Jamaica Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
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Scuba
Jamaica Tel: 876-381-1113 (9am - 6pm) Negril Location
Only: 876 474 7002 (24hrs)
Hours of Operation Monday to Friday 9
a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Jamaica's north coast has a very diverse coral reef
structure. Located on the edge of the Cayman Trench, incredible reef
walls begin at 60 ft. and drop down to over 150ft.
Beautiful elephant-ear, basket, tube, and rope sponge
are found in beautiful colours of red, pink, yellow, and orange as well
as enormous trees of black coral and gorgonia.
The walls here have many overhangs and ledges for you to
explore and see lobster, king crab, green and spotted moray eels, and a
host of other marine creatures.
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Car Rentals in Jamaica
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Rick's
Cafe Cruise
Online Reservations
Snorkel pristine coral reefs and sip Jamaican rum as you
sail the beautiful Caribbean waters off Negril. Rick's Cafe Cruise has not
only a long history in Jamaica, its also a wonderful excursion for the whole
family.
Departing Negril you'll cruise to spectacular reefs in
Negril Marine Park, where you have the opportunity to hit the water for some
snorkeling. Back on the boat you'll cruise along the coastline all the way
to the West End.
Arriving at Negril's famous Rick's Cafe you'll get to watch
the cliff jumping, and if you bring your courage with you - join in!
Continue on to Pirate's Cave, where you again have the chance to jump in the
warm waters of the Caribbean.
Cruising back to Negril as the sunsets, enjoy the open bar
which include fruit punch, Jamaican rum and soda.
Resort Divers and
Watersports
Locations in Jamaica
Montego Bay
Montego Bay is the second largest city in Jamaica and is known for its
beautiful waters, its marine park, mountains and plantations. Resort Divers
is located on the magnificent Royal DeCameron Montego Beach, Montego Bay. We
offer a wide array of diving water sport activities from this location.
From our dive/watersports facility in Montego Bay we service the Coyaba
Beach Resort, The Ritz Carlton Golf and Spa Resort and the Sunset Beach
Resort, as well as all other area hotels, villas and the cruise ships.
Pick Up Service Available Anywhere in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Runaway
Bay.
Runaway Bay
In Runaway Bay, St Ann, Jamaica, Resort Divers operates from two locations.
We are onsite at the beautiful Royal Decameron Club Caribbean offering
watersports and SCUBA activities. Runaway Bay offers some of the best scuba
diving locations on the island, with a plethora of named and unnamed dive
sites just 15 minutes off shore. From here you will find wreck dives,
historical dive sites and many wall dives.
Runaway Bay is a quiet tourist town and perfect for anyone looking for a
more relaxed atmosphere while staying in Jamaica. There are golf courses and
the area has a more sleepy quality which is not found in destinations like
Ocho Rios and Montego Bay. Runaway Bay is also centrally located between the
two cities and offers visitors an easy commute to both cities and their
attractions like Dunn's River Falls, Rose Hall Great House.
We have also recently completed the renovation of our own beach front
location, where we operate our Sharkies Restaurant and Bar.
This facility is just minutes from Hedonism III in Runaway Bay and from this
location we offer all of our water sports including glass bottom boat,
parasailing, banana boat and SCUBA.
If you just want to relax in the sun and enjoy a cold Red Stripe beer
Sharkies Beach is perfect. We have changing rooms and restroom for your
convenience with a lifeguard on staff for your safety. From this location
we also service our Ocho Rios clientele.
Introductory
Scuba Dive in Negril
Online Reservations
Why not take the opportunity to go scuba diving during your
stay in Negril? The PADI Discover Scuba Diving course is a great
introduction to this popular water sport.
Nothing compares to the weightless freedom of diving, and
the calm Jamaican waters off Negril provide the perfect environment for your
first dive. With expert instructors on hand, no previous experience is
necessary.
Certified PADI instructors will teach you the basics of
scuba diving, including pool training and theory. Once you have mastered the
basics, it's off to a popular local dive spot for your first open-water
dive.
Supervised by your instructors, your small group dive takes
you to a maximum depth of 40 feet (12 meters), subject to favorable
conditions. The crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean are home to beautiful
coral reefs and schools of tropical fish, ideal for scuba diving.
As an added bonus, you'll receive a second open-water dive
for free and you'll soon be taking to the water like a fish.
Please note: This diving course includes components that
stretch throughout the duration of the day.
Departure Points: RIU Tropical Bay Hotel or RIU Negril Club
PADI
Certified Scuba Diver Course in Negril
Online Reservations
Slap on some fins, strap on a mask and take the first step
towards International Diving Certification. Suitable for all beginners, what
better place to learn to scuba dive than in the beautiful Caribbean waters
off the coast of Negril.
The PADI Certified Scuba Diver Course is your first step
towards International Diving Certification. This short course is great fun
during which you will learn the fundamentals of diving. On completion of the
course you will be certified to scuba dive anywhere in the world, when
accompanied by an instructor or divemaster.
The course includes use of all required scuba equipment,
theory lessons and confined water training (pool training). Once you have
mastered the basics, it's off to a popular local dive spot for your first
open-water dive. A second open water dives will follow, both under the
guidance of your PADI trained expert instructor.
Departure Point: RIU Tropical Bay Hotel or RIU Negril Club
Hotel
PADI
Open Water Diver Course in Negril
Online Reservations
Become a certified open water diver in paradise! What better
place to gain certification than the beautiful Caribbean Sea in the waters
off Negril. Let a PADI professional instructor teach you how to dive in a
short time while on holidays in sunny Jamaica.
Your Open Water Diver Course will teach you all you need to
know to dive with confidence and safety. Suitable for all beginners, the
course covers the theory of safe diving as well as confined water training.
Once you have mastered the basics, it's off to a popular local dive spot for
your first open-water dive (maximum 45 minutes). A further three open water
dives will follow, all under the guidance of your PADI trained expert
instructor.
With the most recognized certification in hand, you'll have
all the skills and knowledge to independently dive on your next vacation.
Departure Points: RIU Tropical Bay Hotel or RIU Negril Club
Hotel
Departure Time: 8:30 am
Negril Scuba
Center Dive Sites
The Arches
Depth: 33 feet
Description: Many overhangs and ledges; Shallow Plane dive often combined with
this dive.
Marine Life: Nurse sharks, large sting rays, fairy basslets.
Locals' Tip: Swim through the arches and watch the purple and yellow fairy
basslets hang upside down on the ceilings of the arches and caverns.
Ballard's Reef
Depth: 90 feet
Description: Hard to find outer reef, relatively untouched.
Marine Life: Large kingfish and occasional jew fish.
Booby Cay Island
The island has been almost surrounded with mooring buoys installed by the
Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society, with the help of Reef Relief from
Florida, Sandals Negril and more. Weather conditions dictate which side of the
island is used. The northwest side (where the least snorkeling occurs) has
some healthy elk horn coral near the surface and a lot of very large Bloody
Bay coral heads as you proceed outward.
Blood Bay (Inner)
Depth: 30 feet
Description: One of the dive sites used for the Resort Course; coral heads
rise up to 20 feet from the bottom of Bloody Bay.
Marine Life: Large spiny puffers, occasional seahorses.
Deep Plane (Bloody Bay Outer)
Depth: 90 feet
Description: Small, single-engine plane at 90 feet.
Marine Life: Spade fish, barracuda, exotic coral, barrel sponges, gorgonians.
Gallery
Depth: 30 feet
Description: Interesting overhangs and ledges, many places to explore.
Marine Life: Large crabs, turtles, nurse sharks, sting rays, morays, black
coral, occasional sea horses.
King Fish Point
Depth- 70 feet
Description: Begins with spectacular coral formations to a depth of 90 feet
and reef drops to sand flats at 130 feet.
Marine Life: Turtles, nurse sharks, enormous barrel sponges, large gorgonians.
Middle Shoal Reef
Depth: 30 feet
Description: One of the most common dives used in the Resort Course; coral
reef to sand bed at 30 feet.
Marine Life: Clusters of French grunts at cleaning stations on coral heads,
squirrel fish gather at other cleaning sites, turtles, many blue chromis,
Creole Wrans, parrot fish,
Shallow Plane
Depth: 35 feet
Description: Plane at 55 feet, located on the south of the edge of the reef,
which is full of overhangs, ledges, caverns, sponges, seafans and coral.
Marine Life: Soldier fish at the plane, sting rays at the reef.
Locals' Tip: Look for the long snout butterfly fish that has made his home in
the back seat of the plane.
Throne Room
Depth: 38 feet
Description: This dive should not be missed. Start on top of the reef. Descend
through the chimney into the Throne Room, a large room open on the west side
with a sand floor at 70 feet. Exit the Throne Room up the chimney.
Marine Life: Spotted drum fish, banded shrimp, fairy basslets, lobster.
Locals' Tip: Follow the same reef edge south, and you'll find another, smaller
throne room, complete with a chimney in the rear.
Blue Castle Shipwreck
Depth- 40 feet
Description: Unidentified bare metal hull close to the west end cliffs; broken
remains of the Caribbean Queen, a wooden-hulled ship that burned while under
tow lies to the east.
Marine Life: Lobsters, groupers, occasional nurse sharks.
Bond Wreck
Depth: 45 feet
Description: Wreckage of Tears of Allah lies near coral reefs, largely broken
up due to rough seas.
The Caves
Depth: 30 feet - 50 feet
Description: Two connecting caves (24 feet wide and 12 feet wide) with an old
anchor nearby and a chain that ends at 50 feet. There is also a cannon on the
bottom in about 10 feet of water.
40 Million Year Old Caves
Depth: 60 feet
Description: Series of caves.
Marine Life: Morays, lobster.
Frenchman Hole
Depth: 60 feet
Description: Deep dive, located directly offshore from Orange River, with many
ledges and a cave very similar to the Throne Room.
Marine Life: Nurse sharks, morays, groupers, occasional hammerhead.
Porpoise Pens Wall
Depth: Starts at 40 feet and continues down.
Description: Area abounds with soft and hard coral.
Locals' Tip: Keep your eyes open for the solitary shark that occasionally
cruises just off the wall.
Sands Club Reef
Depth: 38 feet
Description: Many overhangs and ledges; spectacular view at the drop off at
more than 150 feet.
Marine Life: Turtles, puffers, occasional nurse sharks.
Sharks Reef
Depth: 38 feet
Description: Follow reef down to a sandy bottom sloping seaward at 75 feet.
Marine: Nurse sharks, large sting rays.
Snapper Drop
Depth: 38 feet
Description- Large, encrusted anchor is hooked under a coral head on the south
edge of the sand.
Marine Life: Nurse sharks, morays.
Locals' Tip: Look for the nurse sharks and morays, resting in the eaves.
Spadefish Reef
Depth: 90 feet
Description: Deep dive with spectacular coral formations.
Marine Life: Usually a school of spadefish, turtles, lobsters, large
gorgonians.
Sun Divers Dive
Sites
The following dive sites are a sample of the mysteries that our waters have to
offer. Our 24ft Maco, powered by an outboard 200HP Yamaha, will take you to
the reef and back in no time.
Fish Pond - 30+ft/10+m
This site provides many opportunities for beginners and advanced divers to
take a look around. If you're looking for seahorses, this is a good spot to
start. This reef is speckled with Lettuce Sea Slugs, and many other small
marine life, bringing in some good size Mackeral and Jacks for feedings.
Fanta-Sea - 30ft/10m
Stay on top of the reef and check out all of the little nooks and crannies
where you can find all sorts of interesting little creatures. You can also
drop down off the edge to a sandy bottom and look for eels, and crabs hiding
in the reef.
The Hunt - 45ft/14m
Drop down onto this patchy reef dancing across the sand. Check in all of the
holes and hiding places in search of Nurse Sharks, Turtles, and Snapper. This
is a good site to see Spanish Mackerel darting to the surface for prey.
Arches - 45ft/14m
Located about 6 minutes from shore, this breath taking reef is named after a
set of natural arches and caverns. Look in the sand for yellow headed jawfish
and garden eels, while Morays and lobsters frequent the swim-throughs.
Shallow Plane - 55ft/17m
A Cessna 152 Airplane resting next to a beautifully overhanging reef. Look for
Queen Angelfish, Spotted Drum Fish, and the occasional dolphin at this site.
Golden Gates - 60ft/18m
This reef is brilliant although rarely visited due to its vicinity to a fresh
water shed. This reef rises up from the sand to provide many areas for
creatures to hide out. Crabs, Octopus, Green Moray, Eagle Rays, amongst others
have been seen here. Visibility is poor at this site during the rainy season,
due to river run off.
Shark's Reef - 60ft/18m
This magestic reef provides large overhangs, making holes where you find nurse
sharks hanging out during the day. Brilliantly colored, the coral juts up from
the sand, looming over divers, providing opportunities for some amazing
memories.
Throne Room - 65ft/19m
Descend through a crack in the reef to enter this magnificent cave. Brightly
colored Tube Sponges spackle the walls where Banded Coral shrimp seek refuge.
Turtles frequent the area, along with the seasonally curious Dolphin.
King Fish Point - 70+ft/21+m
Beginning around 70ft/21m this site quickly drops off to 130+ft/40+m. If you
like it big, don't let this site get past you. Large Snapper and Parrot Fish
frequent the area, and the gorgonians and sponges are worth checking out as
well.
Deep Plane - 90ft/27m
This is where our Divemasters love to hang. Frequented by turtles, Barracuda,
Spade Fish, and the territorial Ocean Trigger Fish. Drift along the outer edge
before the Caribbean drops off to the deep.
Tug Boat - 90ft/27m
This wreck was sunk in 1993 to provide the sea life with an artificial reef.
Settled on a sandy patch, the reef in this area is worth checking out as well.
Look for Barracuda, Scrawled File Fish, and the occasional Eagle Ray passing
through the area.
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