16 replies to this topic

[divingwahine]

Am I the first one back? Well, even if I'm not, let me be the first to report it was a fabulous trip! Dive sites on some islands were limited due to surface and current conditions, but we made use of all our nitrox. Had a full boat wtih some fun and interesting people and the crew was absolutely the BEST! Island tours were great as well. That Garvis sure is an interesting character...And I'm pleased to report that Liz didn't lose her panties this time...

[WreckWench]

You are the FIRST to report back! WOW!!! Sounds like a great trip!

You have to tell us more! I'm on pins and needles! -ww

[Parrotman]

Sheesh Becky, your the first to report back cause your the only one home yet

Still in atlanta, took almost an hour of standing in line just to get checked into the hotel... Oh well all my bags made it... I'll write more when I get home TOMORROW>>>>


Jim

[WreckWench]

Sheesh Becky, your the first to report back cause your the only one home yet

Still in atlanta, took almost an hour of standing in line just to get checked into the hotel... Oh well all my bags made it... I'll write more when I get home TOMORROW>>>>


Jim

Good news on bags making it! I hope the weather is more cooperative for you getting home then it was for you getting there! -ww

[Brinybay]

I want to hear about the lost panties, what's with that? Who lost them, are there pics?

[WreckWench]

Just got this from Simon aka Shadragon....

Even though I am not going (and jealous as heck of everyone who is...) I set up a photo gallery for you to make me feel really bad by posting all your fun, happy pictures of the Saba trip...

Have a great time all... Gallery link is here...

[divingwahine]

HAH! Jealous! I'm the first one home (11 hours and 4 time zones later), but I also sacked out on the couch around 7pm LA time and just now woke up! I figured I had to get a comment in while I was still awake!

[WreckWench]

HAH! Jealous! I'm the first one home (11 hours and 4 time zones later), but I also sacked out on the couch around 7pm LA time and just now woke up! I figured I had to get a comment in while I was still awake!

Glad you did!!

Now when do we get a few more????

[dustbowl diver]

Forget the comments, we want to see the pictures!!!!

[Parrotman]

I'm still a little groggy this morning after nearly two days of planes and airports, and I will look through the limited pictures that I have. I did not take any underwater pics this trip and only have a few from Saba. I know Liz took some pics of the group.

Other than that a bit about the trip. I left home on Thursday prior to the Saturday departure in St. Maarten and was chased all the way to Atlanta by a major storm. I opted to get on an early flight to avoid Minneapolis and it was a good thing I did. The trip from Atlanta to St Maarten was uneventful with the exception that I will NEVER, and let me make that clear NEVER fly on Spirit air again. The term "cattle car" would have been a big improvement over what this flight was like. The plane was packed full and the leg room on these planes is non existent. I am pretty tall so it made it even worse. I could not even move my knees they were so crammed in to the seat in front of me. 4 and half hours of that was enough to make me pretty crabby

After arriving at St Maarten, getting through customs was fairly easy, however for future reference, the boat needs to send some sort of documentation for getting through customs. The customs people were not very pleasant about it when I told them that I was not staying on the Island and that I was being picked up and taken to the boat. Anyway, a minor glitch.

I had no sooner gotten to the baggage claim when Liz walked up to me, we had never met but knew each other right away. My bags came right off and away we went. The trip out to the boat was scenic and I think we paid $7 a piece for the taxi ride.


The crew on the boat met us at the dock and right away made us feel comfortable. They took us to our assigned cabins and then we went up stairs for a briefing with the Captain.

I must say that the crew on this boat were great. They were friendly and most accomodating for anything we needed. Our Purser , Morag was the ultimate professional she does her job really well. Zack, the cook did a great job of making our meals. His chicken paramsean (sp?) was excellent. Dave, Sean and Steph, the dive team were fantastic both in and out of the water.
After our night dives they brought us hot towels and hot chocolate with liquer if we wanted. They definetly know how to pamper their guests.

My roomate Mike and I got to our cabin and were both a little bit surprised by what we found. We were in what had to be the smallest cabin on the boat. In fact the cabin was litterally half the size of the closet in my bedroom at home. There was no room for any bags or clothes. I ended up sleeping with my suitcase next to me on the bed because there was no room in the cabin to put it. Mike put all of his stuff on the floor next to the sink. I got the lower bunk because I am about 2 inches taller than the bunk was long and since the lower bunk is a bit wider than the upper, I could sleep at an angle. The length of Mikes bunk was ok for him but the width was a problem as he is also a big guy and barely fit in his bunk. So, that was a bummer. The sleeping accomodations were a real challenge.

We moved up to the dive deck and got all of our gear ready for the next day. The dive deck has a nice set up and once you get your gear up it stays on your tank all week. There were dry towels after the dives and a nice hot shower on the dive deck. By then dinner was ready and off we went to the dining room.

Our first nights dinner was BB'Qed steak and it was very good. We got to meet all of the other guests and visited for a while. It turned out that there were 4 Jim's on the boat so that took a bit of getting used to but one thing that was guarenteed, if anyone called the name Jim, they were going to get an answer.

About 4 in the morning we pulled mooring and headed off to Saba. The crossing was quite rough but uneventful. We got up in the morning to find we were at our first dive site and breakfast was almost ready.


Unfortunately for us, the weather on this trip did not cooperate very well. The seas were choppy and it was very windy so out of the three days that we were moored at Saba we were only able to dive 4 sites. This was some what dissapointing but it was also out of anyones control. The vis was so so on most of the dives but we did get to see some interesting stuff. Saw a few reef sharks, nurse sharks, turtles and rays as well as the more common reef life. My favorite dives on Saba were the "eye of the needle" which was a deep pinnacle out in the middle of the blue. The colors were amazing and this dive probably had the best vis of the Saba dives. The next favorite for me was the wall dive as I love wall dives

On Wed we pulled up and moved to Statia. Here we dove on three dive sites. Two in the morning and a third for the two afternoon dives and the night dive. The afternoon dives were on a reef that was not very impressive as to the reef itself but had a lot of great things to look at. Many large rays and lots of interesting little stuff. Becky and I saw the smallest spotted drum that I have ever seen.

We pulled mooring that night and made the crossing to St Kitts. The seas were better in St Kitts but the vis was really poor. Even with that we explored a couple of wrecks and I had fun with a juvinile angle fish that follwed me for a good part of the dive. It was pretty funny, he just stayed about a foot in front of me and kept looking back as if to say,,, "well, are you coming?" it was cute.

The land tours were interesting as well. I did the Saba and St Kitts tours. Saba was awesome if not a bit nerve wracking going up and downt those steep roads. On St. Kitts we got to see some wild monkeys and a couple of Mongoose..the fort at Brimstone hill was very cool and what a view....

Since I won the free nitrox I figured I had better get certified. So I did that on the first two days. After 600+ dives this is the first certification that I have done since my OW.


Over all the experience on the boat was very good. Lots of nice people. Good food and great crew. I enjoyed meeting Mike, Liz and Becky from SD.. Becky decided that there were two many Jim's on board so my new name is Roy!




All in all a good trip, I just wish there had been more Singledivers people on board.


Oh, by the way did I say that I would NEVER fly on Spirit Air again ----


Jim

Edited by Parrotman, 12 February 2008 - 10:39 AM.

[Lady Liz]

I want to hear about the lost panties, what's with that? Who lost them, are there pics?

I am the one who lost her panties last year on that trip because Kamala helped me drink a bottle of champagne !!!!!!. Actualy the panties were hanging on the clothes line on the dive deck the next morning but I don't know how they got there...it will remain a mystery ...I can't remember anything ...

[WreckWench]

I want to hear about the lost panties, what's with that? Who lost them, are there pics?

I am the one who lost her panties last year on that trip because Kamala helped me drink a bottle of champagne !!!!!!. Actualy the panties were hanging on the clothes line on the dive deck the next morning but I don't know how they got there...it will remain a mystery ...I can't remember anything ...

My dear My dear My dear....I was NOT the reason you lost your panties last year...however that being said I would have HAPPILY helped you drink this trip too!

[shadragon]

Errant underwear and I was not on the trip? Hmmmm... Strange indeed...

[Miket]

Errant underwear and I was not on the trip? Hmmmm... Strange indeed...

Well I'm here to let you know that Liz behaved herself for the whole trip. Now saying that, this doesn"t discount the bottle of white wine that always seemed to be in front of Liz and always at her Table. LOVE YOU LIZ

Michael