Calling all divers...

Our friend wishes to do a few rendezvous dives while in the BVIs next month.

Where are the best sites and whom should be use?

.... Following
Our oldest is looking to do a dive also on our trip next week . No one else aboard is certified so looking for a dive/ snorkel option and assume solo divers will have a dive buddy with them??
On my bucket list but have not gotten to it yet . She took a marine biology course in her science undergrad and went to Bonaire diving for a week.
Has been telling me ever since that I need to learn to dive .
... Eventually

We've always been happy with Dive BVI. We also used Sail Caribbean divers and we're happy with them too. You typically don't request the dive site, especially with just a single person as there should be others they'll take as well. But you can certainly make suggestions. Although if he's never dove there, best to just leave it to them - all the sites they'd do are good sites.

Perfect they have a boat in Leverick ...dive BVI I mean ... I think?

Yes, I don't know how often they leave from there though. But I believe they will still pick up there. They typically go out of Spanish town or Scrub.

we are meeting Blue water divers on a ball at the NP moorings in early June for an R/V dive. Booking process was very straightforward. I will let you know what I find out about the experience once we complete the dive!

Thank you mcevog, look forward your opinion on Blue Water divers when you return.

We have used Sail Caribbean Divers several times, and also Sunchaser SCUBA (by Bitter End YC) and Dive BVI. All are pretty comparable, very accommodating to new and experienced divers alike. Definitely best to let them suggest the dive site, as it can depend on conditions any given day. Make arrangements a few days in advance (even the day before can work, depending on their total customers), they will pick you up right at your boat. If you are going out of Leverick, Dive BVI is right there. Great dives in that region are any of the Dogs (George, Great, or West Dog).

Other great areas are Wreck of the Rhone (obviously!) at Salt Is., but also several dive sites around Ginger Is. - Alice in Wonderland, and Alice's Back Door. Franko Maps (http://frankosmaps.com/) has a very comprehensive BVI dive location map. Talk to the dive company, they will find a site suitable to the experience level.

Since we did the rendezvous diving many times, we switched last year to just renting our gear and having it with us on the boat - will be doing that again next month.

Hope to see you out there!

They are all good. My son got certified by BWD. They are a very good company. They have locations at Nanny Cay and Soper's Hole. d_fish, a single diver will definitely be with a group unless she wants a private dive $$$. She will have more fun with 4-5 other divers. Kim do you class room and pool work at home and then you will only have 4 dives to get certified in BVI. You will do 2 dives one and and 2 dives the next day. Then you can get a scuba tank so you can clean your boat's bottom, work on the prop, clean out through hulls, so much fun <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> seriously, you will love it. Take the class with Bridget

We have used Sail Caribbean and Dive BVI. Both were good.

Met SC at Trellis and dove at the Dogs - Chimney & Coral Gardens.
Met DBVI in the North South and dove the Rhone - Bow & Stern.

The dive site options will be limited by where you are being picked up from, weather, and conditions. Favorite dive sites for us are - Rhone, Wreck Alley, Marco's Point, and Angelfish Reef. Coral Gardens is the best on the north side and includes a small plane wreck to check out. The plane has a cool story too

I would second the "learn to dive". Don't have to go deep to enjoy.

My favorite diving is in less than 30 feet of water

For Rendezvous diving I find the best pickup and drop off spot is Cooper Island. Usually they pick up between 9 and 10 AM and Cooper is located near the best dive sites. Show up there at the pickup time and you will have your choice of balls and it's a great place for the non divers to hang out for 3 or 4 hours. The divers will be back in time to go somewhere else for the night or just stay there. All the dive companies do a good job. Sail Caribbean has a store right there.
George

Hopefully in a quiet spot - don't forget - NP moorings are a 90 minute limit. Would be poor etiquette to remain on a ball for a few hours if the site is full and a two tank rendezvous can take a few hours.

One time we had an extra extended dive as we had boat issues and got towed in to Cooper while they were worked out.. Still was a great time though, had some lunch with the crew!

Check with Muffy at "Blue Water Divers" in Nanny Cay..our guests love them and the rates are great..mention TTOL..

I've used Blue Water Divers for a rendezvous dive of the Rhone, they met our charter boat in the Bight to pick me up, and then dropped me off at Great Harbor, Peter Island (this was pre-planned and not a problem). Had a great dive and no problem as a solo diver.

Felix

Just back from the trip. We did an R/V with Blue Water Divers. We actually were overnight in the Bight the night before, and the dive boat came alongside us at 0930 as promised. We stepped aboard from our Cat, the gear was all there, we did 2 great dives, and they delivered us back to our boat by 115pm. I am now a convert! For the type of diving I enjoy, this was absolutely the best way to do it. I know all, or most, of the dive companies do it this way, but Blue Water Divers was the team that I experienced and it was a treat! Big recommendation!

Another nod for Blue Water Divers. Keith (Muffy's brother and a real hoot) picked us up at The Bite right on time and we did the Rhone and someplace on the outside they don't usually get to but it was a calm enough day. We've also rented equipment from them and done our own thing.