Linda

I am going to SanSalvador ug 27th for a week. <BR>I will be staying at Club Med. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do outside of the resort? I am also certified for scuba and am curious as to the dive sites around. <BR>Thanks. <BR>

Lara

There is nothing outside the resort! The island is almost deserted. <BR> <BR>Club Med offers a bus tour of the island--that is what I would recommend. You go see where Columbus landed, Watling's castle, and some other ruins. <BR> <BR>Lots of info on the dive sites in rec.scuba.locations newsgroup. <BR>

Bob Morton

Linda; I went scuba diving with and stayed at the Riding Rock Inn on "San Sal" as the Bahamians call the island. The island is 12 miles long by 5 miles wide. We flew in from Nassau on July 9, 1996, just beathing the hurricane that year wich tore through the Bahamas, the eye heading north 20 miles east of San Sal, and going right over Great Abaco Island, north of San Sal. We dove the day after the hurricane hit and due to low visability and strong current from the storm, I got lost and ended up far from my dive boat. I was saved by Club Med's scuba diving boat. However, my next 10 days on San Salvador were great, as well as my next 18 divers. You are lucky, although the San Sal diving op is better than Club Meds, you will still witness incredible diving. Dive sites are mostly bordering a great wall, and you descend to only 45 feet upon a beautiful white sandy landing on all of the dives, perfect your bouyancy, then explore house-sized patches of coral and sponge formations. Then, swim to the rim of the wall, which surrounds the whole island, and explore the wall itself, or simple float along the rim, like the Grand Canyon, seeing the dive boat above you, incredible coral reefs lining the rim a few feet below you, and veering to the left several feet and looking 1,000 feet down into an abyss with coral-lined walls. I swam alongside a sea turtle and watched it graze on turtle grass, had nassau groupers follow me around like pet dogs, watched a large pilot whale cruise 45 feet above me, had other divers who descended to 90 feet down the wall scare up sharks which I enjoyed as the eyed me in their hasty retreat, played tag with numerous souther sting rays, watched curious barracuda watch my every move, and logged in my fish ID book the following: Queen Angel fish, French Angel fish, trumpet fish, Cowfish, Blue-stripped grunts, French grunts, Pilot whale, Carribean reef shark, Caribbean Reef Squid, Damselfish, every type of Butterfly Fish in the manual, Nassau, Black, and Tiger Groupers, Yellow-Tailed Snappers, etc. and 55 more caribbean reef fishes. San Sal is in the Southeaster Bahamas and is sparsely populated, being 385 miles from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The 4,500 foot runway is bisected by the main road(only road), so, if you rent a car, pay attention to the runway warning signs. The Queen's Highway is a 8 foot wide coral rock slab which circles the island. If you want hype, touristry stuff, then don't leave the Club Med grounds. But, if you want to slow down, and see a different culture, rent a car and tour the island. You'll see pristine pictures to take. Snorkel at Graham's Harbor in the nw corner of the island, where Columbus first landed, in our hemisphere. I visited Dixon Hill and met the proprietor of the only kerosene lighthouse. He showed me pictures of a log dating back a century, of ship captains and others who visited the island. The western section is very desolate, but full of beautiful scenes to photograph. You'll see remnants of English Loyalists who fled the US with their slaves after the revolutionary war. Visit the bar at the Riding Rock Inn, great place with soul. A string dangling from the ceiling is used to try and hook its ring on a nail in the wall. Simple, but fun, as you sip down a Bahama Mama and free Conch Fritters, which they offer. That's what's neat about places like "San Sal"; they're different and you find out you don't have to be formally entertained to have fun. It's free! Email me if you have any specific questions. Have fun. Bob at: [email protected]

Lara

OOPS forgot about the lighthouse. That was interesting. Also outside the lighthouse look through the ruins on the grounds to the south. <BR> <BR>Actually, Bob, we left Club Med every day, but we went on foot or by bike. (The only time we drove was on the organized tour.) <BR> <BR>We did see Riding Rock and stopped in the bar, although we did not find it charming as you did. <BR> <BR>We liked the island so much, we bought land there. San Salvador is very special--sorry if my post made it sound as if I did not enjoy it. When people ask questions like what is there to do, I asusme they mean where are the nightclubs and shopping, etc. Wanted to ensure that Linda realizes that there is nothing like that on SS.

Bob

Lara; Sorry if I made you defensive. No need for an "oops". I write to people visiting the Outer Island in the Bahamas, because I have met a new breed of people who enjoy them. Actually, I hated to see Club Med build on San Sal, but thus far it hasn't ruined the local culture, which many people enjoy escaping to. I study the Caribbean slavery process, and teach at the university level, so I visit Abaco, Eleuthera, San Salvador, Exuma, and many of the cays off of Abaco's shores for my course work. Have met many professional people who just like the islands' laid back culture. A doctor we met on Abaco actually was helping out with an archeological dig of the Lucayans, in the midst of a hot jungle when we where there. It's the people, not the brick and mortor, which is interesting. The bar at the Riding Rock Inn wasn't much to look at, but the bartenders, owner, patrons, and kitchen ladies gave me a great history lesson and leads to track down on San Sal's history. Sorry if you took my comments the wrong way. Bob <BR>

Cassie

Thanks for the postings. I saw a great review on this Club Med in a recent Travel Holiday Magazine, and as a newly certified scuba diver, am considering it for January. I love all-inclusives, and would sure like to hear from you Linda, once you return.

Linda

To Bob and lara <BR>Thank you for the inside tips on san Salvador. I really appreciate Bobs detailed response on the dive sites. I <BR>researched SanSal as much as possible,and it fits me perfectly. There <BR>is very limited information, probably because its very limited on what to do. <BR>I am newly certified for scuba and am really excited about diving without an <BR>instructor.Thanks again for the helpful suggestions. <BR>

Bob

Thanks, Linda; <BR> My wife and I enjoyed diving at San Sal's Riding Rock Inn dive sites. Vis was 150 feet, even a few days after the 1996 hurricane. Club Med goes to the same great dive sites, so punch in yahoo, then "Riding Rock Inn". The Inn's website lists in detailed descriptions all the dive sites you will be visiting with Club Med's Dive op. Have fun!! Pet a Nassau Grouper and graze along the sea grass beds with a sea turtle for us! Bob <BR>

Linda

Cassie <BR>Thank you for your response. can you Email me at LP_carlsontravel@annapolis,net or fax me at 410 266 8887. I would like to read the article you found as info is very sketchy. Bob is great! <BR>

Barry

After spending the last six New Years at Turks+Caicos our diving group is moving to San Salvador for the Millenium. Although we are aware the weather could be in limbo that time of the year I am happy to know first hand that the island and reef are o.k. post Floyd. Anyone planning to be there please leave a message <BR>