Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay, Jamaica diving

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Jacnbox - 08 Oct 2004 13:57 GMT

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

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Chris Guynn - 08 Oct 2004 14:42 GMT

> I am a new diver and am looking for a all-inclusive vacation to do
> some beginner diving .HasanyonebeentotheOchoRiosRunawayBay
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> 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

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dazed and confuzed - 08 Oct 2004 22:08 GMT

>>I am a new diver and am looking for a all-inclusive vacation to do
>>some beginner diving .HasanyonebeentotheOchoRiosRunawayBay
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Chris

yeah, but the reefs are not worth the dive.

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It's bad luck to be superstitious

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Chris Guynn - 08 Oct 2004 22:51 GMT

<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.

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dazed and confuzed - 09 Oct 2004 00:03 GMT

> <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.

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It's bad luck to be superstitious

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Chris Guynn - 11 Oct 2004 21:02 GMT

> > <snip>
> >
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> >
> true. But there are significantly better reefs.

I have no comment on that since the Jamaican reefs are the only one's I've
seen. I hope and believe that you are correct though.

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Reef Fish - 10 Oct 2004 17:52 GMT

> <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.

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Chris Guynn - 11 Oct 2004 21:04 GMT

> > <snip>
> >
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> 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. :-)

I read it the first time. Was it worth diving?

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Reef Fish - 13 Oct 2004 00:48 GMT

> > "Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:<oZD9d.1984$Lk3.73@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com>...
> > >
> > > IMO, the dive is worth the dive.

> > 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 read it the first time. Was it worth diving?

For Chris Guynn, definitely.

-- Bob.

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Charlie - 08 Oct 2004 19:35 GMT

> 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
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> 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.

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H. Huntzinger - 10 Oct 2004 12:22 GMT

> > 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
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> 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

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- 10 Oct 2004 13:44 GMT

> > roadsides, for sale for local consumption, than on the inshore reefs.
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> 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..

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Chris - 11 Oct 2004 11:51 GMT

>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.

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