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Dive Review of Dive Saint Vincent/Young Island Resort in
St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Dive Saint Vincent/Young Island Resort, Jun, 2007,

by joe DelGuidice, mA, united States (Reviewer Reviewer 3 reports). Report 3659.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments I have read for many years about Bill Tewes' Dive Saint Vincent Operation and Critter Diving in SVG...wel i finally got there and it was beyond my expectations!
My wife, Joan (non-diver) & I spent 8 enchanted nights in Paradise at Young Island Resort - a 34 acre Cay - 5 minutes away by small ferryboat from the mainland of St Vincent. SV is a Volcanic, Tropical/Jungle Island with low impact tourism...No big resorts & cruise ships hardly visit there. Young Island is a luxurious resort, but reasonably priced in the off-season. The place was a fifth full; the (all inclusive) food and service was very excellent.
It really is the only place to stay that will excite the non-diver. It really was like Paradise. The rooms, grounds & service were very good.The snorkeling around Young Island was very good. Joan did her first night Snorkel and spotted a large Moray Eel, Lobster, Crabs & many bright Red Brittle Starfish.Too bad they don't have shore diving available.
Bill Tewes is an amazing diver and Dive Guide extraordinaire , who specializes in small critter diving: Sea Horses, Eels, varied Crabs & shrimp, Frog Fish, Sea Slugs, Nudibranch, Pipe Fishes and many more. Many times I would use my 4" magnifying glass to gaze at these tiny beauties....many critters being less than an inch long. It's amazing to follow Bill and watch him find these Marine Treasures, all in 20 -50 feet of water. He would use his pointer to show me the Critter and then use his underwater slate to write it’s name and info like, “full with eggs”. I learned how to look more closely and carefully, and to have much better buoyancy control, which I previously thought I was quite Ok …thankyou!.
Larry was an outstanding DM and warm personality and easy demeanor was a good balance to Captain Bill.
I bonded with Bill Tewes– Texan, dove in Papua New Guinea and then set up shop in SVG for the last 23 years. The most famous Dive photographers, who publish the best FISH ID books, dive with him to find the rare –the small- the beautiful. As well described by the many accounts I have read about Bill, he is uniquely a personality that can give you a boat -load of ribbing ..part out of sarcasm/fun & part out of instruction-mentoring, and you relish the attention….you look forward to the next encounter with this man who knows his Island , his crew & boats, his dive sites and most importantly his Critters. He gets very personal with his customers and holds you to a high standard. Initially it was intimidating for a non photograher- fun diver (that's me) to be with VERY experienced divers /photo geeks:people who have perfect bouyancy and can stay down forever....! I was consistantIy with very experienced divers who were very Cool...Execpt for a couple of days -this one woman was "the boss" of a dive club from Michigan.. She was way over the top giving advice/orders to everyone.At one point early on I had to tell her to back off and that i took orders only form Bill.It's a shame someone so talented in diving has to give off such a "difficult to take" aura.
I learned a lot from Bill about how to find these critters. He would see me screw up and give me a look and wave his fist while writing on his slate,"breath less heavy!”, and “inhale to float up!” The pressure was on to dive like him and gain his respect. I know i am a much better Diver because of Bill. Ok - well the Critters so many that i have never seen before: Decorator Nimble Spray& CeramicCrabs, Magnificent urchin, Social feather Duster,Opposum Pipe Fish, Harlequin Pipe Fish,Box crab, Painted Elysia Slug and more..AND the largest Sea Horses anywhere!

One day we flew in a puddle jumper to Union Island --South in the Grenadines, and took an all day Catamaran Sail to desolate white sandy beaches, which included the uninhabited, pristine Tobago Cays. Captain Yanni's Catamaran Tours did an excellent job!
Definitely worth the money. Young Island can arrange it all.
It was Carnavale time at SVG, which is multi day holiday. Thousands of people organized into groups they call "bands" dress up and dance and parade throughout the small capital town -Kingstown. This Carnavale is for the locals- VINCY MAS 2007! They wear bathing suits and put incredible themed costumes on. At times the dancing gets quite wild & erotic...very hot! Each band is accompanied by a large truck with massive sound systems- I danced in the street (hot & humid), rum drink in hand, for 2 hours either on the side with all the spectators or behind various bands. I probably saw 6- 12 white folk the whole afternoon. The people were so friendly and loved to see me out there dancing with them.
Street Vendors were everywhere- selling cold bottled water, beers, rums drinks and food. I was told that this is the one time of the year the young folk are allowed to get semi naked and go wild in public...and man do they "let it all hang out!" One very small band did have a few white folk in it. They carried the banner "European Arrivals". This struck me as the group that descended from slave owners...Well right after them there was a Band titled "Slave Traders" with bright orange African costumes carrying spears. Right after them in yellow costumes came a band where everyone had shackles on! I got it all on film.
One afternoon we went to the Botanical garden. The oldest in the Western Hemisphere- 250 year old trees & the original Breadfruit Tree that Captain Bligh brought there from Tahiti...before the mutiny trip.Joel was a terrific guide ..ask for him!
And Ricky is the best cab driver.
I miss being there!
joe@mercurypersonnel.com

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving All Caribbean: 23 years.....12 years of snorkeling before that.
Roatan in '05 was great with my 15 yr. old son at AKR; Grand Cayman (3X); Dominica; Curacao; St. Croix;Tortola; St. John; Martinique; St. Lucia; St. Vincent; Key Largo; T&C.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 80-0°F / 27--18°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 60-75 Ft/ 18-23 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions None...It was shallow critter diving....20' to 60' .
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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