also standard throughout Sandals/Beaches Resorts

• Certified diver who have dive within 6 months can go straight to a dive, once he or she clear medical and show proof of dive e.g. Logbook with stamp authenticating the dive/s & depth. Dive Computer
• All diver/s that have not dive in 7 months and up must do a pool assessment of 4 skills.
• Certified diver/s that has not dive up to 18 months must do a refresher at a minimal cost.
• All diver/s below Dive Master Level must do a shallow dive before they (diver) can go on any deep dive.
• All diver/s that complete the shallow dive satisfactory will be able to do both deep and shallow dives daily
Once the requirements are met all certified divers can dive twice (2) per day seven days per week if they (Diver) so desire.

All participants certified or non-certified diver/s MUST fill out a medical questionnaire before he or she can participate in recreational diving. This information is in case a medical clearance from a doctor may be needed for any medical condition including medication being taken. See (Sandals All Inclusive Caribbean Vacation Resorts | Wedding, Honeymoon, Couples Only) to view medical statement

 

[scubamon]

Thanks, Scuba One. I have actually already done some diving with Sandals, so I understand their policies etc. I am looking for insight to the quality of the diving at the various Beaches resorts. You look like you have some good experience with these properties, any recommendations as to the quality of the dive sites? Thanks!

 

[ScubaInChicago]

Thanks, ScubaInChicago! What can you tell me about your travel arrangements? Did you fly direct from Chicago? United? Thanks!

We had a connecting flight in Miami and I believe the going rate is about $800 ish per person. If you flying out of Colorado you will morethan likely have a connection in Florida or Georgia. If you can help it, I would leave early so you can make it to the dive check-in desk on your day of arrival and sign in for the next days diving. They close at 5PM so any flight arriving before 2 would give you time to check into the resort and get a drink before hitting the desk.

 

[Scuba One]

Which Sandals have you dove with?

I asked someone that was taught scuba both in Jamaica and at Beaches Turks & Caicos several years ago to can compare the two dive areas. Below was her response. She follows these boards and may bring in new insight to the dated response below.

Beaches is great for a family/dive vacation. We offer two situations for certified divers daily. There is an 8am 2-tank dive that returns at about 1pm. The boat rides are (45) min each way. We also offer a 9:30am 1-tank dive that returns by 12 noon, and this boat ride time is about (10) mins. All these dives are wall dives. All dives are lead by instrusctors. Our profiles for Advanced divers are (80) ft for (30) mins, and (60) ft for (30) mins for Open Water divers. If two persons have computers each, they can buddy dive and not have to follow an instructor with a group. Their profiles would have to remain conservative also. We do not dive resort divers with certified divers. Only in rare cases will they happen to be on the same boat, and then they are with a different instructor.
Fish are way bigger and more plentiful than JA. Coral reef condition is not as good as some areas in Runaway Bay for example. Much more likely to see reef and nurse sharks.

I lived in Jamaica year's ago running the watersports at what is now a Sandals Resort, and have dove most tourist dive area in Jamaica. Someone, such as the person that wrote the Turks & Caicos response above may be able to provide more detail.

 

[scubamon]

We had a connecting flight in Miami and I believe the going rate is about $800 ish per person. If you flying out of Colorado you will morethan likely have a connection in Florida or Georgia. If you can help it, I would leave early so you can make it to the dive check-in desk on your day of arrival and sign in for the next days diving. They close at 5PM so any flight arriving before 2 would give you time to check into the resort and get a drink before hitting the desk.

So, you flew United in to Providenciales? How long did it take to get from the airport to the resort? Thanks again for your comments.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

So, you flew United in to Providenciales? How long did it take to get from the airport to the resort? Thanks again for your comments.

Customs took about 30 min, Baggage claim @ 20, at most a 20 min ride from the airport to the resort, and another 20 min for check-in. If I had to do it over again, I would book for two weeks, the travel takes a bit out of you and one week just flies by.

 

[sagahafer]

Turks and Caicos is great. I have been to several Sandals resorts and it is the prettiest by far. The dive ops are great. You just have to get by the normal Sandals waivers etc. They also make you go through a dive briefing before they let you go out with them. These are only given in the morning so you basically miss a day of diving because it is given after the morning boat leaves. If you push them a little they will give it to you the afternoon you show up and then you can dive the next morning. The diving in Turks is a lot like Jamaica but it is better. We saw several nurse sharks etc. I have some very nice video of one. It is a big resort but it is not a bad walk form any of the rooms to the dive shop.