St Lucia trip Part one

[cdiver2]

This was a visit to see my old, Sgt Major/friend /dive buddy of 30 years ago and get a couple of dives in.
I new this was going to be a good trip right at the start, leave home 3am and a four hour drive to Miami straight to the parking lot without getting lost and ahead of schedule. When we got to the parking lot there was a shuttle waiting for us and by the time I had done the paper work the driver had our bags loaded. Flight took off on time and we got a treat on this one, the pilot explained that due to bad weather to the east we were going to over fly Cuba (some where I always wanted to dive) and it did look inviting.
Arrived on time and my friend (Ginge) was there waiting for us, with in ten minutes we were at his home on a hillside (elevation about 400 feet) with a fantastic view overlooking the airport and the town of Vieux Fort with the Caribbean sea and the Pitons in the background, the Atlantic just to our left around a headland. In no time at all we were in the pool with a long cool drink. The house a four bed room each with its own bathroom, and two kitchens, the living room is all glass on two sides one wall with the aforementioned view and the other looking out over the pool/eating area.
That evening we drove up to the top of the hill where the lighthouse is, Caribbean on one side and the Atlantic on the other. I can honestly say I have never seen as many stars in my life. At one point in the sky I think I was looking at the Milky way or a Galaxy it looked like a wispy white cloud with millions of stars in it.
The next day I was up early and straight into the pool then a cup of coffee and relax by taking in the view. When the rest of the house arose Ginge was a gracious host and made a English breakfast fried bread, eggs. bacon and baked beans then back to the pool. We spent the rest of the day running around the Island acting like a tourist and seeing some of the sights with a early return to the house, a dip in the pool then watch the sun set over dinner ending the day with a couple of coconut rum and cokes.
Tommorow diving.
Some photos of the house and view. Photo #8 was our departure lounge on the return home.

 

[cdiver2]

One of the dives on this trip was to be on a wreck that Ginge had sunk on the Atlantic side when he ran a dive center in Vieux Fort twenty years ago, but conditions had to be right as it was at 100' with very strong currents there. So far it was not looking good.

What we had not realized before leaving on this trip was my friends son is a DM at the Jalousie Hilton and he had arranged our dives for us, so this morning was a repeat of yesterdays up early pool coffee and a light breakfast.
At eight thirty we left for the drive up to the water sport center at the Hilton in Soufriee. The center is nestled in a bay between Gros Piton and Petit Piton and what an amazing sight, vertical walls of rock going straight up out of the water very impressive. My friends son (Mark) had arranged for us to do our own dives, we were going out with the guests, get the dive brief then be the last to enter the water and do our own thing but ending the dive at the same point as the other divers.
First dive drift dive Fairyland. The DM had told the guests (four) they were going to level out at sixty feet so we went down past them to a depth of 90' 43 min, temp 83 viz 70-80 feet. There was nothing really striking about this dive plenty of coral and that was about it.
Second dive Devils Hole this dive was to be along the same lines as the last with our depth at 75' 40 min. Lots of coral in good condition Blue & gold Trumpet fish a quiet a few macro shots black coral still not overly impressed.
The next day was a tour of the north end of the Island and a shopping trip for Mrs cdiver in the duty free area in Castries, Its a good job they don't have a dive or camera store there. Had I spent the same as Mrs C we would be broke for the rest of the year. Back to the house in time for a dip in the pool and dinner at sun set (Mrs C cooking tonight with food we had brought from the states) the the usual drinks.
The currents on the Atlantic side had diminished but were still to strong to dive so it was back to Soufriere.

First dive on the wreck of the Leslie M wreck at 61'. The current was strong enough that we would have to go hand over hand down the buoy line and this is where my first anger management test came in. Mrs C and I had just got to the down line and was checking gear when this guy comes along throws a leg over the line and sits on my head ! ha well down we go to the bow and then drop into the hold. Now this is what I call a dive lots of coral sea, fans, Moray ell, Drum fish Parrot fish, Scorpion fish Spotted ells, slipper lobster and lobster. We only saw only a small portion of the wreck, starting in the hold then moved to the engine room up through a hatch into the wheel house the into the Capt's quarters behind the wheel house. Then we moved out onto the stern and over the side and back to the line that was it 43 minutes were up and I had finished the film in my camera.

Next dive is a drift dive at Meirgerettute 84' 45 minutes. When the said drift dive they were not kidding a very strong current running parallel to the shore but there were plenty of coral heads to duck behind where you could stop and poke about. It was on one of the poke abouts that I saw my first Hawks bill turtle and no camera I had used the film up on the last dive and not bothered to bring another as the first two dives had not been to good.
About three quarters way through the dive the current suddenly changed direction and was going straight out to sea causing us to have to fin at a forty five degree angle to it fortunately it only lasted for about forty feet then it resumed its course running along the shore. Once we were back on the boat the DM informed us the current was so strong that we had done Meigerettute and Superman's flight in one dive a great dive.

Friday our last day there and the Atlantic was the best that it had been whilst we were there so it was on. Ginge called the dive supervisor (Vetos)at the Hilton and told him to rent a fishing Panger and we would meet at the dock in Vieux Fort this done every thing went as planed until the dive. Vetos dived allowing the current to push him onto the wreck where he tied a line to it Ginge paying the line out and jumping in with the buoy in his hands. All went well up to this point then it was our turn by the time we rolled over the side and got the cameras we were well away from the buoy and to despite all our efforts we could not make it to the buoy. I signaled the Capt to do a pick up but he just threw us a line and started to tow us to the buoy, between the current and being towed we had all on to hold onto the hemp line with bare hands. The Capt brought the BOW of the boat to the buoy and we were a good 15' behind the boat, once again we started to swim for it often losing sight of the buoy in the swell. We made it to within 10' of the buoy but just cold not make it the rest of the way I could see the line going down at a forty five degree Angle and as tight as a bow string but once again we were carried away from the buoy, the Capt once again threw us a line but after a short time of being towed we decided to abort the dive, better to live and dive another day.

That evening we ate out somewhere out in the hills with another beautiful night sky a perfect ending to a bad day. The next day we checked our bags in for the flight home then drove a couple of miles to a bar on the beach and had lunch and a drink.. why cant all departure lounges be like this.
A few photos to end the report the macro is by Mrs cdiver.

 

[Tom Winters]

What was the road like between Vieux Fort and Soufriere? When I was there last year, it was all mud and potholes and underw construction - pure hell to drive on.

 

[cdiver2]

What was the road like between Vieux Fort and Soufriere? When I was there last year, it was all mud and potholes and underw construction - pure hell to drive on.

No problems at all black top all the way in fact I was surprised after reading all the bad reports on the roads I did not see one bad one.
I expected the road going up the east coast Vieux fort-Micoud-Dennery-Castries to be bad not a tourist type area but it was black top all the way with some great coastal and rain forest scenery. Going back to VF we traveled the road on the west side with no problems...if you discount pigs, goats and cows wondering across the road.
The roads are very steep and twisty so if one is not used to that kind of driving go slow.

 

[MikeJacobs]

Sounds like you had a great time. We hitchiked with a local fisherman on Tuesday or Wednesday (they all ran together) "water taxi" lol to the Hilton in Soufriee from Ti Kaye and spent a few bucks at Bang... no need to EVER do that again, but the Pitons at night were eerie! We waited for our ride on the pier about 11 pm and I couldn't take my eyes off the sky... two dark, looming megoliths framing the star-studded sky. Yes, indeed that was the Milky Way.

Roads weren't bad but there isn't a straight one on the island from what we saw.

So would you say that althrough it was nice enough that St. Lucia is not the divers paradise found elsewhere in that region? I didn't see much different from SE Florida on our extensive snorkel ventures around our cove at Ti Kaye, so assume that it's all pretty much the same ocean.

The fishing is supposed to be better, though!

 

[Tobagoman]

Good report cdiver2! What does your friend do on the island? What type of camera are you using for your underwater shots?

MikeJ, I have dived all over the Caribbean and the Pacific, and I have to say some of the reefs that I dove in St. Lucia this month were some of the best I have seen in the Caribbean, not even in the same class as Florida. See my trip report for descriptions of the diving.

 

[cdiver2]

I have to agree with Tman there is some excellent coral there and in very good health. It may have been that you were taken to the TOURIST no diver area but as I said the first two dives are ho-hum lots of coral but not a lot of life. Now the second and third dive more than made up for it, the wreck I only saw a very small part of it as there was so much to see the dive was over before I realized it. If I had to complain about anything it would be the follow the DM type diving (that the others had to do ) and the dive time put on you by the DM.

Tman my friend is retired, he has tried to start a couple of dive business one with the hotel in Vieux Fort but it has always been given to a local !.
My Friend e mailed me the other day and informed me there is now another wreck by the one we attempted to dive in the Atlantic. It seems two French men set sail from St Vincent in a two masted sail boat put the auto pilot on and promptly went to sleep, Unfortunately the point below my friends house got in the way and the boat lost.

Cameras dare I say this film a Nikon's v 35mm lens with a 1-2 macro tube, a Sea & Sea ys 60 strobe and Fuji Velvea 50asa. This one Mrs cdiver uses she is not a photographer and WAS NOT at all interested in doing it but after I explained that all the controls are pre set she consented and is really getting into it now.
I us a Cannon Rebel G in a Sea & Sea housing, all the photos I posted were with a Cannon 28-80 zoom lens, ( I also have a 20mm lens for wide ). Two Sea & Sea ys 120 strobes, and I also use Velvia 50asa, occasionally Velvia 100asa.

Liked your trip report also looks like you had a good time.

 

[Allison Finch]

I was in St Lucia not long after Hurricane Lenny tore it up. Almost all of the elk/stag corals were done in. It was fairly nice, all in all. Found a fantastic frog fish on that wreck in front of Anse Chastenet (can't remember the name of the wreck). That fish just refused to be alarmed at being photographed. I almost think he enjoyed it. I really liked Superman's Flight. I was useing the "eddies" behind the coral heads as if I was in a kayak. Great current fun, once you settled into it.
You sound like you went to some sites we missed. You got some nice pics too.

 

[KidK9]

Nice pics of the house as well as the macros. Thanks for sharing.

 

[cdiver2]

I was in St Lucia not long after Hurricane Lenny tore it up. Almost all of the elk/stag corals were done in. It was fairly nice, all in all. Found a fantastic frog fish on that wreck in front of Anse Chastenet (can't remember the name of the wreck). That fish just refused to be alarmed at being photographed. I almost think he enjoyed it. I really liked Superman's Flight. I was useing the "eddies" behind the coral heads as if I was in a kayak. Great current fun, once you settled into it.
You sound like you went to some sites we missed. You got some nice pics too.

Allison it helped knowing a couple of people on the dive staff.....more freedom than usual. The wreck is called the Leslie M I thought it was a great dive lots of stuff to see, I am very happy with Bristle worm shot (by Mrs cdiver) and the Scorpion fish. The photo looks great when done from the 25 meg file, I have had a few requests for a copy of it. The best possible shot on that dive I messed up bad. Looking through the wheel house and out of the door on the other side a beautiful blue with some sea fans in silhouette, doorway full of glassy sweepers and the inside wall of the wheelhouse full of corals. Everyone was lining up to see it when I got my turn I found I had the wrong lens ( not wide enough ) and could only get about a foot of wall around the door, on top of this I rushed to get the photo and let others get in to see it and forgot to reduce the shutter speed...result the blue background came out black &^%$#. I dream about going back and doing it again
Its true what they say you can not win them all