Diving at Couples Swept Away - Negril, Jamaica

[shontz]

craracer - Shaw left Swept Away in the summer or fall of '06. What a great guy. My wife and I were married there in Feb '06 and he did our resort course the morning of our wedding. My wife credits his calmness with helping her make it through what was then a very difficult thing for her to accomplish. However, he also helped her really fall in love with scuba. Since that time, we have been back to Swept Away 3 additional times and my wonderful wife/best dive buddy is so hooked on diving that she now has almost 100 dives and is a Master Diver. That Shaw sure has cost me a lot of money.

I could probably get his e-mail address if you want, PM me if so.

 

[craracer]

Thanks for the info. I was really surprised that he didn't email me back. Do you have any idea where he went to? Is he still a dive instructor?

That's too bad for Couples. He is a heck of a guy. He stayed after work hours to help me with my OW course work and was so very patent with everyone.

I managed to get a photo of the two of us diving. Not the best photo but what do you expect with a crappy disposable at arms length? LOL

 

[DiverDebbie]

Sounds too bad that we didn't get to meet Shaw, but all the dive guys who are there now are a great bunch too. We really enjoyed diving with them.
I just wanted to mention not to feel bad about not tipping. Couples does not allow any tipping of any staff, which includes the dive staff. They can actually get fired for accepting tips. They are, however, allowed to accept gifts. So one of the guys in our group left a spare pair of boots with one of the instructors there. It was much appreciated, as they don't really have any dive shops where they can buy any kind of dive gear (and I don't think they make very much money either). I wish I'd thought of it. Next time we go I'm for sure going to see what I can bring along for them.

 

[craracer]

Thanks Debbie! That makes me feel much better! I felt like a total idiot when I found out that you should tip crews.

 

[scubamickey]

I got certified there 3 years ago. Charles was my instructor and Shaw did a couple of the advanced dives with me. We stayed at a a beachfront room in the old section and it was the most incredible 2 weeks of our life. The resort is romantic and the rooms are beyond comparison. Those are the most comfortable beds! It was nice to have real shutters and no screens on the window too. The sound of the tree frogs lulled us to sleep every night.

I realize now after diving all over the Caribbean that Negril is not the place I would return for diving. But the resort--I would definitely go back.

 

[scubabell]

We were also joined by dolphins while diving in Negril. I'll attach a picture. It was great!

 

[craracer]

Negril was the first and only time that I've seen a dolphin in real life. They are simply amazing!

I remember feeling the turbulence from their tails as they swam by. I knew that they were big but, until you see them in real life....

I was within 1/2 an arms length from them! It was incredible to be looking eye-to-eye!

 

[DiverDebbie]

Me too, and it was the most incredible experience. Those doplhins just didn't care that we were there and just checked us out. Of course that had to be one time we didn't have our cameras.
Lately there have been some great pictures on the Couples message board of dolphins, nurse sharks, rays, turtles....
I don't know why some people think diving in Negril is awful? I thought it was great.

 

[Ed Hatfield]

I was at the Sandals in Negril the first two weeks of January. I recall seeing the Couples Dive Boat on the reef at the same time on several occaisons. I only saw a dolphin once in the two weeks (19 dives - lost some days due to a bad storm). It was the highlight of my trip and the only time I've seen a dolphin at depth (35 feet in this case). It came up behind me and I felt a brush/bump on my side as it went by - swam through our group of 6 divers and headed off to the surface. The whole encounter lasted maybe 20 seconds but I still think about it as one of the best single dives ever. This made the whole 'diving Jamaica' experience worth while. Congratulations on your 'newlywed' status. It will be 31 years for me in two weeks. A very understanding 'non-diving' wife that doesn't mind being topside with a book.

 

[DiverDebbie]

Thanks Ed and congrats to you on your upcoming 31st anniversary. No chance of converting your wife to become a diver? It's great that she doesn't mind your "obsession" and likes to read though.
I met my husband through diving. We took a DM class together, then dove together. I think we should try to spend all our anniversaries diving hehe

Anyway... we were at Couples Jan. 5 - Jan.19 and dove most days. I recall seeing the Sandals boats too, so we may well have been in the vicinity of each other. Must say I was glad not to see the Hedo boats at the same sites. Didn't need to dive around naked divers.... just had a thought... they don't have to worry about peeing in their wetsuits!!! HAHAHA
We hoped to see the dolphins again on more dives, and we hoped too spot a nurse shark that others had seen. No such luck, but that one dolphin encounter dive alone raised Jamaica in the ranks for me!