Saturday, July 31, 2010

Galapagos Special - Dive the coolest spot on earth!

Have you always wanted to dive the Galapagos Islands?  Now it the perfect time!  I found you a dive package for $2,781!!  That is more than $1200.00 cheaper than usual!  You don’t want to miss this special!
galapagos-tortoise
Includes 7 nights accommodations at Red Mangroves Lodges on several Galapagos Islands, all transfers, welcome drink, all meals on a fixed menu basis, 5 days of boat diving with all equipment ( except dive computers), wireless internet access (where available), ecological excursions with English speaking naturalist guides, use of available bikes and all taxes. Normally priced at $3,430 now $2,781 per person based on double occupancy. This program is great for a diver and non-diver traveling together! 
GalapagosDiving83
You must book August 31 to get this special and travel December 15, 2010 – holiday blackouts apply.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Next Open Water Class (Johns Creek GA)

It’s time for a ‘Going back to School’ PADI Open Water Class.  Friday September 3rd through the 5th.

Please contact David david@barediver.com for details.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Cayman Brac Special!


Most people that arrive on the small island of Cayman Brac are carrying scuba gear!  This fantastically relaxing and secluded island offers top-notch service to divers.  Brac Reef Beach Resort is currently offering you a special of $977.00 per person. This offer includes:  7 night accommodations, airport transfers, breakfast and dinner daily, and 6 days of 2-tank boat dives!


Stay at Brac Reef Beach Resort and prepare to get spoiled by their on-site dive center! You can leave your gear by your door and when it's time for your dive it's already on the boat and prepared for you!  No, you don't have to lug it down the dock!  You just get on the boat and go! 


Don't want to dive everyday?   Brac Reef Beach Resort offers plenty of other activities:  a great spa to pamper yourself at, a beautiful white sand beach peppered with palm trees or you may want to explore the caves.  If you are in for high adventure, there is even rock climbing!


Let me put a package together for you! Fill out the "Trip Request" form at the top of my blog or

Thursday, July 22, 2010

The Reef House in Roatan, Honduras

Some days you go to work and it's the same old thing, but then there are other days, like today, that I find out that one of my clients has blogged about ME!  I was planning on blogging about The Reef House in Roatan, Honduras, but I think my client's blog tells more than I ever could.  So straight from the clients own blog:

"I went to Roatan for six days last week (Mon-Sat) and stayed at the Reef House. It is located on the south side of the island near the east end. It was a 40 minute ride from the airport to get there.
The Reef House Resort is located on a small island. You have to take a boat to get there. It is a small resort, probably about two acres. It has about 15 rooms with a large common area. It is an eat, sleep, and dive place. The dive package includes a two tank boat dive in the morning (boat leaves at 9:00) and again at 2:30 for a one tank. There is unlimited shore diving. The shore diving is great but it is about 50 ft of shallow water (3-8’) before you drop off the wall. The wall drops down to about 100’. The prevailing winds come in from the South and South East so this side of the island is unprotected. Really only one day was acceptable for shore diving. The others had waves crashing over the dock. But it was a very nice wall.


The owner, Mike, is very hands on. He ate with us (breakfast at 8:00, lunch when the boat gets back, and dinner at 6:30.) and did a lot of small chores around the place. He is from Georgia. He has owned it for about three years and is the instructor. The dive master is Daveed. He has been there for 16 years and is quite the piece of work. He is entertaining and laid back. Once he feels you are qualified he allows you to do about whatever you like. Almost every boat dive started (and ended) in 20-40’ of water. (There is little to no current.) He never ended the dive when the first person was out of air. Rather he made sure all were back and knew where the boat was, then you are on your own till your air is gone. He also sang while he led! He was very accomplished at finding things as are most dive leaders. He has become something of legend though, due to him being in one place for so long.


The rooms were not small. They had two queen beds and enough floor space for your gear. The showers had plenty of pressure although the water was not as hot as I like it but I do like very hot showers. It had a small TV with satellite. The AC had to work hard to keep the room cool. But it managed okay along with the ceiling fan. The food went from good to terrific. The high light was Friday were we had lobster and steak. The lobster was grilled and might be the best I ever had.
They have a lagoon there where they keep turtles. Local fisherman bring in turtles they caught and Mike pays them. A professor out of California studies them and tags them. He was there during my trip and a very interesting fellow. He is there all summer and most winter breaks. He has students working with him. After cleaning and tagging they release them. His name is Dr. Steve Dunbar if you want to google him. You can adopt a turtle on line to help his research.

We went on a shark dive and I am glad I did. This was a first for me. It was one of the best dives I have ever been on. I would encourage everyone to do that. The only negative I would say about that is the boat was made for speed and not diving. We all had a hard time getting out. But other than that it was great. (This was extra and not a part of the Reef House package. $95 for the dive and they offered a video for $25.)
The airport is the smallest international airport I have ever been in. It handles 0-5 flights a day. While the lines were slow, they were short.
I went to Coxen Hole on Friday. I should not have bothered. There was not a cruise ship in that day and everything (about) was closed. I did go over to the West End and those shops were open. I should of just stayed and dived though.

Pros:

  • All inclusive was a great deal

  • Secluded

  • Got to know your fellow divers well

  • Great dive sites that are not heavily dived (some are just visited by these guys)

  • Great dive master

  • Unlimited shore diving

  • No sand flies (no beach area and too much wind)

  • Free internet

  • Lush reefs

  • Price includes airport pick up and return

  • Dive boats are slow and large and covered.

  • Dive sites are all within 30 minutes from the resort

Cons:

  • Water is lot rougher here than on the west end (it was okay though 4-6 seas on 5 of our 6 days)

  • Far away from Coxen Hole and West End ($30 to get there by taxi one way, this was a plus for my buddy)

  • The place is beginning to show some wear and Mike needs to start some renovation projects (mostly small stuff)

Viz is generally around 80’ (On our night dive it was less than 20’)
There were as many as 15 in our dive group. However, they were all good divers so there was not a problem but that is a large group. When Daveed pointed out something small there was a bottleneck to see it. (They do have two boats. I did not ask but if there were some who were not great divers they probably would have taken the second boat.)
No Nitrox (and we had some very long dives, I had to make one deco stop) This may change soon.

The Reef House was around $850 for the six days with three boat dives a day and food included. The flight was $600. I used a travel agent that was very helpful. We started our search by telling her we wanted a great dive deal that was a non-stop flight from Houston and I did not want to go to Jamaica or Puerto Rico.
I would recommend her: Christy Mackley, Christy@barediver.com 770-331-8832. She works closely with another company: Caribbean Journey. You need to remember when you compare pricing that Roatan does not include airport taxes in their ticketing. You will have to pay $38 when you leave via the airport. (There was a group of five from California that put all their regs and computers in one carry on. On one flight they ran out of overhead space and they were forced to check it. It did not make it. When we left they still have not gotten it. The owner of course, had gear for them.)


I do not think non-divers would like The Reef House after a couple of days. There was one nondiver at the place but he was a friend of the owner. They do have a nice deck and beach chairs in the shade (on concrete). Plus you can snorkel. If the seas are rough you can snorkel in the turtle lagoon. (It is about 4’ in the deepest.) Other things nondivers can do is take a boat taxi to see the man groves and sight see. (The boat taxis were cheap. They would take you to the car taxis for $2.) There is also a zip line that is close: Pirates of the Caribbean Canopy Tour. I went one on there before (not this one) and it was impressive. It was about two miles total of line. One other activity that is close by for nondivers is a horse tour of the jungle.


Note: If you have several nondivers in your group, you should ask Mike (the owner) if he would take them to the West End once or twice while you are there. It still would take about 50 minutes or so one way. Most taxis there are small and will probably only carry four people max. Even if he charges a little it would be better than a taxi. (He has vans.)


I have been to the island twice before. I have dove Turquoise Bay and the West End. TB is nice resort and it is about as far as the Reef House but it is on the other (north) side. The water was calmer, reef was nice, and there was a lot of fish. I do not recall a wall or any great structures. They do have sand flies.
The West End has many dive shops. It is where most people go on the island. The diving though was like TB. There is a lot going on (relatively speaking) at the West End. (I spoke to some one at the airport about Anthony’s Key that is near the West End. He said he did not get into any sand flies. AK is probably one of the nicer resorts on the island. It is five minutes from the West End.)
The diving from the Reef House had walls and some swim through, impressive over hangs, and a lot of huge structures. The longest swim thru was Calvin’s Crack. You drop in a 5’ diameter hole around 40’ and it goes on for about 50’ and ends at 70’ depth. The wall there is impressive.
There is another dive site called Alcoholic Dog. So named because there is a rich widow that lives in huge house (hoping that some of her seven children will stay with her) by the site that lives alone, but refuses to drink alone so she drinks with her dog. The story goes that the dog drinks Red Bull in the AM then starts in with beer after noon. By the time they stop the dog will drink 24 beers. I told you Daveed was entertaining.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Hotel Cozumel Dive Package

Travel between now and August 16th and you can stay at the all-inclusive Hotel Cozumel in Cozumel, Mexico for $1,000per person.  This great package includes:  7 nights, all meals, snacks, beverages, all taxes and service fees, 5 days of 2-tank morning dives, 4 single tank afternoon dives, and a welcome tank for equipment and buoyancy check with Dive Paradise.
Want more information?  Email me at christy@barediver.com!

Lighter BCD for Easier Travel

Now that the airlines are charging us our hard earned dollars to check our luggage at the airport and luggage weight requirements have increased, we are all faced with the new problem of either:
paying to check two suitcase (one for clothes and one for dive gear) or using the resort's dive gear. 
If you are not completely comfortable using someone else's gear then you will want to check your bags.  Lucky for us, the scuba equipment manufacturers are trying to help us out!  Aqua Lung has come out with a BCD that is only 4.4 lbs! Even better, it can be rolled up so it takes up less space in your luggage! This new light-weight, also has the newest technology for quick drying.
Thanks, Aqua Lung! 

Friday, July 16, 2010

Cancun's Cool Underwater Museum


Cancun has brought in famous sculpture artist, Jason de Caires Taylor, to sculpt the world's largest underwater museum.  When it is complete, it will contain over 400 sculptures already!  The sculptures are made out of materials that will enhance the growth of the coral reef and are cohesive to the underwater aquatic life.

So think of this.....  Go this year and be a part of history. See the opening of the world's largest underwater sculpture museum (don't forget to take your underwater camera!) and then......

Go back in a few years and see the changes that have occurred!  Take more photos and compare them! 

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see this museum before the reef begins to grow on it!  There is no turning back the hands of time!

What more is there to do in Cancun?  Well, in the past few years, Cancun has put in Billions of dollars to remodel, renovate and build.  There are resorts for those traveling on a budget as well as some fantastic new 5 star resorts. There are all-inclusive resorts, adult only resorts, and family friendly resorts.  Let me share my knowledge of Cancun with you! Send me an email today!

Ready to book your trip? You can click on the link at the top of the blog or email me at christy@barediver.com and I'll set you up.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Great Diving Off Negril, Jamaica

As I said in my previous post, there was amazingly good diving off the coast of Negril, Jamaica on my last visit.  We saw turtle, lion fish, dolphin, octopus and much more!  There are many resorts to chose from and most are All-Inclusive.  What that means is that all of your food, drinks and diving (unless you want to dive more) is included in your package!  It is a fabulous way to travel with a group so no one is stuck with the dinner bill or trying to decide who's turn it is to pick up the bar tab!  We've all been there before!



Some additional All-Inclusive in Negril are Sandals, Couples and Riu.  I can send you and a friend to the following resorts for one week of luxury and relaxation you will only pay the following listed prices:

Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa           $3,000.00



Riu Negril Club Hotel          $1,400.00



Couples Negril        $2,576.00




If you want to take your children with you, I suggest Beaches Resort and Spa.  
At Beaches, your children will encounter the Sesame Street characters and have fun with their age appropriate children's entertainment centers.  Sometimes children are FREE so for the adults only the cost to you is only $2800.00.

Great Diving in Jamaica

I just returned from Jamaica and was able to scuba dive off the coast of Ocho Rios and off the cost of Negril. While the diving off the coast of Ocho Rios was fine, I was completely surprised at how GREAT the diving is off the coast of Negril!

In just one dive, I swam with a turtle, a dolphin, a school of lion fish and saw an octopus (which everyone knows is my favorite!). The coral was colorful and very abundant. It was a great dive and I encourage everyone to check it out!

But I have to say, the island has changed. I used to feel a little cautious when wandering about outside the resorts, but all of the local Jamaicans I ran into were fantastically friendly, helpful and very happy! Their happiness was very contagious and made for a great trip!

Jamaica was so great, that I want to send YOU there today! If you are interested in diving, I highly recommend staying in Negril. There are quite a few nice All-Inclusive Resorts for you to choose from and I was lucky enough to tour them while I was there. Each resort had a different "feel" and now I feel confident about getting to know you and sending you to the one that suites YOU the best.

Did I mention that Scuba Diving is FREE at these All-Inclusive Resorts? Yes, FREE!  Here are two SuperClubs resorts to consider:

Breezes Grand Resort and Spa



This All-Inclusive resort is Adult only and has a "clothing optional" side. The resort was very clean and the buffet was great. The beach was really spacious and people were playing volleyball, kayaking, and soaking up the rays. There is a nice variety of restaurants available for the guests.

There is also nightly entertainment and beautiful landscaping.

Hedonism II

 

Yes, you have heard of this place before! For those that want a little more excitement in their lives, this is the place for you! All the guest were 'comfortable in their own skin' - no pun intended - and down to earth. This is a great place to lay back and enjoy the view. There are daily and nightly organized activities guests can participate in ranging from beach volleyball, twister, to toga parties. But, if laying on the beach with a good book is what you prefer, that is available for you also.
There is a "prude" side and a "nude" side. Both sides offer activities, but those going "prude" must know the "nude" often walks past!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Captain Don's Habitat in Bonaire - Hot Special!

Captain Don's Habitat in Bonaire is having a great special! Book 7 nights and pay for 5! This package includes 7 nights in a 2-bedroom quad accommodations, 6 days of 1-tank boat diving, unlimited shore diving, round-trip airport transfers, all taxes and fees.   Package price starts at $622 per person for a quad occupancy!

If you haven't dove in Bonaire before you don't know what you are missing and I must tell you -- you are missing a lot! Bonaire is made for divers and they are not kidding when they say "unlimited shore diving"! You can pop on your gear and jump into the ocean right from the dock. The reef is 10 feet away and amazingly beautiful! I got great pictures of octopus, sea horses, eels, angel fish and much more!
 


Visit Captain Don's in Bonaire and you'll see my BareDiver t-shirt hanging above the bar!