Interline Adventures...

DIVE RIGHT IN MON,

THE WATER'S FINE

In James Michener's Caribbean, several American students meet a Rastafarian in Jamaica and he tells them about his country. Michener writes, "His story fascinated the Americans: Marcus Garvey and his vision of a return to Africa. . .the rituals, customs, the arcane language, the vision of a black hegemony in the Caribbean and the music." Jamaica and its people were music to the ears of these Americans and are still music to the regulators of lots of divers. But dive travel is more than just time spent blowing bubbles. It's the entire package of diving and surface time used to enjoy the culture. This package is perfect in Jamaica.

Many great dive islands in the Caribbean have developed their tourism efforts around divers. However, Jamaican tourism has blossomed around great resorts and incredible culture. They just happen to have some excellent diving.

This is an island for explorers who keep coming back for more. Whether it's a day on the beach, an incredible hike in the beautiful Blue Mountains, or mingling with the friendly locals over some lip-burning and mouth-watering jerk pork, cold Red Stripe beer, and reggae music, Jamaica is well worth deep exploration.

The reports concerning crime and the hassles of Jamaican travel are basically a thing of the past. There are still occasional problems, but it's hardly different from other Caribbean islands or American cities. Just like in diving, common sense and caution should prevail.

The development of many resorts on the island (including an incredible selection of all-inclusive properties) and the availability of many affordable villas have made exploration even easier. The staff at almost any resort can help arrange an interesting outing. Some of the best ideas include heading into the heart of the Blue Mountains, finding some real reggae, eating jerk at a small stand, playing a round of golf, or just hiring a local guide (it's best done through the resort) for a full day to drive you to some of his favorite spots.

A great way to explore the island more intimately is with Jamaica's excellent "Meet the People" program. Through an arrangement with the Jamaica Tourist Board, visitors are put in touch with like-minded locals who want to show off their country in a personal way. Possibilities include a round of golf, joining a family for church and a meal, enjoying a local cultural event, or maybe even a dive.

The options are almost endless and it's just a matter of asking about the program at the front desk of any hotel or contacting the Jamaica Tourist Board before departure. It's a uniquely Jamaican cultural experience.

If the culture doesn't get you, the diving will. Jamaica is a volcanic island of about 4,400 square miles, with the Blue Mountains reaching 7,400 feet above sea level. The island rests on the edge of the Cayman Trench and features excellent diving at all depths.

Over the years, the ravages of hurricanes and poor reef management have taken their toll on Jamaica. The island is still recovering, but many steps, like buoys for anchoring and lots of care and training, are being taken to improve the conditions. Another example recently saw the ban on the sale of all black coral extended to include white coral. Sea turtles are also protected by law.

One of the most active organizations in reef and diving improvement is the Jamaica Association of Dive Operators. Along with governmental agencies, they have adopted many rules to protect the reefs and make diving more enjoyable (dive groups tend to be smaller and friendlier). But don't be surprised to find a few surly staff members--it's not unusual for a check-out of a certified and experienced diver to include having equipment thrown in the pool to be retrieved and "correctly" donned. Luckily, this surliness is becoming much less prevalent.

Most of the diving occurs along the northern shore, just off the gorgeous white sand beaches and some great resorts. Many of the sites are still relatively unexplored and most are uncrowded.

Furthest west, Negril offers some of the calmest diving anywhere, with many caverns and caves. The Throne Room should be on every diver's wish list, with a 40-foot-wide cavern at 65 feet, filled with giant yellow sponges reaching all the way to the floor of the cavern.

Other popular dives include Rock Cliff Reef with Millie the moray; Sharks Reef (nurses); and The Arch, with lots of well-photographed red sponges. Like much of the north coast, the dozens of excellent resorts with dive facilities make the underwater part of Jamaican exploration easy.

The Montego Bay area (just call it MoBay) is probably the busiest part of the island for divers. MoBay's diving attraction includes a pilot program of the newly-formed Protected Areas Resource Conservation Project (PARC).

The Montego Bay Marine Park was established in May 1990 to preserve and manage Montego Bay's marine resources for the benefit and enjoyment of all its visitors. The park encompasses an area stretching from the Donald Sangster International Airport to the Great River, including all of the major reef tracts in Montego Bay.

The most famous of MoBay's dive outings is Widowmaker's Cave. Divers enter the cave at about 80 feet and enjoy a pretty rise through the cave to a chimney 10 feet wide and an exit about 35 feet below the surface. It's worth several return trips, if possible.

Further east is the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory of the West Indies, the largest reef ecology lab in the world. It's run by Peter Gayle, the lab's diving officer and JADO safety officer, and is a great north coast outing for any interested diver.

Just west of Ocho Rios (just call it Ochi), Runaway Bay offers some of the island's best diving. Most of it is wonderfully close to shore. Try Shipwreck Reef (the sponges are great for photographers); Spanish Anchor; Canyon (a pair of parallel walls of large tube sponges, sea whips, and plate coral); and Ricky's Reef (at 90 feet, with lots of gorgonians and large lettuce coral). Silver Spray is one of the most popular shallow night dives.

The island's newest dive site was created last year by the sinking of a ship in Ocho Ricos. The operators of Fantasy Divers created an artificial reef by sinking the Canadian mine sweeper "Kathryn" off the coast of St. Mary, about a mile east of the mouth of the White River.

Ultimately, the artificial reef project is to be developed into a marine garden. The dive site was also created to preserve and build coral reefs, build a habitat for fish breeding, help the fishing industry, as well as protecting the beach.

The ship was acquired by Jamaica many years ago and used as a cargo vessel and "mother" fishing boat. It was acquired by Fantasy Divers and Water Sports when it fell into disrepair. The project was undertaken with the cooperation of the Natural Resources Conservation Division, the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Port Authority.

Along the history-steeped south coast, there is a possibility of eventually gaining permission to dive on Port Royal's sunken city, devastated after the earthquake of 1692 (just outside Jamaica's capital, Kingston). It's just a part of the cultural background that continues to draw tourists (and divers) to Jamaica.

The lyrics to one of Bob Marley's great songs ask, "I wanna' know now. Is it love, is it love, that I'm feeling?" It's a love all visitors feel when they come to Jamaica. That's why they come back.

Lynn Seldon is a full-time freelance travel writer who specializes in adventure travel and the Caribbean. He has been diving throughout Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean.

Thanks to Air Jamaica, the Jamaica Tourist Board, Peter Martin Associates, Sandals, M. Silver Associates, SunDivers Jamaica, Half Moon Club, Atlanta's Passport Villas Limited, and the Diving Equipment Manufacturers Association for hospitality extended to the writer.

DIVE TRAVEL INFO

Number of Islands: 1

Size (length & width): 146 miles long & varying widths between 22 and 51 miles

Population: 2.3 million

Languages: English and "Patois" (Jamaican and African dialect used by most of the population)

Political affiliation: Independent nation

Entry doc. required for U.S. citizens: U.S. residents do not need passports, but must have proof of citizenship (or permanent residency) and a return or ongoing ticket. Immigration cards, needed for bank transactions and currency exchange, are given to visitors at the airport arrivals desk.

Electrical current: Generally 110 voltage, but sometimes 220 volts, 50 cycles.

Highest elevation: 7,400 feet above sea level

Located on what body of water?: Caribbean Sea

Nearest major landmass/distance: Cuba (90 miles)

Airlines servicing destination: Air Jamaica (markets), American Airlines (markets), Northwest (markets), Continental (markets), Jamaica Shuttle (Orlando), Jamaica Express (Los Angeles)

Cities of departure: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (JFK and Newark), Orlando, Tampa, Toronto (flights go into either Donald Sangster in Montego Bay or Norman Manley in Kingston)

COSTS

Price range of hotel room: $75-$450 per night

Avg. cost of two-tank dive day: $45-$60 for boat dive (unlimited diving is often included at all-inclusive resorts)

Currency and exchange rate: Jamaican dollar; currently around US$ 1.00 to JA$ 19.00

Departure tax: US$10 or JA$100

Avg. round trip flight cost from:

Miami: $250-$350

New York: $375-$450

Los Angeles: $475-$550

DIVING

Winter Summer

Water temperature: 78-82

Average U/W visibility: 80 feet-70 feet

Air temperature: 80-85

Best diving months: December to April and mid-June to September

Wall diving?: Excellent in spots, but not as extensive as other popular Caribbean diving spots

Wreck diving?: Pretty limited

Night diving?: Many shops offering lots of variety

Camera Rentals--Still/Video: Many shops offer facilities E-6 Film Procession: Many shops offer facilities

Nearest recompression chamber: Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory of the West Indies

*Top 3 dive sites:

1. Throne Room

2. Widowmaker's Cave

3. Canyon