Barbados in May
by Martin Sutcliffe

So, I had a new girlfriend who just was not the enthusiastic diver I am. OK, she had her PADI OW, and was keen to do a couple of dives on holiday, but certainly wouldn’t want to do a whole holiday dedicated to diving. So we had to find a destination which suited both (and the other friends we were going to go with). A nice lady at BA holidays kindly found us a fantastic deal going to Barbados, from Gatwick. We paid a tiny amount each – flight/accommodation package for less than they were advertising the flight only for! It really does not hurt to beg for a discount!

I will not bore you with details of Gatwick airport. It’s a British airport, and you can buy beer. BA were great – I especially liked the online check in the day before, and the free drinks on board – so you can drink plenty of wine. We had arranged car hire, so I did not indulge as much as I might have, despite the lack of any drink-drive rules on Barbados. I wish the rather argumentative couple sitting next to me had indulged a little less also. The airport in Barbados, the Grantley Adams airport, is clean and air conditioned. Passing through immigration is quick and easy, and you get a stamp in your passport (obviously very exciting). British citizens do not need to organise a visa in advance.

On arrival, our car hire people were sitting outside where we filled the forms in whilst enjoying the sun, and in no time we had our holiday mean machine and were on our way to find our accommodation. Remember to take your full British driving licence, as you will need to show it to be issued with your local driving permit.

The Silver Sands resort is on the south east corner of Barbados, and it’s main draw is for windsurfers who enjoy the wind conditions found on this part of the island. It is basic, but clean and tidy. They operate a ‘cash-less’ system for the bar, which is a bit of a pain as you have to put money on the card in advance, rather than running a tab. It certainly served our purposes of a good night’s sleep each night, as we were off to explore the island in the days and evenings!! We were there at the end of the wind surfing season, which disappointed the girls as they were looking forward to admiring the surfers’ toned bodies. Instead they had to make do with my well insulated six-pack! We went self catering, and found that the local supermarkets were easily accessible and sensibly priced.

So, the Diving. I guess that is what you’re interested in if you are reading this. I was rationed to two days diving, the other three joined me on day 1, one other joined me on day 2. We dived with “Dive Barbados” (http://www.divebarbados.net), who were recommended by Scott Laddiman. Dive Barbados is run by John and his wife, who are ex-pats from Sheffield. They have a shop on the beach, conveniently next door to a rum shop. The shop resembles a branch kit room – with lots of kit which appears to have been “collected” over the years!!! They have a small compressor, a washing line to dry your kit on, and a fresh water hosepipe to rinse with. They have a small boat with two little engines which makes for a pleasant morning out for a small group. I don’t know how (if) they would cope with a large group – but they certainly suited our small group, and will certainly accommodate the individual/couple wanting to do the odd dive on holiday.

The diving on Barbados was very pleasant. The was plenty of life to see, although nowhere near the abundance or fish life you might expect on a red sea reef, or even on some British dive sites! The ‘big’ dive from Barbados is the wreck of the Stavronikita, an artificial reef with its deck at 20m, and the seabed at 40m. The wreck is a kaleidoscope of colour, which I am afraid my photography skills cannot do justice to.

We also dived "Whitegates", "Merlin bay", and "Fishermans Reef". These were all reef dives which provided easy, picturesque diving. They were equally suitable for those who wished to spend their time at 12m, as those who prefer 32m. The dive boat departs each morning, and two dives are completed before returning to the beach. John Guides the dives, and provides a good breifing before the dive. Thankfuly he keeps the briefings brief, but does include all of the necessary information to execute a safe and enjoyable dive.

As for the rest of Barbados – it certainly entertains even without the need for diving. Hiring a vehicle is definitely the way to go – whilst you can get around by bus you simply do not have the same level of freedom, and despite this being a ‘small’ island, it is still too far to walk. Bicycles are available to hire if you prefer a more environmentally friendly option. The road network is not complicated, and even the most inexperienced of navigators will be able to makes sense of the very basic maps. There are organised tours, which appear to mainly take place in modified pickup trucks with, essentially, open air seating. We were grateful for the air conditioning in our little truck, to be honest, which afforded us some refuge from the unrelenting heat.

Topside highlights are abundant. The island has a rich heritage, and you will find there is a lot to learn about sugar production, rum production, and slavery. I would suggest starting with a visit to the Historic Garrison area, and the Barbados museum and historical society. The museum will give you a useful overview of the islands history, and plenty of tips on places of interest to visit. A walking tour of Bridgetown is a must, as well as enjoying the (duty free) shopping! The Grenade hall signal station is part of a network of stations built following a slave uprising, to aid communication on the island. Next to it is the Grenade hall forest, which has a pleasant (and shaded) trail to follow with information about the many species found in the forest, including snippets on the medicinal uses of many of them.

The signal station is next to the Barbados wildlife reserve, and the admission ticket is for all three attractions (wildlife reserve, signal station, forest). The wildlife reserve is the place to go to see the green monkeys, amongst the many other species of animal.

Barbados certainly has some outstanding natural beauty. A day on the beach is not usually my cup of tea, but take your mask and snorkel, and you'll be tripping over the turles as you go paddling from the west coast beaches! You can take a 'cruise' to go swimming with them also, but to be honest - just swim off the beach and wait! You will not be dissapointed. In the North of the island, animal flower cave is a highlight, and its beauty has been featured in a music video by Billy Ocean. Then there is the rugged East coast. I am assured that there is no diving on the east coast, and that it is usually far to rought to attempt to get in anyway. The beaches, however, were deserted when we were there, but having such a beautiful beach all to yourself certainly has advantages. All of these sights are certainly best enjoyed with either a cold Banks Beer, or a Pina Colada!

Food and drink are not a problem - you can do anything from self cater, through to high end west coast restaraunts. We did a good mix of these options. We especially enjoyed many meals from local rum shops - where we often found the locals eating lunch. The run shops will have a (very) large pot of flavoursome stew/curry on the go, which they will serve up on request. This is a very cheap way to eat on Barbados, with lunch (including a banks beer) coming in at a couple of pounds only.