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Our diving, accommodations and whale watching were booked with Salt Cay Divers some three months before we arrived. The booking was simple and only required a few e-mails and a phone call. Debbie employs an excellent dive master by the name of Mike Dinegras, who we came to find out has worked in various places around the Caribbean in the past and who we observed to accommodate every level of diver experience from the newly certified to the experienced visitor. Mike allowed us to dive our own profiles or to be guided, which ever we preferred. Before the first dive, he briefly questioned each diver about his/her experience level and, before each dive, he provided excellent briefings, reviewed signals and covered safety procedures. The dives were made from 24 foot center-console skiffs which are used for both diving and whale watching. They are comfortable and rode the water surprisingly well. They do require back roll entries into the water, and ladders are used for re-entering the boat after first passing BCD and tank up to the dive master in the boat. Exits and entries were safe and easy.
The Salt Cay Divers’ boats were well maintained, and proper safety gear was carried on each dive. All of the diving equipment was in proper working order, and we could neither detect defective equipment nor did we encounter any malfunctions or safety concerns during any of our four days of diving. This was quite a surprise for my wife and I who have traveled all over the Caribbean, as we usually encounter at least some less than fully operational equipment at the smaller islands. Not here: Salt Cay Divers has an operation that rivals any state of the art resort that we have visited including those at Bonaire and the Caymans. Debbie has put together a fantastic yet simple operation. She was not pushy, let us ask questions and gave advice about the island’s beautiful beaches, food and places to see when we asked.
The diving was terrific. Our fist dive was on the wreck of the Endymion, a British warship that sank in about 1790. There are actually two wrecks at the site which is about 10 or 12 miles off Salt Cay. The second wreck is thought to be that of a late nineteenth century ship which sank in the same area as the Endymion. There is much to see at this site including anchors, canons, anchor chains along with huge stands of healthy coral and the local fish population. Other local dive sites included Kelly’s Folley, Northwest Wall and Three Pillars. At these sites, we encountered small parades of reef fish, beautiful walls, and saw some turtles. We had a completely great dive experience on every dive. The local dive sites were only a five or ten minute boat ride away meaning that surface intervals could be done back on land where there is a small open-air diner called the “Green Flash” where drinks and food can be obtained. The Green Flash remained open until 8 P.M., and fresh fried seafood and snacks of all sorts were usually available.
A few practical travel tips: Bring cash or travelers checks, as credit cards are not readily accepted on the island. Also, consult ahead of time with your host about pre-ordering food and drinks, as food at the restaurants tends to be expensive. |
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