Our diving holiday was over far too quickly! They say time flies when you are having fun but I wish it hadn’t moved at such a pace. Not so the diving as usual which was slow, leisurely and relaxing but great fun too. As Fruity would say: ‘Lazy but lively’.

We were diving with Scuba Jamaica. You can find them at www.jamaicascubadivers.com I would thoroughly recommend this dive company. We chose it based on the fact that Fruity, who we dived with 2 years ago, now worked with them. We were then very disappointed initially to hear that he had been off sick and may not be back at work for our holiday. So on the first morning we waited outside our hotel wondering who would be picking us up – we were delighted when Fruity turned up and greeted us again like long lost friends. In that one moment I remembered why we loved diving with this guy so much. He is the warmest, most friendly person I have ever met! Later in the holiday he joked that we were ‘part of his diving family who came back year after year’ and this is how you feel ‘one of them’. This is what makes diving with Fruity so special.

The dive centre also allows you to decide where you would like to dive each day, within reason of course. As it was low season, we were sometimes the only ones diving so would have our own ‘private service’ as it were. I have to confess we have never done quite so much diving in one holiday – sixteen dives including two courses. Unfortunately, Fruity managed to injure his back half way through our holiday so we dived with his cousin, Vincent and Christian took us for our wreck dives.

Whilst in Jamaica, we did the PADI Underwater Photography Speciality course. (Previously we had taken a digital photography course in England with Maria Mann but we wanted to use the PADI one as revision.) For the speciality we had to read the course book and do a knowledge review and this was followed by two open water dives where we practised our newly acquired skills e.g. white balance, changing the ISO, adjusting the EV, trying photos with and without flash, shooting up instead of down etc. We reviewed our photos between dives and discussed how we could improve on them. Even though this was the first time I had ever used this camera underwater and I am very new to underwater photography, I felt I got some pretty good results. Of course, there is plenty of room for improvement but I’m sure with practise I will progress. I think the hardest thing I found was trying to remember to shoot up rather than down but it is not always easy getting yourself into the right position and when you do, invariably your subject has then moved!

We also did the PADI Wreck Speciality course. I thoroughly enjoyed this – although at the time I did find it a bit daunting as I had never deployed a reel underwater or taken proper responsibility for planning dives. The ‘Reggae Queen’ was chosen for our wreck dives. This is a thirty metre tug boat. It was sunk at eighteen metres as an artificial reef in 1993. Again, there is a book to read and knowledge reviews to complete. On the first dive we were asked to do just a general survey of the ‘Reggae Queen’ and to note depths, compass bearings, possible hazards, interesting features etc. On the next dive we had to do another survey but this time in a lot more detail. Our homework over night was to draw a map of the wreck and note all the details we had collated. I was very pleased that I had taken some video on my camera to jog my memory. Christian said that he was so pleased with the map that he wanted a copy to put on the website. I have included the map at the end of this review.

For our next dive we had to attach a line to the outside of the ‘Reggae Queen’ from the bow to the stern, my buddy followed it and then I retrieved it. This was the first time I had used a line under water so my powers of concentration were tested! We then had to navigate our way to the planes which are located near the stern so that we could demonstrate setting a line through a wreck – the ‘Reggae Queen’ is too dangerous to penetrate. On our fourth dive we had to plan the dive, give the dive briefing to other guests and then lead the dive. I found this very nerve racking at the time, having never done it but also rather fun! Christian highlighted the need to keep your brain switched on at all times by telling Chris, my husband, that his dive computer had packed up. At first, Chris didn’t realise he was joking! He then said what are you going to do now? An American diver joked that he should have a second computer but Chris, after some thought said that he would consider the dive briefing and what the depths and times were supposed to have been. He would then look at his SPG and check what his maximum depth actually was. Next he would consult the manual dive tables to work out his pressure groups after the first dive and then after the surface interval in order to plan another dive.

Christian made me realise that although we have dive computers, too often we leave all planning to the Instructor or Dive Master and blindly follow them when we should be taking more responsibility. Divers do not stay at the exact same depth as the Dive Master/Instructor the entire dive so you can not rely on just following like sheep! I know we all have computers these days but we should be taking more note in case of malfunction. Ironically, Chris’ computer did fail during the holiday and he now needs a new one! Christian, you must have jinxed it!!!!

I would thoroughly recommend doing speciality courses; they are good fun and increase your overall knowledge in different situations. We now only have to do our Emergency First Response and Rescue Diver to get our Master Scuba Diver but even after I have this, I would still like to do some more specialities. Vincent was trying to persuade us to do the Instructor Course, as he said there was a shortage of instructors in Jamaica but I would prefer to keep diving as a hobby, that way I can enjoy it more.

The reefs may not be as spectacular or diverse as in say the Indian Ocean but there is still plenty to see. There are a range of dive sites which include walls, a few wrecks and shallow dive sites which are truly beautiful. We saw lots of Blue Chromis, Red Snappers, Squirrel Fish, Grunts etc. We also saw some Turtles, Puffer Fish, King Crabs and very large Lobsters. Oh and on one dive, Vincent and Chris saw a Manta in the distance – I unfortunately missed it. On a sad note, Lion Fish are now present on the reefs around Jamaica. These can eat up to fifty fish a day and the reefs are already severely depleted.

We had a great time in Jamaica and our thanks goes out to all those who made it so special. We stayed at the Royal Decameron Club Caribbean, in Runaway Bay, which I would also recommend. It is only 3 star but it is still a lovely hotel and the only low-rise one around. Don’t go for a standard room though as these are by the car park. We have stayed in both the garden and the ocean front cottages which are lovely. This hotel has many repeat guests – it was our third time but we are ‘newbies’ as some people come year after year which speaks volumes. The staff are so friendly and helpful. Shane (Fruity’s brother), in the restaurant, would have our drinks all lined up almost before we had sat down. George at the Jetty Bar makes awesome drinks and always remembers everyone year after year. Oh and I couldn’t believe Albert and ‘Cool Vibes’ were still there. Every time we visit I think ‘they are so old they won’t still be there’ and they are! If you want to go to Jamaica for diving this property represents very good value for money. Go and enjoy – please say ‘hi’ to us to all those mentioned in this review. We hope to return in the future to do our ‘Rescue Diver’.

By Ingrid Wallace