Trip Report St. Lucia - Scuba St. Lucia & Anse Chastanet Resort

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Blues Runner

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Messages
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Location
Jacksonville, FL
# of dives
500 - 999
In mid August 2016, we spent a week on the volcanic island of St. Lucia with a group of 30 people organized by dive retailer Divers Direct/Ocean Divers. The island's early volcanic activity gave St. Lucia three distinct mountain features. St. Lucia's most noted and pictured feature are the twin pitons located on the southwestern side of the island. The highest point on the island is about 3100 feet. Several small cities and numerous colorful fishing villages dot the coast line.

The group lodged at Anse Chastanet outside of Soufrière. The resort is carved in the side of a mountain and spans the mountain top to the beach of the Caribbean sea. Some of the rooms provided 24 hour views of the pitons and beach. The staff made every attempt to pamper and spoil the guests. Anse Chastanet has multiple restaurants on site. They have a farm (Emerald Estate) where they grow most of the fruit and vegetables they serve in the restaurants. Cacao trees provide the beans for what becomes fresh chocolate flavored menu items. The food experience was awesome. The staff

Anse Chastanet provided excellent musical entertainment nightly. We enjoyed a champagne sunset cruise one evening with a saxophonist and singer. Amazing watching the orb drop into the Caribbean with the backdrop of the pitons behind us!

The onsite dive operation is Scuba St. Lucia. Managers Charlotte and Beto run a solid operation. We spent the week with story telling Captain Felix and were guided by keen eyed Instuctor/Dive Guides Kenton and Davis. We found them to be a very experienced and caring team! They have three dive boats and offer night and shore diving. I was able to make 17 dives during the week. The colors of the corals in St. Lucia is outstanding! They literally pop with a kaleidoscope of color. Highlights of the creatures were a frog fish on a wreck , pink and black sea horses, flying gunnard and too many scorpion fish to count.

Already missing it! Awesome group of people and new friends!
 

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So, you made Superman's Flight..........
 
Sounds like a great trip. I've been to St. Lucia twice, on cruise ship stops. Probably the most lush island I've been to; very beautiful. Thought about it as a dive destination, but it looked a bit pricey, and not like a '3 or 4 dives/day' place.

Compared to other places you've been, how do you think it rates as a primary dive destination? Is the appeal broader, that of 'diving + scenery + whatever creature comforts Anse Castanet offers,' or does St. Lucia stand tall 'just for the diving?'

Were land excursions offered? On one cruise stop, we visited a banana plantation (I still remember the 'banana condoms' to prevent monkey raids), then did a rain forest hike to a water fall (strangely cold!). It was on our honeymoon 10 years ago.

Richard.
 
Rich,

For my purposes, St. Lucia stands alone as a dive destination. Like you, I first visited via cruse ship a couple years ago. I knew I would return one day and the Divers Direct email I received last December regarding their group trip was to good of an offer to pass up.

The colors of the coral in St. Lucia pop. Some of the brightest from my journeys around the Caribbean. Lots of turtle grass in front of Anse Chastanet that supported easy to find pink and black sea horses, a flying gunnard and squid. Not many larger creatures to be found around St. Lucia but the colors and small stuff were plenty for me.

There are multiple land excursion options including piton climbs, jungle biking and bird watching hikes to name a few. I did three dives a day which did not leave much time or energy to try any of these.

Let me know if I may answer additional questions.

David
 
Thanks. My 2nd time there I did 2 dives; that day the current at Superman's Flight was mild, and I actually enjoyed the Fairy Land dive site more (some dramatic vertical wall structure). I did an added-cost longer 2-tank excursion down to the Pitons area with Scuba Steve.

I like the sound of that 'too good an offer.' St. Lucia was beautiful enough I've checked into it online, either Anse Castanet or Sandals. So far, prices have scared me off. Got a wife & 3 year old...

Richard.
 
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