Man-o-War Bay Cottages

John & Trish · Post by **John & Trish** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 1:37 pm

We’re going to Tobago for 3 weeks at Christmas and are thinking of spending the first 2 weeks at Man-o-War Bay cottages in Charlotteville. We were also planning on taking a PADI open water course at Man Friday, now closed. Does anybody know anything about MOWB cottages? And is it practical to stay at Charlotteville and dive in Speyside?

Kevin Hampson · Post by **Kevin Hampson** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 2:11 pm

Hi John & Trish
I can see no problem the two villages are only about 15 minutes drive apart and taxis are cheap.

I suspect dive centers like Aquamarine at Bluewaters Inn will do a pick up service anyway. Drop them an email and see what they say.

Enjoy the course

Regards
Kevin

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 2:35 pm

Hi John & Trish

Kevin has pinched the words right out of my mouth on the diving question. The dive facility in Charlotteville is now open again, under the management of someone with limited dive experience. They apparently have no compressor, so who knows where they are getting their air from. They also have no boat, so all diving is shore-based. Even before this change of management I would have had to suggest that you look at alternative dive shops.

I haven't stayed at the MOWB cottages since 1960. The've been slightly updated since then. You are paying a huge premium for an admittedly nice beachside location.

Kevin Hampson · Post by **Kevin Hampson** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:23 pm

Hi Steve,
Shore diving can be a bit limiting around Tobago you do need a boat to get to the best sites. Offshore dives are a lot more common. Last year and Aquamarine were even taking PADI trainees out on some of the shallower offshore dives. Certainly much better than my PADI course in Babbacombe.

Regards
Kevin

Diane Paquin · Post by **Diane Paquin** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 12:57 am

Dear John & Trish

Glad to hear someone else asking about Man O War. Our family has booked one of the newer built cottages there. The management there has been very helpful and answered all our questions and emails. You'll be going there before us, so be sure to let all of us know how your vacation was. We were also wondering about Speyside diving now that Man Friday has closed. Will look up Aquamarine sports.

Have fun!

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:02 am

Hi Diane

Just to confirm my comments above. Man Friday is open again under a new manager. We are concerned about the ability of the operation to offer a safe, professional service so would recommend readers to consider alternatives.

Diane Paquin · Post by **Diane Paquin** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 3:12 am

Hi Steve,

We are staying at MOW cottages and are excited and looking forward to staying there. As far as Man Friday, will definitely look into Aquamarine for diving. I just recently became certified and am a novice diver, only 16 dives to my name! Definitely need a diving operation that has lots of experience and is helpful to novice divers (I am not a "spring chicken" anymore- and need a little help with all the weight!). Again, thanks for the tip and advice, I need all I can get!!

If there are any divers out there who have dived Tobago, would you know some of the Novice sites? Just curious.

Thanks

Diane

Kevin Hampson · Post by **Kevin Hampson** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:38 am

Hi Diane,
I Dived with Aquamarine last November and the guides were always very careful about matching the abilities of divers and when we novice or trainee divers in the group there was always an extra guide to make sure they were well looked after. A lot of the dives are very gentle despite what you hear of the fast drifts and challenging dives like the washing machine and Kamikaze and the guides won't take you on those untill they are really sure you can handle them.

The best thing is to be honest about your abilities and don't feel pushed in to into diving beyond them.

As for spring chickens, one of the good things about Aquamarine is they have their own jetty at BWI and they run a trolley up and down with all the gear, so there is no scrambling through the surf with dive gear to load up the boat.

One of the divers we were with was a gent in his late seventies who was on his 5th hip replacement and he was always well looked after and managed the trips with out problem.

Regards
Kevin

Diane Paquin · Post by **Diane Paquin** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 2:08 pm

Thanks Kevin!

Thank kyou very much for ansering my post and making me feel a bit more comfortable with diving in Tobago. I have never been with a dive group etc. other than the few dives, qualifying dives, with my instructor. Have been somewhat afraid after reading the dives spots & advanced level needed. I recieved my "dive training" as a Mother's Day gift from my son, who by the way, needed a "dive buddy". Most mothers get taken out to dinner, a movie or flowers; I got dive lessons! I really enjoy but have never been elsewhere and do not really know how a Dive Place decides which dive sites to go to when it has all levels of divers on a boat. I don't want to make the others divers frustrated by having to dive "beginner sites". How does it work if there are 4 advanced, 3 intermediates & 2 novice divers? How does the DM choose the location? Must you, as a group dive all together at the same site?

Sorry for all the questions, you have all been very helpful and will stick with Aquamarine.

Thanks

Diane

Kevin Hampson · Post by **Kevin Hampson** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:33 pm

Hi Diane,
No problem only to glad to help.
The things we divers do to get a regular buddy.

Most dives centres gauge you ability first by checking you dive log and seeing hominy and how often you dive, they also check when you did your last dive as many people only dive on holiday and can be very rusty when they first get in the water. You may also get asked to do a few skills when you first dive, nothing drastic mask clearing and a fin pivot are the usual ones, don’t worry, they are not picking on you it quite usual I even get asked to do them and I’ve been diving regularly for a while now.

I did a couple of dives with very mixed ability groups in the two weeks I was over in November. There were no problems one group did a drift dive on the side of the reef down to about 24 m and the novices and trainees stayed on the top at around 12m to be honest the extra light at that depth made the coral and fish really colourful down at 24m you needed a torch to bring out the best of the colour. Aquamarine also have 2 boats so if they have a more than a dozen divers they tend to split them up and take both boats to different sites.

The DMs at Aquamarine know the local reefs like the back of their hands and pick the sites after looking at the currents and local conditions. BWI is about 15 minutes from all of the main sites at Speyside and because Little Tobago and Goat Island protect the bay most of the sites are pretty sheltered. We had a few rough days and the sites they picked were all sheltered once you got down about 5m. As a centre they really do take a lot of care over safety, that you don’t always see, the briefs were always very good and they would not dive until they were sure that everyone was clear on what was going to happen.

Enjoy your holiday and you diving. It will probably take a couple of dives before you real start to relax under water but once you do your diving will come on leaps and bounds.

As your staying in Charlottville try lunch at Sharon and Phebe’s, it on the left hand side just as you come in to the village from Speyside, the fried shrimp is much better than Jemma’s. (I'll probably get flamed for that)

Got to go I'm supposed to be working!!

Regards
Kevin

Diane Paquin · Post by **Diane Paquin** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:40 pm

Kevin

Thanks for all your advice and info, can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. I am Feeling better about going there, and trying it out. Can't wait for the reefs and fish!!

Will also try eateries you mentioned!

Again thank you so much, and get to work already!!!

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:26 pm

Hi Kevin

I hope you know the difference between up and down when you are diving.

Just for the record, Sharon & Phebe's is on the RIGHT as you level out along the shoreline and enter the village. It is either the first, or at least the first building you notice on the right as you come into the village. You can't miss it.

As it happens, I totally agree with you about the food there. As I've regularly said, I just don't "get" Jemmas and consider Sharon & Phebe's or Gail's, at the other end of the village, much better choices for Creole food.

Kevin Hampson · Post by **Kevin Hampson** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 6:15 am

Hi Steve,
up and downs easy you just follow the bubbles

I do stand corrected on Sharon's I've just checked my photo taken looking up the high street at Charlottville and it is on the right. I think I got confused between Speyside road and the one that comes in past the garage.

We ate lunch there a few times and it was well worth the drive in from Speyside.

Regards
Kevin

Kevin Hampson · Post by **Kevin Hampson** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 8:24 am

I have had a reply back from Aquamarine, Bad news i s they don't do a pick up service from Charlottville, but taxies are very cheap an the morning dive check in is not till 10 or 10:30 so you have plenty if time for a lazy breakfast.

Regards
Kevin

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Man-o-War Bay Cottages

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Thanks for the update and info!

Spring chicken!

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