195 replies to this topic

[KevinG58]

I'm interested in November.

[AirHead]

I am interested in this trip. Right now I am very flexible on the timing so any time listed works on my calendar.

Buz

[WreckWench]

We have May and June locked in. I'm still working to see if we have enough for Nov.

[samienikki]

Please add me to list for first week. If I can't make the first week, then November would work. Any trip that allows me to use a Holiday is good. Got to conserve the vacation days. May have to decide on the Bonaire versus Dominica.

[WreckWench]

Please add me to list for first week. If I can't make the first week, then November would work. Any trip that allows me to use a Holiday is good. Got to conserve the vacation days. May have to decide on the Bonaire versus Dominica.

Welcome! We are glad you found us! I may be able to help you decide.

1. The Bonaire trip will be the last scheduled trip we are planning. (If we have a tremendous turnout and people beg us to run another one then we may offer it again...but after 8 years we need to explore other venues!) YES Bonaire is that great that we've done it 8 years in a row!

2. The Dominica trip is only on year 3 so we expect to run it at least 2-3 more times before people lose interest.

Now for what I wrote someone else on the subject...

Why Dominica is NOT for new divers....(in my opinion)

1. If you dive the top rated destination in the Caribbean first then you have nothing to look forward too when you dive other places.
2. If you are a new diver then you are typically a new traveler as well. Traveling to Dominica is not always easy but is easily offset by the AMAZING diving. The saying..."If it were easy to get here it would look like the rest of the caribbean" is very very true. However without being a bit travel savvy and understanding that bags may not arrive for a day or two since the planes are sooooooooo small, you will end up with people upset. That is why I target my experienced divers...they have enough diving and travel savvy and experience to recognize how pristine this diving is and THAT offsets just about every issue encountered trying to get there.
3. If you are new diver the boat can not go to the most amazing sites that are in the Atlantic...the sponges are so big a full grown man can lie inside of them, There are big animals and huge schools of fish...but if there are new divers the boat will not go to these sites in case of current.
4. While the diving is super easy along the leeward side of the island and those sites are still pristine compared to other islands, they are limited so if you have new divers you have to start repeating sites since the number of sites that are perfect for new divers is limited in number.

So save Dominica for when you are tired of the rest of the Caribbean and for when you are ok with travel delays and glitches trying to get to a very small tiny island. If the former is true...then you'll blow off the latter when you see how amazing Dominica is.

[samienikki]

Thanks for the info on Dominica. I am fairly new, so I will go with Bonaire. Really enjoy taking pictures so being shoved at a rapid pace by the current doesn't work too well for that. Had a few strong current dives in Cozumel. Hurricanes and tropical storms seem to follow me lately when it's time to go diving. lol!

[WreckWench]

Thanks for the info on Dominica. I am fairly new, so I will go with Bonaire. Really enjoy taking pictures so being shoved at a rapid pace by the current doesn't work too well for that. Had a few strong current dives in Cozumel. Hurricanes and tropical storms seem to follow me lately when it's time to go diving. lol!

You are most welcome! You will love Bonaire... its uber easy to dive and its on EVERYONE's BUCKET LIST!

[Lephenix]

Hello,

What's the deal with the new diver ? Why won't the boat go to the good dive sites ? Also, what is the definition of 'new'.

Not interested for 2014, I have other trips scheduled. Maybe for 2015 for 2 weeks.

Lephenix

[Resqdew]

Interesting to see that American Airlines once again has flights going into DOM (Dominica); they are now using a local Caribbean company, Seaborne Airlines, for the flight from Puerto Rico to Dominica which usually leaves SJU at 11:40am and arriving in DOM at 1:40pm. The Seaborne Airlines website posts the information about the code share, plus they post a link to the AA.com website for luggage information. Looks like Seaborne will (might?) honor the AA luggage limits.....

The only surprise about this new connection is the price of the flight which seems high, especially this far in advance of the dates.

Kamala's option for the charter flights might be a more economical option.

Just FYI.

Edited by Resqdew, 13 August 2013 - 08:17 AM.

[WreckWench]

I've known this option was in the works for a long time. What I didn't know was that it had happened!

I suspect that the pricing will be tweaked some but I was told it would be more expensive...however for those who have to get to and from the island...its better than nothing.

We'll watch this going forward. Thanks for the update Susan! kamala

[WreckWench]

Hello,

What's the deal with the new diver ? Why won't the boat go to the good dive sites ? Also, what is the definition of 'new'.

Not interested for 2014, I have other trips scheduled. Maybe for 2015 for 2 weeks.

Lephenix

Pascal I think I summed up the reasons with my summary below. I have now highlighted certain words that should explain my original statements. As for who is a new diver... I would say to REALLY ENJOY Dominica you should be at least advanced and certainly traveled enough to take travel issues/delays in stride and preferably AFTER you've done Bonaire, Cozumel, Barbados, Roatan, Belize etc etc since I think Dominica is better than all of those places. All of these venues are amazing in their own right but why ruin them by going to Dominica first?

Why Dominica is NOT for new divers....(in my opinion)

1. If you dive the top rated destination in the Caribbean first then you have nothing to look forward too when you dive other places.
2. If you are a new diver then you are typically a new traveler as well. Traveling to Dominica is not always easy but is easily offset by the AMAZING diving. The saying..."If it were easy to get here it would look like the rest of the caribbean" is very very true. However without being a bit travel savvy and understanding that bags may not arrive for a day or two since the planes are sooooooooo small, you will end up with people upset. That is why I target my experienced divers...they have enough diving and travel savvy and experience to recognize how pristine this diving is and THAT offsets just about every issue encountered trying to get there.
3. If you are new diver the boat can not go to the most amazing sites that are in the Atlantic...the sponges are so big a full grown man can lie inside of them, There are big animals and huge schools of fish...but if there are new divers the boat will not go to these sites in case of current.
4. While the diving is super easy along the leeward side of the island and those sites are still pristine compared to other islands, they are limited so if you have new divers you have to start repeating sites since the number of sites that are perfect for new divers is limited in number.

So save Dominica for when you are tired of the rest of the Caribbean and for when you are ok with travel delays and glitches trying to get to a very small tiny island. If the former is true...then you'll blow off the latter when you see how amazing Dominica is.

[Lephenix]

Let us discuss this while having dinner on the Truk Odyssey. I'll buy you a beer.

Cheers,

Lephenix

[WreckWench]

Works for me! Especially the beer part!

[gmk]

Works for me! Especially the beer part! />

consider me interested in either May or June dates.

thanks.

gwyn

[scubaclint]

I've got you listed, Gwyn!