Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay, Jamaica diving

I am a new diver and am looking for a all-inclusive vacation to do
some beginner diving. Has anyone been to the Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay
area in Jamaica? Is it worth th trip or can anyone recommend someplace
not too expensive.

Thanks,
Jac

"Jacnbox" <jacnbox@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:df500dfc.0410080457.999f6c0@posting.google.co m...
> I am a new diver and am looking for a all-inclusive vacation to do
> some beginner diving .HasanyonebeentotheOchoRiosRunawayBay
> area in Jamaica? Is it worth th trip or can anyone recommend someplace
> not too expensive.
>
> Thanks,
> Jac

I've never been to the Ocho Rios / Runaway Bay area, but I have been diving
in Jamaica. I had a good time, but it's the only ocean diving I've done, so
I don't have much to compare it too. The general consensus seems to be that
Jamaica diving is subpar, but the diving around Negril (where I went) is the
best they have to offer. If you can afford it, I HIGHLY recommend Grand
Lido Negril (www.superclubs.com) as an all inclusive (including some
diving). It's a great resort with an awesome staff. IF you're interested,
I've posted reports of two of my trips to Grand Lido at
http://tinyurl.com/4oza4. Have a look and see what you think.

Chris

jacnbox@yahoo.com (Jacnbox) wrote in message news:<df500dfc.0410080457.999f6c0@posting.google.c om>...
> I am a new diver and am looking for a all-inclusive vacation to do
> some beginner diving. Has anyone been to the Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay
> area in Jamaica? Is it worth th trip or can anyone recommend someplace
> not too expensive.
>
> Thanks,
> Jac


Jamaica's diving within sport depths is lacking because although reef
structure is there, it is picked pretty clean of the expected life
that is so beautifully interesting.

You are more likely to see tropical fish on stringers on the
roadsides, for sale for local consumption, than on the inshore reefs.

Chris Guynn wrote:
> "Jacnbox" <jacnbox@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:df500dfc.0410080457.999f6c0@posting.google.co m...
>
>>I am a new diver and am looking for a all-inclusive vacation to do
>>some beginner diving .HasanyonebeentotheOchoRiosRunawayBay
>>area in Jamaica? Is it worth th trip or can anyone recommend someplace
>>not too expensive.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Jac
>
>
> I've never been to the Ocho Rios / Runaway Bay area, but I have been diving
> in Jamaica. I had a good time, but it's the only ocean diving I've done, so
> I don't have much to compare it too. The general consensus seems to be that
> Jamaica diving is subpar, but the diving around Negril (where I went) is the
> best they have to offer. If you can afford it, I HIGHLY recommend Grand
> Lido Negril (www.superclubs.com) as an all inclusive (including some
> diving). It's a great resort with an awesome staff. IF you're interested,
> I've posted reports of two of my trips to Grand Lido at
> http://tinyurl.com/4oza4. Have a look and see what you think.
>
> Chris
>
>
yeah, but the reefs are not worth the dive.



--

It's bad luck to be superstitious

"dazed and confuzed" <dedmann@netnitco.net> wrote in message
news:eL6dneDhFqNQnPrcRVn-pQ@netnitco.net...
<snip>

> yeah, but the reefs are not worth the dive.

IMO, the dive is worth the dive. Unless the conditions are disgusting like
those sewer divers in Mexico.

Chris Guynn wrote:

> "dazed and confuzed" <dedmann@netnitco.net> wrote in message
> news:eL6dneDhFqNQnPrcRVn-pQ@netnitco.net...
> <snip>
>
>>yeah, but the reefs are not worth the dive.
>
>
> IMO, the dive is worth the dive. Unless the conditions are disgusting like
> those sewer divers in Mexico.
>
>
true. But there are significantly better reefs.

--

It's bad luck to be superstitious

keysclub@bellsouth.net (Charlie) wrote:

> jacnbox@yahoo.com (Jacnbox) wrote in message
> news:<df500dfc.0410080457.999f6c0@posting.google.c om>...
> > I am a new diver and am looking for a all-inclusive vacation to do
> > some beginner diving. Has anyone been to the Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay
> > area in Jamaica? Is it worth th trip or can anyone recommend someplace
> > not too expensive.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Jac
>
>
> Jamaica's diving within sport depths is lacking because although reef
> structure is there, it is picked pretty clean of the expected life
> that is so beautifully interesting.
>
> You are more likely to see tropical fish on stringers on the
> roadsides, for sale for local consumption, than on the inshore reefs.


I think Jamaica is making some effort to try to protect/restore their
reefs...but there's still probably far too many fish traps overall for
the near-term.

Its been way too many years now to say that it still is this way, but in
Trelawni Parish, I actually found the shallow water snorkeling better
than the reefs.


-hh

" H. Huntzinger" <{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba@huntzinger.com> wrote in
message
news:{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba-4C5E81.07220710102004@news-east.dca.giganews.com...
> keysclub@bellsouth.net (Charlie) wrote:
> >
> > roadsides, for sale for local consumption, than on the inshore reefs.
>
>
> I think Jamaica is making some effort to try to protect/restore their
> reefs...but there's still probably far too many fish traps overall for
> the near-term.
>
> Its been way too many years now to say that it still is this way, but in
> Trelawni Parish, I actually found the shallow water snorkeling better
> than the reefs.
> -hh

I'm happy to hear this.

It has been a while since I was there last.

Hopefully they took lessons from the Belizians who recognized their treasure
long ago and made efforts at conservation..

"Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.com> wrote in message news:<oZD9d.1984$Lk3.73@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com >...
> "dazed and confuzed" <dedmann@netnitco.net> wrote in message
> news:eL6dneDhFqNQnPrcRVn-pQ@netnitco.net...
> <snip>
>
> > yeah, but the reefs are not worth the dive.
>
> IMO, the dive is worth the dive. Unless the conditions are disgusting like
> those sewer divers in Mexico.

I dive there less than a month ago, September 20, 2004 to be exact.

My post in rec.scuba.locations summarized it as follows:


RF> They were the most expensive, shortest, and worst two-tank dives
RF> I've ever done anywhere in the Caribbean. ;-(

I've probably done about 1,800 dives all over the Caribbean, so that's
got to be a hard-to-beat record for ME at least.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?J64425E79

-- Bob.

"Jacnbox" <jacnbox@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:df500dfc.0410080457.999f6c0@posting.google.co m...
>I am a new diver and am looking for a all-inclusive vacation to do
> some beginner diving. Has anyone been to the Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay
> area in Jamaica? Is it worth th trip or can anyone recommend someplace
> not too expensive.

Checkout the family/budget all-inclusive Starfish Trelawny.
www.starfishresorts.com I havn't been there in a couple of years, so give
them a call and ask if George is still there. I did my OW and AOW at
Grand Lido Sans Souci in Ocho Rios ( no longer a superclubs property ) and
I've also dove off Negril at Hedo2 and Grand Lido Negril. By far my
best experience was with George at Starfish. They filled AL80s to 3500
and almost none of the visitors wanted to dive. So most dives was just
George, myself and a DM to drive the boat. These were Jamaica Wild not
Jamaica Mild trips.