Rant: That dive site off the coast of St. Croix was a total letdown for the price

Paid 180 bucks for a two-tank boat dive there last month and half the coral was dead or bleached out. The viz was maybe 20 feet on a good day too. Anyone else feel like some of these tropical spots are just riding on their old reputation?

2 comments

2 Comments

linda_butler2813d ago

Oh man, I totally get it. I spent 200 bucks on what was supposed to be a 'signature reef' in Belize last year, and half the coral looked like a pile of wet bones. My dive buddy joked we were just paying for a tour of a marine cemetery, which honestly stung because it was true. I mean, at this point I'd have better luck checking the temperature data on my phone than trusting the brochure photos. Maybe it's just me but I feel like my credit card is the one doing all the heavy lifting on these trips.

reese17713d ago

I mean the "riding on their old reputation" part really hits home for me. I feel like a lot of these places got famous back when reef health was way better, and now they just coast on those old photos and reviews from ten years ago. The coral bleaching is no joke either, it's not just one spot it's happening everywhere and it's getting worse every year. Maybe it's just me but I think we're at a point where paying top dollar for a tropical dive is kind of a gamble, you never know if you're gonna get a healthy reef or a graveyard. I've started checking recent satellite data on sea temps for a spot before I book, it's been way more reliable than any dive shop's website.