Just back from Grenada

Pmcduffee wrote:
>
> Just back from a week on the Island Dancer to Grenada.
>
> Had a great time, the boat is nice, though smaller that the usual PH boats. 12
> pax max, we had 12.
>
> Weather was fine, though several tropical waves were to pass over us.
>
> The Captain and crew were very accomidating to our diving requests. We had a
> great time.
>
> Dives were from a tender that had a decent ladder. Most dives were drift, some
> were with a very good current. One site, that we dove several times had a
> significant down current, followed by a significant up current.
>
> What a ride (:))
>
> All in all it was a very nice trip. Met up with a few divers from a previous
> trip, as well as transposed crew members.
>
> It really is a small world out there.
>
> I was very much surprised as to how much 'tropical' it was there. As Grenada is
> so far south in the antillies.

Did the ship's itin include the islands just off the NE coast? How much
of the time was spent doing the dives available to the dive ops that
cluster along the population center on the SW?

How did you do the air and how were the transfers (airport to ship)
handled?

Tell it all.


--
Doc _(:)0

"I'm hiding in Honduras, I'm a desperate man,
Send Lawyers, Guns & Money...The sh*t has hit the fan"
-Warren Zevon

Just back from a week on the Island Dancer to Grenada.

Had a great time, the boat is nice, though smaller that the usual PH boats. 12
pax max, we had 12.

Weather was fine, though several tropical waves were to pass over us.

The Captain and crew were very accomidating to our diving requests. We had a
great time.

Dives were from a tender that had a decent ladder. Most dives were drift, some
were with a very good current. One site, that we dove several times had a
significant down current, followed by a significant up current.

What a ride (:))

All in all it was a very nice trip. Met up with a few divers from a previous
trip, as well as transposed crew members.

It really is a small world out there.

I was very much surprised as to how much 'tropical' it was there. As Grenada is
so far south in the antillies.

Pat

--
I Call you My Friend, because You are My Friend.

>From: Robert \"Doc\" Adelman lawyers-guns-money@att.net

>Message-ID: <3F32475A.75418202@att.net>

>Pmcduffee wrote:
>>
>> Just back from a week on the Island Dancer to Grenada.
>>
>> Had a great time, the boat is nice, though smaller that the usual PH boats.
>12
>> pax max, we had 12.
>>
>> Weather was fine, though several tropical waves were to pass over us.
>>
>> The Captain and crew were very accomidating to our diving requests. We had
>a
>> great time.
>>
>> Dives were from a tender that had a decent ladder. Most dives were drift,
>some
>> were with a very good current. One site, that we dove several times had a
>> significant down current, followed by a significant up current.
>>
>> What a ride (:))
>>
>> All in all it was a very nice trip. Met up with a few divers from a
>previous
>> trip, as well as transposed crew members.
>>
>> It really is a small world out there.
>>
>> I was very much surprised as to how much 'tropical' it was there. As
>Grenada is
>> so far south in the antillies.
>
>Did the ship's itin include the islands just off the NE coast? How much
>of the time was spent doing the dives available to the dive ops that
>cluster along the population center on the SW?

We dove mostly to the NE Is'l of Grenada and then into St. Vincents.

The dives were mostly if not all drift dives. Some were really a hoot (:))

Usual Carib stuff, but plentiful. I was surprised as to how tropical Grenada
was, considering how south it is in the antillies.

Mesquito city on land. Got bit through clothes at night.

Actually a very good trip.

Some negative responces are.

No a boat safety briefing. Not standard for a PH boat. PH is the operator, but
the previous owner still runs the operation.

The boat was very nice considering it's smaller size, 80+ ft.

All dives were done from a tender. Back rolls for entry, and a decent ladder
for exits.

Nitrox is ava. The dive schedule is very tight which makes checking your mix
difficult. Actually, it was not enforced by the crew. A major safety hazard. Of
all the divers that were diving Nitrox, only my wife and I checked and filled
out the nitrox logs. The crew/Capt. never enforced the checking of the mix.
Since your gear is on the tender, you need to get onto the tender during your
SI to check your mix. Timing from fill to dive was short, and needed the
presense of a crew member or be chastised.

Still all was well planed, and had very good dive briefings.

>How did you do the air and how were the transfers (airport to ship)
>handled?

We went from Phx to Newark to San Juan PR. We stayed there one day, and then to
Grenada on American Eagle. Possibly the worst airline on the planet. Return was
the reverse. We padded the trip with extra days on each end due to connection
times and cost.

Personal note: If at all possible do not fly American Eagle or through Miami at
all cost.

American Eagle, a sub of AA, consistently overbooks. Miami as an airport justs
generally sucks in whole and should be avoided at all costs

>
>Tell it all.
>


--
I Call you My Friend, because You are My Friend.

Pmcduffee wrote:
>
> >From: Robert \"Doc\" Adelman lawyers-guns-money@att.net
>
> >Message-ID: <3F32475A.75418202@att.net>
>
> >Pmcduffee wrote:
> >>
> >> Just back from a week on the Island Dancer to Grenada.
> >>
> >> Had a great time, the boat is nice, though smaller that the usual PH boats.
> >12
> >> pax max, we had 12.
> >>
> >> Weather was fine, though several tropical waves were to pass over us.
> >>
> >> The Captain and crew were very accomidating to our diving requests. We had
> >a
> >> great time.
> >>
> >> Dives were from a tender that had a decent ladder. Most dives were drift,
> >some
> >> were with a very good current. One site, that we dove several times had a
> >> significant down current, followed by a significant up current.
> >>
> >> What a ride (:))
> >>
> >> All in all it was a very nice trip. Met up with a few divers from a
> >previous
> >> trip, as well as transposed crew members.
> >>
> >> It really is a small world out there.
> >>
> >> I was very much surprised as to how much 'tropical' it was there. As
> >Grenada is
> >> so far south in the antillies.
> >
> >Did the ship's itin include the islands just off the NE coast? How much
> >of the time was spent doing the dives available to the dive ops that
> >cluster along the population center on the SW?
>
> We dove mostly to the NE Is'l of Grenada and then into St. Vincents.

That's the best of Grenada, to be sure!

>
> The dives were mostly if not all drift dives. Some were really a hoot (:))
>
> Usual Carib stuff, but plentiful. I was surprised as to how tropical Grenada
> was, considering how south it is in the antillies.
>
> Mesquito city on land. Got bit through clothes at night.
>
> Actually a very good trip.
>
> Some negative responces are.
>
> No a boat safety briefing. Not standard for a PH boat. PH is the operator, but
> the previous owner still runs the operation.
>
> The boat was very nice considering it's smaller size, 80+ ft.


Wondering again out loud if that was the old Antares Dancer that plied
the Los Roques route... think someone answered that before, but I can't
remember. Two cabins on main deck, two small bunks each, other rooms
below decks? Smell of sewage?

>
> All dives were done from a tender. Back rolls for entry, and a decent ladder
> for exits.
>
> Nitrox is ava. The dive schedule is very tight which makes checking your mix
> difficult. Actually, it was not enforced by the crew. A major safety hazard. Of
> all the divers that were diving Nitrox, only my wife and I checked and filled
> out the nitrox logs. The crew/Capt. never enforced the checking of the mix.
> Since your gear is on the tender, you need to get onto the tender during your
> SI to check your mix. Timing from fill to dive was short, and needed the
> presense of a crew member or be chastised.
>
> Still all was well planed, and had very good dive briefings.
>
> >How did you do the air and how were the transfers (airport to ship)
> >handled?
>
> We went from Phx to Newark to San Juan PR. We stayed there one day, and then to
> Grenada on American Eagle. Possibly the worst airline on the planet. Return was
> the reverse. We padded the trip with extra days on each end due to connection
> times and cost.
>
> Personal note: If at all possible do not fly American Eagle or through Miami at
> all cost.
>
> American Eagle, a sub of AA, consistently overbooks. Miami as an airport justs
> generally sucks in whole and should be avoided at all costs

Agreed, but there are a couple of good Cubano style fast food joints at
MIA.

>
> >
> >Tell it all.
> >
>
> --
> I Call you My Friend, because You are My Friend.

--
Doc _(:)0

"I'm hiding in Honduras, I'm a desperate man,
Send Lawyers, Guns & Money...The sh*t has hit the fan"
-Warren Zevon

>From: "Robert \"Doc\" Adelman, C.I.D."

>Message-ID: <3F4AE7A6.F29626CC@att.net>

>> We dove mostly to the NE Is'l of Grenada and then into St. Vincents.

Oops, where's my compass. It was the NW, and then North from there.

>Wondering again out loud if that was the old Antares Dancer that plied
>the Los Roques route... think someone answered that before, but I can't
>remember. Two cabins on main deck, two small bunks each, other rooms
>below decks? Smell of sewage?

Nope, not the Antares. Don't know where that boat ended up. Heard something
that it is not operating by anyone.

This boat is actually the same one that was operating in Grenada, just under
the PH umbrella. Don't know who it was before.

Yup, there are some good eats at MIA. But why fly to MIA for some good food?
Houston has some good eats too.

Pat

p.s. I'll comment on Dan B's survival later (:))
LOL


--
I Call you My Friend, because You are My Friend.