myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Hello everyone,
Firstly I found this website fantastic for finding exactly what I needed for my first visit to Tobago, so thank you!
I was led to Blue Waters Inn after much research into finding a place that would suit different needs: geographical situation, my own financial considerations, and activities especially snorkeling. I came back from there yesterday morning, feeling ever so sad at having to leave such a beautiful place - no doubt jet-lag isn't helping!
My partner and I (ages 28 and 31) were so pleased on arrival to stay in a place with such a great view directly onto the sea, with its clear blue and green waters, and then superb snorkeling right off the beach. The room was exactly what we needed (standard double room), simple, clean and comfortable with a lovely balcony to sit and listen to the waves/admire the view. The chalets looked great too.
The general atmosphere was one of relaxation and calm, with friendly service - perfect for getting into the chilled holiday pace that we all need...
Nice bar and restaurant with lovely fresh food. I have seen people complain about a lack of choice, but I don't understand what more they expect especially as one would tend to stay there for a week always eating in the same place. I would hardly expect the menu to be changed every day, also I like to eat what is available locally at the time. Complaints of that nature are of a 'supermarket nation'- type I suspect!
Anyway, I have no complaints to register for Blue Waters Inn, only praise. Great swimming, tennis and ping-pong for a change, trips for various visits around the place, and a bar with music and any rum cocktail your heart may desire! If there is anything I would mention, and really this is hardly the end of the world, the ping-pong equipment needs renewal
I come back with lovely memories and look forward to getting the pictures tomorrow.
Hopefully my next visit to that magnificent island won't be too long coming.
Best wishes,
Annabelle

Hi Annabelle

Was really interested to read your comments on Blue Waters. We are going to Tobago in February with four American friends and have been looking for a good "snorkelling off the beach" hotel. Two of us snorkel and the others dive. We have been recommended Blue Waters by Steve and Kevin from this website. My American friends may have some questions so, if I may, I will come back to you once I hear from them. So glad you enjoyed your holiday, we are really looking forward to ours.

Regards

Liz W

Hi Liz,

Any questions you have I will be more than happy to help with, also with regards to the best snorkeling spot in the bay if you go there! It's also great for divers from what I could see - regular trips out and happy faces, but I don't dive myself.

cheers
Annabelle

Hi Annabelle,
Nice post I'm glad you enjoyed yourself at BWI.

I don't suppose you heard anything of the wreck that was sunk off Speyside last November the Roundtable. I think it may be a bit too deep for snorkeling but the divers may have said something..

Regards
Kevin

Liz,

Have a look at Arnos Vale.

Great location re getting to other beaches etc and superb snorkelling off the beach.

Hello Kevin

Glad you liked my post. It's been three days since I came back, still not at all happy about being back in London!!
I'm afraid I didn't hear anything about that particular wreck... I'm sure if you contacted them they might be able to tell you more.

cheers
Annabelle

Hi Kevin

Sorry, I meant to reply to your post the other day, but something cropped up and I forgot.

I'm still waiting for information on the Roundtable, but here's what I've got so far.


The MV RoundTable, a redundant 80-foot rig supply boat, was sunk in December 2003 at the bottom of a sloping reef just a short distance off the Blue Waters Inn in Speyside. This wreck sits in 100 feet (30m) of water, with the deck at 60 feet (18m). It is early days, but the rich waters around Speyside do encourage extremely rapid growth and you can guarantee that it won’t be long before this wreck also becomes a very popular dive spot.

Hi Steve , Thats about what I've found too, I did find a photo on a German website too.

I've been trying to find out exactly where she sank as I think it may be possible to do a shore dive on it. If that's the case I'll be in Wreck heaven as all I'll need is to find a buddy who wants to dive her.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Kevin
(5 weeks to go)

I saw your request for photos of divers in the water and dive boats. I'll send you some when I get back.

Hi Kevin

Duane Kenny did point it out to me on my last trip, so I have identified it (as I understand it to be) with a red cross on the following map. It's basically just off the headland between Batteaux Bay and Speyside's main Tyrrell's Bay. The hotel is shown in red, so it is just off the headland to the right.

Yes, as far as I can see, it would be perfectly possible to to it as a shore dive.

Hi Kevin

I'm off to BWI next week ( ), and intend diving everywhere and anywhere. In fact if you recal its mostly down to your report on YD, that decided on Tobago/BWI for me. That and of course this excellent website - thanks Steve!

I'll find out what I can on Roundtable, and let you know.

I'll try and leave some fish for you to see.

All the best

Geoff

Hi Geoff,
As long as you leave a few lobsters I'll be happy.
I'm really sure you'll enjoy every dive with Aquamarine they are a great bunch and the dive guides do know their stuff, and even without the Roundtable there is more than enough to dive on, one I was a bit disappointed to miss was London Bridge. I'll look forward to seeing a report on the trip some time.

From your dates I think you are due back just before we are going out which is a pity.

From Steve's drawing you may be able to shore dive from BWI if you don't mind a bit of a surface swim or you could use the canoes to get round. I'm tempted to bring enough gear out to make a set of independent twins up and make the 30m dive worth the effort but I'm not sure if Aquamarine would be happy with that or if I'd find a buddy that keen.

Twins !! Far too techie for me. If the deck is at 18m, then I reckon I can get 45 mins or so on a 12l.

We leave there on 25th, so there may still be a few of my bubbles left in the water when you get there. Don't worry about the lobsters, I wont go near them. To be honest they scare me a bit. Give me a white tip anyday!

I think your greatest worry, is that they've managed to re-stock the bar in time for your arrival!

Have a good one, and dive safe.

Geoff

Hey mates. I just thought I would help fill in all the blanks. Sorry for the delayed reply. The wreck would be quite a swim so its definetly a boat dive. It was sunk in December so its still a virgin wreck. I haven't dived it myself but I hear its got a large grouper on it already.
Yesterday's dive report was great with sightings of a Manta, a large nurse Shark and turtles on Coral Gardens.
As far as the bar being stocked: "There be RUM everywhere Maties!" No worrys there. See you all soon.
Duane

Thanks for the update Duane

Can you confirm the position of the wreck on the map above. Is it further out than I have indicated it?

I would put it a little further out and more in line with where the river comes out from Manta on your map.
Duane

Hah, one of us must have been suffering from rum bleary vision when you pointed it out. I can see why it's a boat job.

Would you mind just having a look at the same photo again and confirming if I've got the postion better located. Cheers!

Hi Geoff,
The bar shuts at midnight but if your nice to the barman it probably wont, we had a few late nights ( well more like early mornings)
( but don't tell Duane)

Bit of a blow on the Roundtable looks like it is a bit far out, and far to far with a set of twins. I started getting techie this year. Diving with twin sets and even getting in to a bit of deco diving. No nitrox or mixed gas yet bit it on the list. I'm on a promise for the Red Sea in February and plan to do the nitrox then.

Anyway I digress.
The tanks are US spec alloys they are all "A"clamp too but unlike UK tanks they don't use inserts so you can't convert them to DIN (so you need an a clamp adaptor if your own regs are DIN) and about 11 lts, checking my dive log most of the fills were about 200 bar with the odd 210 bar so a bit lower than you may be used too. I recall one or two low fills going back over the 10 days too so check when you make the sets up. You should get around 40 odd minutes a dive, my buddy and I annoyed the guides a few time by spinning things out and almost got a hour a couple of times.

The lobsters there are great fun, Picker and TD Special seemed the best. I got a few really nice photos. The best shark action was at Bookends we had a black tip that was free swimming and feeding, that was really exciting.


All the best
Kevin.

Hi Duane, You'd better get a bottle of that decent rum in for the 9th of October. You gave me a real taste for it at the dive show last year.
see ya soon.

Hey Kev. Sorry for causing the addiction but its such a good rum. I'll see what I can do. I'm off till the 14th of October (going to the phillippines to so some surfing) as I too am on vacation. I'll talk to Cory (my purchaser) and see if I can have a bottle of 1919 at the bar. No doubt its the best. Otherwise grab one in Pennysavers on the way up with your taxi man. Its going to be allot cheaper that way. Irie! Keep smiling
Duane

Hi Duane,
I always wondered where people from Tobago go on holiday now I know. Hope you have a great time. Maybe we could buddy up and have a look at the Roundtable when you get back.

We don't arrive till gone 6pm on the Saturday night so I didn't think Pennysavers would be open. I tend to be a socal drinker (the more I drink the more socal I get )anyway so having a bottle of 1919 behind the bar will do me fine.

See ya in October
Kevin

Hi Kevin

Just to wet your appetite, here are two photos of the RoundTable. The first is of her taking water during the sinking and the second underwater some time later.