The ocean sure beats the quarry!

[Diveral]

Yeah tropical diving definitely spoils you.

 

[Land Locked]

Darn, sounds like we lost another from our ranks in the, "Cold - dark - low vis; family of divers."

Glad you had a GREAT time, we will miss your visits to the quarries!

 

[Docc]

sounds nice..

where did you stay in Negril?


I actually found the diving in Negril to be much nicer that people give it credit for.

We had a DM that had a BC blowout on our dive. They definately use their equipment till it falls apart.

We stayed at Grand Lido Negril. I really enjoyed the diving and the DM's Seaweed and LLoyd were great. The boat captain Donovan was pretty cool too and even shared his breakfast with me on the ride out one morning. We were there right after Fay had passed to the north so it didn't get crowded on the boat until later in the week. Grand Lido was using the dive boat from Hedo II, old, but reliable. No one seemed to mind when I washed out my gear in the nude side pool after each day's diving. It usually generated a lot of questions from people who had considered trying the "discover scuba" thing. I have some interesting pictures form the time above water but I only wanted to post the diving stuff, since this is a diving forum.

 

[Docc]

Darn, sounds like we lost another from our ranks in the, "Cold - dark - low vis; family of divers."

Glad you had a GREAT time, we will miss your visits to the quarries!

Nope. AWBA is a quarry and it's only a 17 minute drive from my home. It was also my first and everybody is fond of their first. I also go to Huntsville once or twice a week to check on business interests and I understand they have a nice quarry as well. Somebody also mentioned some Vortex Spring thing that sounds like fun. As long as I can find people to put up with my rookie diving, I'll dive anywhere. I usually cover up my swimming pool after labor day but I'm considering leaving it uncovered this fall just so I can practice diving in it.

 

[Land Locked]

Now the caverns and springs of Fla are a must. I'm glad too hear you did not get spoiled ocean diving, I lost a good/regular dive buddy that way! If I wasn't close to a quarry myself, my bank account would be limited for those other odd expenses such as a home and groceries paying for my dive trips!

Nope. AWBA is a quarry and it's only a 17 minute drive from my home. It was also my first and everybody is fond of their first. I also go to Huntsville once or twice a week to check on business interests and I understand they have a nice quarry as well. Somebody also mentioned some Vortex Spring thing that sounds like fun. As long as I can find people to put up with my rookie diving, I'll dive anywhere. I usually cover up my swimming pool after labor day but I'm considering leaving it uncovered this fall just so I can practice diving in it.

 

[mike_s]

I've been to Grand Lido... nice place. (stayed at the resort next door).


If you want to dive in Huntsville,, that'd be the Madison Quarry. It's only open sat/sunday unless someone does a "Quarry Night" like Phil did recently. It'll be open for about another 2 months before it closes....

 

[Byte Me]

sounds nice..

where did you stay in Negril?


I actually found the diving in Negril to be much nicer that people give it credit for.

We had a DM that had a BC blowout on our dive. They definately use their equipment till it falls apart.

Mike,

Who'd you dive w/ in Negril? I'm going down there for a long weekend in just over a week. Have signed up for a few dives w/ Sundivers based on board comments.

What sites did you hit that you enjoyed?

 

[dpbishop]

heheheh - i dont see surge on your list?? guess you gotta come to sydney for that

Trust me, Sydney has no monopoly on surge. Just ask the SoCal lobsters who hang on the wall laughing as I rocket past them left to right, then right to left.

 

[mike_s]

Mike,

Who'd you dive w/ in Negril? I'm going down there for a long weekend in just over a week. Have signed up for a few dives w/ Sundivers based on board comments.

What sites did you hit that you enjoyed?

we stayed at a resort named Couples, which is kinda like Sandals (no kids, all inclusive)


Dove off their boat at the resort. It was included as part of the all inclusive fee. (diving was one tank dive in the morning and one tank in the afternoon. optional night dive if they had enough people. All dives were about 50-65ft. On saturday they didn't do an afternoon dive, but did two monring dives with one deep dive).

the resort did "resort courses" for non certified divers and open water courses, but we ran into few students. only one trip had students and they had a seperate dive plan, etc...

all the resorts dive the same sites.... (I saw all the other resorts boats in the same sites we went for the most part). (Note for the most part, most of the resorts in Negril are along the "7 mile beach" strip or a cove just past it.)

The resort we stayed in had a 35' Newton that was pretty nice. rental gear was all inclusive with the resort fee. It was Sherwood BC and regs. Fins/mask were also included if needed.


There are a few commercial operators not completely inclusive to the resorts. (for the resorts that dont' have dive boats). I just used the operator that was onsite because it was a decent operation and no sense paying more for a different one, plus cab fees.

hope that helps.

-mike

 

[tstormdiver]

I have to say that I agree with the OP. However, I'll take whatever I can get!

It's also much, much, much warmer. A very big plus in my book!