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Dive Review of Grenadine Dive/Petit St Vincint Resort in
St. Vincent and the Grenadines/Petit St. Vincent

Grenadine Dive/Petit St Vincint Resort, Nov, 2009,

by Craig Condron, Washington, U.S.A. (Reviewer Reviewer 6 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 5289 has 1 Helpful vote.

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 3 stars
Dive Operation 3 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 3 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments After a 10 minute flight from Mustique (our first Island in the Grenadines) to Union Is. and a 20 minute boat ride to the dock at the Petit St. Vincent Resort, we were greeted by Christie and Charlie with welcome drinks. The resort imcompasses the whole island (160 acres)of Petit St. Vincent, one of the Southern most islands of the Grenadines. The large living spaces are spreard over the island for guest privacy. Most of the bungalows are on the beach, but some are on the hillside, however they all face the Trade Winds. Ala carte breakfast and dinners are served at the pavilon or at your room. Lunchs were buffet unless you wanted ala carte at your room or at the dozen or so private beach huts on the West end of the island. The food and staff were WONDERFUL. Walking and exercise trails were available.
Grenadine Dive was located at Union Is. however the had a 9:30 pickup at the resort for a 2 tank morning dive. They also pickup divers on Palm Island. Most of the dives were drift dives in a moderate current. The divemasters were always in a hurry, kicking with the current, instead of drifting ("drift dive").
My first dive was a reef West of Petit Martinique (govenered by Grenada). Out of 900 or so dives all over the Caribbean and Pacific, this is the deadest reef I have ever seen. A reddish/brown algae grew on 85%of the reef, the other 15% showed signs of desease. A few small fish. The gogarians looked like dead stick bushes with the reddish/brown algae waving on its branches. I am not a marine biologist, but my guess is Petit Martinique and Carriacou to the South are and have for years been dumping raw sewage into the Sea. The Grenadine government really needs to take note.
After a safety stop we continued Northward along the same reef now West of Petit St. Vincent. Same dead algae covered reef system. Even the sandy bottom areas had algae film covering them. Very sad. Because the Gulf Stream generally tavels from the South Petit St. Vincent's Reefs are recieving Grenada Islands Problems. Petit St. Vincent has a septic system. But Please read on!
2 days later I was again picked up at 9:30 for a 2 tank dive in the Tabago Cays. The first dive was at Mayrere Garden, again a moderate current in 81 F. water with a 60 vis. Only saw the algae on 10%-15% of the reef, the rest seemed health. Fish life was abundant. The small varity against the reef and thousands of Chromis and Creole Wrasse followed by small hunting packs of Horse-eye Jacks in the water column. Also large schools of Chubs and Snappers past by. An occasional Nurse Shark and Southern Stingray lay along the bottom. One of the "fishest" dives I've had in the Caribbean. Next to Horseshoe reef West of Tabago Cays. An anchored dive were we dropped down in the middle and dove both legs of the horseshoe. Not as fishy as the first dive, but still more than enough to keep your interest. Again the reef showed some signs of stress from algae, but not bad.
Again I took a one day brake and then off to the West end of Union Island.
Now this will end happily. Clipper's Point is one of the nicest reefs I have seen in the Caribbean. The Vase, Tube, Barrel and Rope Sponges stood up tall from this shallow bottom. And Encrusting Sponge filled in the gaps. A moderate current gently moved us along through schools of fish of all sizes as the feed in the water column at the drop off. Many cleaning stations of Yellowline Arrow Crabs and Pederson Cleaning Shrimp hiding in the Corkscrew Anemone. Down for over an hour while drifting in 48' of water or less.
Our safety stop was in the same bay, then we moved to the opposite side to Glen's Point. The current flowed the opposite direction and was a little faster. Health and bueaty of this reef is similar to our first dive. There was so much to see I stopped the horizontal position and went Budda style just off the bottom. The current was doing the work and I did the sightseeing. After an hour still had 1300 p.s.i.
If you dive with Grenadine Dive, request the West side of Unoin Island. This changed my mind and I will return to Petit St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving All areas of the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean form Hawaii to the Great Barrier Reef, Tahiti to Fiji.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 80-81°F / 27-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 1
Water Visibility 50-80 Ft/ 15-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions It was all drift diving, so the group needed to stay close to the divemaster (drift buoy). People were sent up the line as there air got low.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 2 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish 2 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

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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