Nevis - Reefs, Reggae, Rum and Wrecked
by Phil Wood. Nevis, West Indies, Caribbean Island
23/04/2011
An eight and a half hour hop to Antigua from Gatwick, a skip of 25 minutes to St. Kitts and finally a jump on board ‘Seamonkey’ for our short inter-island transfer to Nevis. A long day but we were greeted by a Caribbean sunset and a very warm welcome at Oualie Beach. The NHDC divers did take part in the traditional game at St. Kitts airport of ‘Find the Slowest Passport Control Queue’, which makes snail racing look exciting, but we soon settled into the pace of island life.
The first morning of diving was relaxed with minimal fuss. Ellis, the owner of Scuba Safaris, introduced us to the facilities and the other dive staff, Elvan, Ryan and Mikel, also known as Boy. Nevis has an easy pace all of its own and we were soon at our first dive site by 9.20. Elvan briefed the dive and off we went into the warm Caribbean Sea at Nags Head North. Huge lobster huddled together under a ledge as we toured a multi-coloured coral garden. Large sea fans and sea feathers swayed in the gentle surge and there where countless large barrel sponges dotted over the bottom at 20 metres. Hawksbill Turtle, Moray Eel and an Eagle Ray were all spotted as we finished our introductory dive. A 20 minute sprint in ‘Seamonkey’ and we arrived at Boobie High Shoal in The Narrows between St. Kitts and Nevis. A normally tranquil and shy Nurse Shark showed us a clean getaway as we approached although a pair of Turtles did hang around a little longer. Lots to see and photograph but after 1 hour it was back on board to the sound of reggae and rum punch cocktail, diving Caribbean style. With the first day of diving finished, what can you do at Oualie Beach? Basically chill. A BBQ lunch, a spa centre, a walk along the beach listening to the lapping of the sea on the coral sand shoreline or just relax are all on the agenda. The day finished with dinner at Sunshines Bar and Restaurant on the beach, more reggae music, Killer Bee cocktails and Nevisian hospitality. Back at the hotel we did meet the security man called Twinkle who opened the bar for a nightcap.
A leisurely start to day 2, Valentines Day, saw us appropriately at Honeymoon Reef. A plateau at about 18m with lots of overhangs, ideal hiding places for Nurse Sharks, which proved to be the case. We also found Octopus, Scorpion Fish and cruising Barracuda. A second dive at Doughnut Reef with Stingray feeding on the sandy bottom at 12m and Elvan hunting Lion fish ended the morning. So, to one of the highlights of the week, the Valentines Dinner. Pre-dinner cocktails followed by Champagne and dinner. Adriano wearing an Orchid behind his ear was a bit worrying but we think he survived the evening unscathed.
Day 3 on the boat and Ellis joined us for a dive on the wreck of the Christena. This was an inter island ferry which sank on August 1st 1970 and now lies upright in 22m of water. She was licensed to carry 180 passengers but was grossly overloaded. When she started taking on water the Captain turned her to shore in a failed attempt to run aground. Sadly approximately 300 people perished, only 91 survived. The dive is extremely interesting and colourful but is undertaken with due respect. Lots of coral and marine life have now colonised the wreck including a huge Green Moray, Spotted Moray and Scorpion fish. The second dive was at Bugs Hole, a reef just off the shore of St. Kitts. Very colourful and with huge lobsters that were charmed out of crevices by Ellis. The afternoon was a trip to Charlestown, the Capital of Nevis. Small, colourful but a little tired would probably best describe it. We ventured into the sporting museum, dedicated to Nevisians who have played Cricket for the West Indies, not too many so it is quite small but interesting. A little retail therapy and a beer concluded the afternoon. Dinner was at ‘Banana’s Bistro’ high on an old sugar plantation. Mojito’s and excellent food were enjoyed followed by live music back at Oualie Beach.
Day 4 and two more wreck dives, The Corinthian and The River Taw, both covered with prolific life. A large mature Barracuda, allegedly called Smiley, was lurking in the wheelhouse of The Corinthian. Cleaner shrimp and nudibranchs were also seen on the wrecks. It was now back to the beech for an early lunch and siesta as we plan our night dive back to the wreck of Christena. Waiting over the site for darkness to fall we were greeted by a clear full Moon over Nevis, a fantastic sight reflecting off the tranquil Caribbean sea. Descending onto the wreck we were quickly joined by a cruising Hawksbill Turtle looking for a resting place for the night. Another was already asleep in the forward hold. The wreck was vibrant with colour under torchlight, coral polyps and large basket stars open and feeding for the night. Adriano wins the night diver photography competition, completely black. Alex and Michelle enjoy their first experience of night diving. We then head back to Oualie Beach for the managers cocktail party, stepping straight off the boat and into the bar a-la James Bond style (should have brought the Tuxedo).
The morning sees another fantastic blue sky and calm waters as we head out to Monkey Shoal for dives at The Ledges and The Alley. In visibility of 50m plus we find Stingray, Nurse Shark, Peacock Flounder, Green Moray, Barracuda and Tarpon, to name a few. The evening’s first highlight is the Sunset cruise or ‘Booze cruise’as it is known locally. Heading around the headland and cruising towards Charlestown, the reggae plays and rum punches flow freely. ‘Boy’ proves his skill at mixing rum and Coke, quite spectacular. The sun sets, complete with a ‘Green flash’, and we then turn for home. Reggae music and dancing gets us ready for a trip to ‘Double Deuce’, another beach bar and restaurant famous for its burgers and infamous for its Karaoke. Alex and Michelle indulge in ‘Del boy’ style cocktails complete with cherry and parasol. A great day and night.
The final day of diving sees us heading out to Monkey Deep for a 30m dive and team photographs. A shorter dive than previous days but we do find another Turtle settled in at 25m. The last dive of the trip is at Hurricane reef. A sandy area surrounded by rocky ledges and crevices. We find another Turtle in a hole and at last an obliging Nurse Shark under a ledge and we can all get a clear look. The diving done we have to thank Ellis, Elvan, Ryan and ‘Boy’ for looking after us at Scuba Safaris. We also have to thank the management and staff of Oualie Beach Resort for their hospitality. Finally thanks to Dave Perry for organising the trip and for arranging the nights out due to his local contacts. There were of course a number of highlights, quotes and awards during the trip which are worthy of note. These are listed below.
Highlights
• Killer Bee Cocktails at Sunshines.
• A Security Man called Twinkle.
• Alex and his 4 position knob – don’t ask
• Adriano and orchids behind the ear – mmmm NICE.
• Don loosing something within an hour of receiving it.
• Phil and an old dog called Ramsee.
• Don and his iceberg wedge.
• David L jumping in with only half his weights – Beer Fine.
• Don’s chat up line ‘I didn’t recognise you out of your bikini’ - Smooth.
• Alex and Michelle, night dive virgins break their duck.
• Alex fixes the restaurant computer system
• Dave P records telephone numbers in a novel way.
Awards and specialties, given by the Association of Recreation Scuba divers (ARS divers)
• Don – Non-equipment specialist for use of a fin butler and loosing things.
• Adriano – Underwater Photography specialist, particularly night diving.
• Phil – DPV specialty, using Adriano as an underwater tow.
• Alex and Michelle – Care for the Underwater Environment specialty and forming a symbiotic relationship. The ultimate buddy pair.
• David – Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty. Must remember to take weights next time.
• Jane, Hazel and Jan – Explorer and Investigation Specialty for finding the most expensive Cappuccino in the West Indies at the Four Seasons.
• Dave – DLD specialty – Discover Local Drinks (Mount Gay and Coke).
Let me hear ya say AYE !!
