Dive Report Saint Lucia, September 2012

[BikerManiac]

I only went diving for 2 days in Saint Lucia. I wish I did more dives, but I have to make the wifey happy. Diving in Saint Lucia beat all my expectations. I really had lower expectations since I don't remember seeing the island in the "top ten" of any list. I assume diving wasn't too good. Boy I was wrong.

Personally, I think Saint Lucia's dive sites are so much better than many of the Caribbean islands I have visited. It beats Belize by far in the marine life and the health of the reefs. Though, with a limited number of dive sites. I believe you can dive in all the sites in Saint Lucia in one week vacation.

Dive Sites Visited:

1. Lesleen M Wreck
2. Anse Chastanet
3. Keyhole Pinnacles
4. Site off Ti Kaye village. (Dont remember the name)

Conditions:
Water temperature 76-81 F. (The coldest was the Wreck)
Visibility. First day was around 60-70, second day was 100+

Marine Life:
A lot of marine life. The reef looks very healthy to me. I didn't expect to see so many things. In fact, saw something special in each dive. Pretty wild/lucky.

Turtle, lobster, eels, flounder, spider thing <--anybody know what they are??), and more.

Dive Operator:
I went Diving with the Dive operator at the Windjammers Landing Villa. Like in many places in the Caribbean it's a little hassle to go diving. It's a lot easier if you don't bring your own gear. If you do, get ready to carry on and off the boat each day of diving. I left my gear at the shop.

Since I went in low season, I believe multiple dive operators share divers from different resorts. They need a minimum of 4 diversor else they don't go diving. This creates a big problem, because unless everything is on time you can be waiting at the dock for the boat to arrive. This happen on my second day of diving. The schedule got mixed up and the boat had to go back to pick another diver. He was waiting for over 1 hour. Then pick up another couple, they were waiting for an hour and 20 minutes. We finally started our first dive after 11:00am.

My recommendations if you go diving in Saint Lucia is to make sure you pick a dive operator in the resort you are staying. If you bring your, prepare to carry back to the room each day. I just decided to leave my gear at the shop.

I had fun diving with Windjammers. There are some friction between the employees but everything turned out to be ok. Furlin always had a smile on her face and it clearly shows she enjoys doing her job.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdOWohnxULE&hd=1
[video=youtube;sdOWohnxULE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdOWohnxULE&amp;hd=1[/video]

 

[ColoDale]

The spider looking thing at the beginning looks like an arrow crab. Nice job on the ocotpus during the day and the eel (sharptail I think).
What are you using for video?

 

[BikerManiac]

I used a GoPro with an underwater lens attached to an extendable monopod.

By the way, the underwater lens flooded multiple times while I was down in St Lucia.

 

[murmayd]

great video

 

[N11tac]

BikerManiac ...

Great video - I also have a GoPro with the underwater lens. I noticed a bit of 'seepage', under the lens, but no flooding. I'm very impressed with the quality, did you use a light?
Just back from Sharm and was told that the coral in St. Lucia is all damaged due to storms and hurricanes. Obviously you would disagree? I'll be going to Sandals Halcyon Bay, where they provide free diving and I'm intending to take my own equipment, BCD, regs etc. As an older, not so fit guy, I would hope there's someone to take care of my kit (for a 'small' retainer), is this feasible?
What was the music (sounds like 'Busted')?

... Trevor

 

[ColoDale]

Trevor,

Having stayed in St. Lucia at the La Toc Sandals property, we had to carry our own gear each day (we brought all our gear with us as well). You can ask them if they will take care of it but it is not their usual policy. You may be able to have an employee sherpa your gear to your room but you will have to check on that as well. They are used to having most divers use their equipment.
The last time we were there we were shuttled to the main port in Castries leaving from the dive shop onsite. Divers from other Sandals resorts were on the same boat so they had to shuttle as well. I can't say what Halcyon will do now. So we had to carry our gear back and forth.

Several years ago they did have a hurricane and a few of the shallow and close to shore sites were damaged but many others were healthy especially the more southern sites.

 

[BikerManiac]

BikerManiac ...

Great video - I also have a GoPro with the underwater lens. I noticed a bit of 'seepage', under the lens, but no flooding. I'm very impressed with the quality, did you use a light?
Just back from Sharm and was told that the coral in St. Lucia is all damaged due to storms and hurricanes. Obviously you would disagree? I'll be going to Sandals Halcyon Bay, where they provide free diving and I'm intending to take my own equipment, BCD, regs etc. As an older, not so fit guy, I would hope there's someone to take care of my kit (for a 'small' retainer), is this feasible?
What was the music (sounds like 'Busted')?

... Trevor

No I didn't use a light. In broad daylight the GoPro takes very nice videos. I used a Red Underwater Filter attached to the inside of the lens.

I usually have low expectations when diving in the Caribbean. But St Lucia has very good diving. Specially in the South West side of the Island. There are a couple of Sandals in St Lucia. If you are in the north expect a 1 hour boat ride down south. Next time I will stay in the South of the Island.

From the dive operators I saw and how diving is handle in St Lucia. You must carry your gear on and off for each day you dive. But I would assume Sandals would have their own in-house dive operators.

Trevor,

Having stayed in St. Lucia at the La Toc Sandals property, we had to carry our own gear each day (we brought all our gear with us as well). You can ask them if they will take care of it but it is not their usual policy. You may be able to have an employee sherpa your gear to your room but you will have to check on that as well. They are used to having most divers use their equipment.
The last time we were there we were shuttled to the main port in Castries leaving from the dive shop onsite. Divers from other Sandals resorts were on the same boat so they had to shuttle as well. I can't say what Halcyon will do now. So we had to carry our gear back and forth.

Several years ago they did have a hurricane and a few of the shallow and close to shore sites were damaged but many others were healthy especially the more southern sites.

Yeah could not agree more. Diving in St Lucia is a hassle. Carrying your gear (20-30 lbs), each day. Diving with different operators/boat. But overall, I would do it again.

The south has beautiful reefs and very healthy marine life.

 

[Interceptor121]

I was in St Lucia in June and dived with Island Divers at Ti Kaye, no gear carrying and the position was ideal to all the dive sites

This is the video of the trip, did you manage to see the 2 sea horses at Ti Kaye North beach?

http://youtu.be/eoC0BOm4TA8

[youtubehq]eoC0BOm4TA8[/youtubehq]

Visibility was not the best as there had been rain but overall was pleasant, no big fish though it has all been eaten!!!