Does anyone any info on Tobago?

[blawler1]

My wife and I are planning a trip in January to Tobago.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge regarding dive operators there as well as hotels or other accommodations?

Also is anyone aware of any shore diving sites on the island? I've read about several snorkel sites and wondered if any are suitable for shallow dives?

Also, I would like to know if anyone has taken the ferry over from Trinidad? We are considering this as an alternative to the 50lb. weight limits on the island hopper flights.

Right now we are leaning towards the Hilton as it looks decent and has an onsite Dive shop, however, I would be open to any recommendations regarding other hotels or dive shops? I understand that the Hilton is on the Atlantic side which is rough. I would be especially interested in any hotels or resorts on the Caribbean side.

Before anyone mentions it, yes I did a search on Tobago on this board, but I would like to know if anyone has some recent experiences to share.

Thanks in advance for any information anyone can provide.

 

[smokey braden]

bawler1,
i dove in tobago last oct.
i stayed on the m/v wind dancer.
we dove all week around the island.
i noticed you mentioned a 50lb limit.
my 2 bags weighed over 70lb each and nothing was said going either way on the puddle jumper.
regards,

 

[yakivet]

My wife and I are planning a trip in January to Tobago.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge regarding dive operators there as well as hotels or other accommodations?

Also is anyone aware of any shore diving sites on the island? I've read about several snorkel sites and wondered if any are suitable for shallow dives?

Also, I would like to know if anyone has taken the ferry over from Trinidad? We are considering this as an alternative to the 50lb. weight limits on the island hopper flights.

Right now we are leaning towards the Hilton as it looks decent and has an onsite Dive shop, however, I would be open to any recommendations regarding other hotels or dive shops? I understand that the Hilton is on the Atlantic side which is rough. I would be especially interested in any hotels or resorts on the Caribbean side.

Before anyone mentions it, yes I did a search on Tobago on this board, but I would like to know if anyone has some recent experiences to share.

Thanks in advance for any information anyone can provide.

Here's a link that pretty well summarizes the Tobago experience. Just Do It!
Ken :42:

http://www.scubaboard.com/t82909-.html

 

[Tobagoman]

Although it has been a few years since I was on Tobago (last time was 1999), I spent alot of time there through the 90's doing research on the reefs. There is a small resort/dive operation in Speyside called the Blue Waters Inn. I had walked over there from the other side of the hill in Charlotteville several times to have a few drinks at there bar and dive some of their reefs (not in that order!). It is a quant little resort nestled in a beautiful cove with diving right off their beach.

I liked the village of Charlotteville the best of all the areas of Tobago (It is where I had my lab set up). I was there begining back in the late 80's when it was still a sleepy fishing village that had the occasional European or American tourist visiting. The villagers were the nicest people I had ever met. When they built the cruise ship launch pier in the mid 90's (over a vibrant part of Charlotteville's reef) attitudes of the people living there began to change as the influx of cruise ship tourist with their haughty attitudes and rudeness was reflected back. I think the last roti shack disapeared from the area around the end of the 90's. All in all it is still a magical place to stay with several local family run B&B's plus Pat Turpin (who I hope still owns them) runs several cottages right on the beach in Charlotteville.
There use to be a shop right on the beach smack dab in the middle of Charlotteville called Man Friday Diving, the original owner disapeared tragically on a dive (I think it was around 1996 if my memory isn't failing me) and an associate of his ran the shop for a long time afterwards. They were both great guys to dive with and very accomodating. I had heard that the shop is no longer there, but I'm not sure of the reliability of the info.
There is fantastic snorkling right along the beach and also in nearby Pirates Cove. The diving is top notch, my number one favorite site in all the Caribbean (and I have dove just about everywhere).
The food is fantastic and inexpensive, you will have to eat at Jemma's, her restaurant is actually a treehouse with a fantastic view of the Caribbean. If you need any other information ,shoot me a PM.

 

[blawler1]

Tobagoman,

Do you know of any shore diving sites on the island? If so, are these accessible from rental car. I have gotten reports that the roads around the island are not in good shape. How long does it take to get around the island in a car?

I have looked at the Blue Water Inn that you mentioned and it looks like a possibility, however, it is on the north side of the island away from the airport. How long does it take to drive to or from the airport from the north end.

Thanks for any info anyone can provide.

 

[Tobagoman]

Tobagoman,

Do you know of any shore diving sites on the island? If so, are these accessible from rental car. I have gotten reports that the roads around the island are not in good shape. How long does it take to get around the island in a car?

I have looked at the Blue Water Inn that you mentioned and it looks like a possibility, however, it is on the north side of the island away from the airport. How long does it take to drive to or from the airport from the north end.

Thanks for any info anyone can provide.

Blawler1,
The roads are comparible to any other mountainous Caribbean Island. The are winding, steep, supposidly two lane affairs (sometimes seems like 1.5 lanes) that goats like to hang out on. I had no problem driving on them, and actually enjoyed it. The trip to the North End of the island is a bit of a long drive, but you get to see some beautiful country. It shouldn't take you much more than an hour and a half, maybe less. There is LOTS of good shore diving available, especially in the Speyside/Charlotteville areas where the reef comes right up to the shoreline. Either place you can drive to and gear up and head right into the water. Park at Blue Waters Inn in Speyside and go out to the right in Batteaux Bay about 100 yards from their beach to a place I call the Gorgonian Gardens (directly off the point), absolutely spectacular!!
In Charlotteville you have a variety of choices on the left side of Man O' War Bay just head in and you will be on the reef, follow it around to the left to a private bay for some virgin reef. To the East side of Charlotteville is Pirates Cove and you can either swim around the point to reach it or drive up a steep rutted track and park at the top and hump your gear down what seems like a thousand steps to the cove, but it is beautiful with some very nice reefs stretching into the shore (actually good to snorkel also).

I always considered the Windward and Leeward coasts of the North end of the island to have the best diving on the island, although there is also some good diving and snorkeling around Buccoo Bay (and also a beautiful white sand beach), but it is much more touristy in that area.

Wherever you decide to stay on the island you will have a fantastic experience. It is the most beautiful island I have been on in the Caribbean (with St. Lucia and Dominica a close second).

Hope this helps!

 

[victor]

Bawler1
I am going to Tobago in the next few days, will post a short description when I get back.
Victor

 

[blawler1]

Victor,

Thanks for the offer. We finally decided on Crowns Point as I heard the Caribbean side had better beaches. Please let me know what you find out on dive operators, road conditions to and from Speyside and any shore dives that you may try or learn of.

Thanks again.