DIVE IN OR SNORKEL OVER BARBADOS BLUE

SCUBA DIVING IN BARBADOS

Barbados is one of the few islands in the Caribbean that can provide 365 days of scuba diving each year. Most of our dive trips go to the west and south coasts of the island, and Barbados Blue at the Hilton Hotel is on the peninsular that separates the two coasts. We are in the middle of the best dive sites including our backyard house reef the historic Carlisle Bay Marine Park with its six ship wrecks and tens of thousands of colourful reef fish and turtles. We dive three to four times a day on reef, wreck, deep, drift, calm, shallow, night and more beautiful sites!

During the summer Barbados Blue schedules dives to the scenic and untouched east coast. We either dive with the resident fishing vessels or we take Aunty Jas (fastest in Barbados ) to the Atlantic coast. The Atlantic coast of Barbados has a steep topography with walls, caverns and overhangs, and yes there are shark dives as well.

Divers enjoy warm water temperatures year round varying from 29°C (84°F) in the summer months of July-September to 27°C (77°F) in the winter months Jan-March. Typically divers get the luxury of diving in swim suits or skin suits in the summer and may put on a 3mm ‘shorty' (short wet suit) in the winter. Available for rent at Barbados Blue we have the 3mm short suits from child size 10 to adult XXXL.

SNORKELING IN BARBADOS

With Barbados Blue snorkellers learn to snorkel with our free daily lessons and/or join us for a shipwreck or turtle snorkel along the calm leeward west coast and serene waters of Carlisle Bay Marine Park of Barbados. We offer tours every afternoon and several mornings a week.

In an effort to accommodate all experience levels we make it our job to get you comfortable in the water to appreciate the beautiful marine life underneath. Snorkeling is for all ages, including children of which we have had kids as young as 2 years in the water with us. All Barbados Blue snorkellers are provided with a flotation vest, mask, snorkel, fins and if desired additional flotation aids (boogie board etc). Contact lenses can be worn underneath snorkeling masks however reading glasses or sunglasses cannot. Personal snorkeling equipment is welcome and we would be happy to help with suggestions for proper adjustment and use.

Snorkeling Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How do I keep water out of my mask?

Make sure that the skirt of the snorkeling mask (plastic seal that fits to your face) is flat with no hair stuck under the seal. If you are sporting a moustache you can either cut it off (yikes!) or put some Vaseline on your moustache to help provide a seal. Do not tighten your snorkeling mask too much as this flattens out the round shape of the skirt preventing a proper fit, and, keep the snorkeling mask strap in the middle of the back of your head with the strap above the ears. If you do get a small amount of water in your mask (lines on your face when you smile at the fish) blow out through your nose while applying pressure on the top of the mask frame.

1. How do I keep water out of my mouth?

Be sure that you are holding the snorkel mouth piece in your mouth correctly by biting gently on the plastic notches in the mouthpiece. Let your lips fall around the outside of the snorkel mouthpiece completely. If you do get a small amount of water in your snorkel blow out and the water will shoot out either the top of the snorkel and/or depending on the snorkel style through the purge on the bottom.

1. Will I sink?

No absolutely not. All snorkellers are given vests to wear and our Barbados Blue water being salt water is very buoyant keeping swimmers and snorkellers effortlessly on the surface to enjoy the view.

1. Will I see sharks and do the fish and turtles bite?

On the calm leeward side of Barbados and in the serene Carlisle Bay Marine Park the chances of seeing a shark while snorkeling are next to none. So small in fact that one has never been reported. The fish and turtles are harmless on all counts however will come close enough for that perfect Kodak moment. For the snorkellers that would rather not have fish blocking their view of the Barbados shipwrecks and corals, stay away from the feeding areas (where the fish congregate in beautiful thick clusters).

For the more experienced snorkellers Barbados Blue has some excellent free-divers on staff that are always up for sharing experiences, giving tips or being challenged to a little competition. Our in-house record to date exceeds 3 minutes in breath holding and has reached a depth a 95ft free diving.

RESORT DIVERS & BEGINNER DIVERS

Barbados Blue is a PADI, BSAC and NAUI diving resort and due to its location beside the Carlisle Bay Marine Park is perhaps the best place to learn to scuba dive in Barbados or the Eastern Caribbean . In Carlisle Bay you will get a chance to see history come alive, and of course be surrounded with thousands of reef fish and vibrant coral reefs. Our comprehensive beginner course, called a Discover Scuba Diving experience or a Resort Dive, gets divers in the water and on a dive on the first day!

Dive in: A day in the life of a Barbados Blue beginner diver…

Our first lesson starts with a pool session in the Barbados Hilton pool. In this confined water environment we introduce new divers to their equipment, give you all the time you need to get comfortable and teach you a few basic skills and exercises to build confidence. Once the new divers and their PADI Instructor's are satisfied, which usually takes anywhere from ten minutes to an hour, the divers pass through the Barbados Blue Dive Shop where we get set to go out to the Marine Park for your first dive. We travel to the dive site by boat (2 minute drive) and spend the next hour getting in, getting comfortable and getting under de sea! This Barbados dive site has no current, no waves and is also a snorkeling site therefore when the new diver picks their comfort zone whether it is 2 feet below or 40 feet below there is more marine life to see than we have eyes for.

Beginner Scuba Diving Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How old do you have to be to learn to dive?

Barbados Blue divers can begin their adventure at age 8 years in the swimming pool and at age 10 years in the sea. There is no upper age limit for diving however all divers should be in good physical health. If you have medical concerns please contact your medical doctor and ask about your status and diving.

1. How long do you have to wait between diving and flying?

Divers need to wait 12 hours after a single dive before getting on an airplane. However, there is no limit for coming off a plane into the sea. If you have questions about your schedule please ask Barbados Blue dive staff.

1. Will my ears hurt when diving?

When divers and free divers go under water the water pressure puts pressure on our ears, this can feel much like the pressure change in an airplane. To alleviate this as we go under water, one of the Barbados Blue dive staff would be with you and you would be holding onto a rope to control exactly how fast you want to go down, we ask that you pinch your nostrils and blow against them lightly . Scuba diving masks are designed with a nose piece so that you can pinch through the mask. Try it right now…pinch your nose and blow against your nostrils lightly. Any change? This action in the diver's world is called “equalizing” and we encourage all our divers to do this every few feet on their way down. The key is to be patient and force nothing. Gently equalizing the ears often will allow your dive to be the eye-opening addictive experience it was for all of us here at Barbados Blue.

PADI DIVE COURSES IN BARBADOS

Many of our Discover Scuba Diving students go on to leave Barbados as certified divers. Due to advances with PADI and E-learning the PADI scuba diving courses may be completed at Barbados Blue in just a few days.

The PADI Scuba Diver course (1-2 days) is the intermediate course and gets divers down to 40 ft (12 m), and their PADI certification card will stipulate that this student always dives with an instructor. This diving course is a great option for the annual vacationer that likes to resort dive along their travels, and, as long as the diver keeps diving this and every PADI certification never expires.

The most common certification course in Barbados is the PADI Open Water Course (3-4 days) which requires dive students to complete the PADI Open Water Manual, and have four open water dives. Once certified, open water divers can dive anywhere in the world up to 60 ft (18 m) provided they dive with a certified dive buddy.

Barbados Blue Water Sport's PADI Scuba Diving Instructors certify up to Medic First Aid and Dive master. We have certified hundreds of divers ranging in age from 10 – 82 years old. Will you be next?

BARBADOS SCUBA DIVING & SNORKELING WITH TURTLES

If it is one thing that separates Barbados and Barbados Blue from other dive destinations it is the fact that we dive and snorkel with more turtles than anyone else. It helps that the Barbados Hilton Hotel is located on the most densely populated Hawksbill sea turtle nesting site in the Eastern Caribbean . Additionally, we even have a healthy compliment of juvenile Green sea turtles in front of the dive shop. All sea turtles are internationally recognized as endangered species and in Barbados they are protected by law.

Barbados Blue established another dive site along the south coast named Turtle Point (what else?), and here we get an average of ten turtles on each dive, including the very rare Ridley sea turtle spotted in April 2008! One of our favorite sites, this is a photographer's dream dive.

Due to our close ties with the Barbados Sea Turtle Project and the University of the West Indies we guarantee that our tours are ecologically sustainable and we will in no way harm these magnificent creatures. Barbados Blue's Dive masters and Instructors regularly report all nesting activities and rescue stranded or disoriented hatchlings.

 

The Barbados Blue tips for swimming with turtles:

•  Respect their space do not chase, grab, harass or ride turtles

•  Avoid wearing fins while snorkeling to protect their eyes because often the turtles will come up to you to say hello.

•  Do not drive jet skis or speedboats above idle speed in snorkeling areas. Turtles come up to see the visitors in the boats and if the boat is not there to see them they can easily suffer propeller damage.

•  Keep our beaches and waters clean. Turtles when juveniles are omnivorous (eat plants and critters) and will scavenge for things like jellyfish that look a lot like plastic garbage.

•  Do not drive on the beach, disturb nesting females, dig up nests or over-light the beach. Turtles and hatchlings need natural beach conditions to start life properly.

For more information on Barbados sea turtles please Barbados Blue or the Barbados Sea Turtle Project (BSTP).

BARBADOS ' ENVIRONMENTAL DIVE FACILITY

Barbados Blue is the premiere environmental dive facility in Barbados , and is the only facility with two PADI Instructors who are also marine biologists; Manager Andre Miller M.Sc. specialty in coral transplantation and Christie Finney M.Sc. specialty in the genetic biodiversity and distribution of coral symbionts in the Barbados and the Caribbean.

Barbados Blue is a PADI Project Aware Coral Watch Dive Operator; as such we regularly monitor coral reefs and submit data to provide critical information on coral bleaching, and other ecological issues. Barbados Blue is also the Reef Check Coordinating dive shop for the Eastern Caribbean , and we conduct educational seminars for schools, youth camps and organize underwater and beach clean-ups.

All of our boat engines are four-stroke low emission engines and weekly servicing is done to keep our cruisers as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. We use permanent moorings as oppose to dropping anchor, and all oil and beverage containers are recycled.

Dive into Barbados Blue

A Caribbean diving or Snorkeling Vacation can be a fantasy come true for you and your family and friends.

Enjoy exciting watersports such as jet skis or discover sunken treasures while scuba diving in the crystal clear, exotic blue waters of Barbados - a true island paradise.

Barbados Blue at the Hilton Hotel in Barbados can provide you with action, adventure, laughter and long lasting memories.

Imagine yourself snorkelling over shipwrecks, learning to scuba dive by PADI certified instructors & Marin Biologists, swimming with the sea turtles, or hand feeding rainbow coloured fish over beautiful coral reefs.

Dive in for all this and more at Barbados Blue: located at the new Hilton Hotel in Barbados.

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