St lucia Dive shops

[Ukmc]

Since people researching St. Lucia as a dive destination may use this thread, let me ask you a couple of questions to confirm or deny the impression I've gotten from other discussions.

1.) The shore diving in St. Lucia requires a dive guide, yes? It's not like Bonaire where you just gear up and walk in on your own?

2.) Anse Chastanet if pretty pricy. The shore diving was at Anse Castanet, so if you're not staying there, it's probably not something you'll be doing? Wonder if there's shore diving elsewhere on the island?

Richard.

1. Yes. Resort insisted that they would put a guide with us for every shore dive. Guides were very helpful. They were overly accommodating. Without any advance notice, I could ask for a shore dive and they would delegate a guide and a tank.
2. you think Anse Chastanet is pricy. Look at the their sister resort Jade Mountain
Anse Chastanet is very remote. One of many reasons I liked it. With that, there is not much traffic and it is very safe. Thus, I don’t think you can easily get to Anse Chastanet reef without staying there.

 

[drrich2]

Most shops who is affiliated with a resort said you must stay in the same resort as the shop. I was staying in a B&B with no dive shop. There was 1 dive shop by the titones which was not affiliated which was booked up.

Good to know, though I'm too much of a planner to show up without pre-existing arrangements. Way back in 2014 on a cruise ship stop I got in 2 dives with Scuba Steves (so obviously I wasn't staying at an on-island resort, and I didn't book through the cruise excursion but rather did it independently).

Quick St. Lucia Trip Report. Sorry about the Photobucket stuff written over the photos; that was from way back.

On our honeymoon in 2006, my wife and I stopped there on a cruise stop and did a rainforest hike excursion. Very lush and beautiful. I don't recall any animals, but the plant life was exceptional.

 

[patrickusaf08]

I have gone with Scuba Steve a few times. The boats are nice. A little full but I normally am the first in the last out and hang out at the back of the group.

 

[tarponchik]

Do you have to pay the guide when shore diving or you only pay for the tank?

 

[Ukmc]

Do you have to pay the guide when shore diving or you only pay for the tank?

My memory is a little fuzzy on the details. I am pretty sure there was NO additional charge for a guide. There may have not even been an additional charge for a tank for shore dives. If I remember correctly, I paid a package deal for a 7 day stay and 5 days of diving. I am pretty sure I paid extra for NitrOx . I dove jumbo AL100’s at no extra charge. They had AL80’s, AL100’s and some small tanks for petit ladies with extraordinary air consumptions…
I was there in 2020. They barely had any business at the time because of COVID, so I tipped the guides very well , but to my recollection, there was no resort/dive shop extra charge for the guide use. That is at Anse Chastanet.

 

[Sonho]

Just finished our trip to St. Lucia. We had a terrific experience with the resort and the dive instructors. As mentioned, we did our open water check out dives down here. The Rendezvous team (Lincoln et al.) were patient, knowledgeable and just all round excellent guides/captains/instructors. Lincoln was very patient, esp with me.
The diving was gorgeous, with 100 ft visibility, and lots to see - moray eels, sea turtles, fish of the rainbow etc. The coral was esp gorgeous. While we paid extra for the check out dives, the diving is complimentary at the resort (2 tanks/day). Tech dives are extra.
We had the boat to ourself the first day, and the second, just one other diver. No extra fees for guides.

Perfect place for a couple to finish their certifications!

 

[Wookie]

Just finished our trip to St. Lucia. We had a terrific experience with the resort and the dive instructors. As mentioned, we did our open water check out dives down here. The Rendezvous team (Lincoln et al.) were patient, knowledgeable and just all round excellent guides/captains/instructors. Lincoln was very patient, esp with me.
The diving was gorgeous, with 100 ft visibility, and lots to see - moray eels, sea turtles, fish of the rainbow etc. The coral was esp gorgeous. While we paid extra for the check out dives, the diving is complimentary at the resort (2 tanks/day). Tech dives are extra.
We had the boat to ourself the first day, and the second, just one other diver. No extra fees for guides.

Perfect place for a couple to finish their certifications!

You stayed at Rendezvous? I was the resort instructor there in 1995. Lincoln was working in the water sports shop then. Mary Mathurin was my DM, she became an instructor while there, but I haven’t kept up….

 

[Jcp2]

Just finished our trip to St. Lucia. We had a terrific experience with the resort and the dive instructors. As mentioned, we did our open water check out dives down here. The Rendezvous team (Lincoln et al.) were patient, knowledgeable and just all round excellent guides/captains/instructors. Lincoln was very patient, esp with me.
The diving was gorgeous, with 100 ft visibility, and lots to see - moray eels, sea turtles, fish of the rainbow etc. The coral was esp gorgeous. While we paid extra for the check out dives, the diving is complimentary at the resort (2 tanks/day). Tech dives are extra.
We had the boat to ourself the first day, and the second, just one other diver. No extra fees for guides.

Perfect place for a couple to finish their certifications!

Which resort did you go to?

 

[rick00001967]

Which resort did you go to?

i believe it says they stayed at Rendezvous.

i assume it was this one?

StolenTime by Rendezvous - UPDATED 2023 Prices, Reviews & Photos (St. Lucia, Caribbean) - All-inclusive Resort - Tripadvisor

Book StolenTime by Rendezvous, St. Lucia on Tripadvisor: See 3,398 traveller reviews, 3,870 candid photos, and great deals for StolenTime by Rendezvous, ranked #3 of 12 hotels in St. Lucia and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor.

www.tripadvisor.ca

must have been a long boat ride down to the dive sites.

 

[Wookie]

i believe it says they stayed at Rendezvous.

i assume it was this one?

StolenTime by Rendezvous - UPDATED 2023 Prices, Reviews & Photos (St. Lucia, Caribbean) - All-inclusive Resort - Tripadvisor

Book StolenTime by Rendezvous, St. Lucia on Tripadvisor: See 3,398 traveller reviews, 3,870 candid photos, and great deals for StolenTime by Rendezvous, ranked #3 of 12 hotels in St. Lucia and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor.

www.tripadvisor.ca

must have been a long boat ride down to the dive sites.

Yes, but the diving is all inclusive. If they have the same boat as when I was there, it’s a 1/2 hour down to the pitons. Not that terrible.