Just returned from Antigua trip

[radarguy]

Greetings All,
I just returned from a working trip to Antigua and thought I would share what I found out about diving there.
I had a rushed trip to go there as a consultant for the USAF. I have been there several times before but was not into diving at that point.
I had not found too much on the web before I went and what I did find was rather poor. like 4 on a scale from 1 to 10. But I took my gear anyway. Turns out that work took up too much time but I did find a seasoned diver there that gave me the scoop on the low quality of diving.
Turns out that the reason it is so poor is that the locals have been allowed, at least in the past, to use dynomite and chlorine to harvest lobsters from the reefs. Well, you can imagine what that would do to fragile corals. The cast system there is fairly start with some really ritzy resorts while the majority of the residents live in very poor shacks. One of my traveling companions had been to Tialand and said that the conditions there were better than Antigua. They are also not a very hospitipal sort which explains why the return rate for tourists is the poorest in the carribean. I would not go there for a vacation.
I hope this helps if someone is considering a dive trip there.
Russ

 

[aepstein]

Thanks for the report. I'll be stopping in Antigua as part of cruise next month with the intention of diving. I'll report back what I find.

Alan

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Your report really rings true. We stayed at Curtain Bluff for our first trip to the Caribbean and were impressed with the rich/poor paradox combined with a certain "Caribbean cool" from the natives (i.e. we will grudginngly take your money but we are making it clear that you are really not wanted). This is what has made Cozumel such a nice place to go again and again.

 

[croyo]

Its been a few years since diving there, and I remember it was tough to find a decent operator. One out of falmouth was eager to take us out right away, a private charter basically but the boat had some engine problems on the way out...... Theres a decent reef on the southwest corner on the island, I remember it being ok but I do remember some real nice dives waaay out of the western side, almost half way to Nevis. Its definitely not a top destination, but for those of you crossing off your been to caribbean checklist, its definitely worth a try