Caribbean and Atlantic

Inter-Ocean Tours

Trips for Divers

P.O. Box 27116
Oakland, CA 94602
travel@interocean.com
510-638-3448 / 800-345-7159
510-638-1741 Fax

Links

The Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean

Easily accessible from the U.S. by a selection of domestic and international airlines, the islands of the Mexican Caribbean, Bahamas, Bay Islands, Belize, Caymans, British & American Virgins, Turks & Caicos, Tobago, Greater and Lesser Antilles, and Grenadines offer warm, clear waters for both new and experienced divers. Hard corals such as star, elk horn, pillar, brain, feather and more share the water with tube, barrel and elephant ear sponges, anemones, crynoids, nudibranches and large and small fishes.

The Atlantic hurricane season is officially from 1 June to 30 November. There is nothing magical in these dates, and hurricanes have occurred outside of these six months, but these dates have been selected to encompass over 97% of tropical activity.
The Atlantic basin shows a very peaked season from August through October, with 78% of the tropical storm days, 87% of the minor hurricane days, and 96% of the major hurricane days occurring then.
Maximum activity is in early to mid September.

Aruba	Bahamas	Bay Islands (Honduras)	Belize	Bonaire	British Virgin Islands	Cayman	Cozumel
Curacao	Dominica	Grenada	Puerto Rico	Saba	Tobago	Turks & Caicos	US Virgin Islands

Legends: ☺kids friendly (kids program or kids rates available); ✩ wheelchair accessible; ◊ internet access (◊◊ free access)

PUERTO RICO

This U.S. possession is readily accessible from all parts of the country. It is a favorite destination to use frequent flyer miles. The best diving is along the western coast from Aguadilla to La Parguera. Decompress while visiting Old San Juan before departing.

The climate is as close to perfect as it can get, averaging 83°F (22.7°C) in the winter and 85°F (29.4°C) in the summer. Rainfall tends to be evenly distributed throughout the year, but doubles during the months from May to October, which, unfortunately, coincides with hurricane season, as falls from November to April, with a driest period from January to April. The north coast gets twice as much rain as the south coast.

The water temperature is fairly consistent almost year-round at approximately 81F. Underwater visibility is quite clear at about 60 to 75 feet just off shore, and if you go farther out into the ocean, you can see up to 100 feet or more into the depths of Puerto Rico's crystalline waters.

Not only are the cities of Puerto rich with history, brimming from fascinating architecture and culture, but the underwater world surrounding this island country has its own stories of the past to tell. Artifacts that were sunken by powerful hurricanes, including ships and even a 500-pound cannon dating back to the Dutch invasion of 1625, now lie at the sea floor.

US VIRGIN ISLANDS
USVI

The U.S. Virgin Islands are located in the eastern Caribbean, just 1,100 miles southeast of Miami. Surrounded by the clear blue waters of the Caribbean, our average temperature ranges from 77ºF in the winter to 83ºF in the summer.

Each of our three major islands possesses a unique character all its own. St. Croix's Danish influence is perfect for visitors who prefer a laid-back experience. The historic towns of Frederiksted and Christiansted offer quaint shops, charming pastel buildings, refreshing cultural diversity. From horseback riding near eighteenth-century sugar mills to playing golf on one of the island's three scenic golf courses, you're sure to find something to suit your tastes.

The U.S. Virgin Islands have daily, non-stop flights from New York, Newark, Baltimore, Atlanta, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale. Connecting flights are availabe to and from Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, Miami, and Atlanta via the San Juan hub.

Two-thirds of St. John is a national park; its comfortable pace is perfect for enjoying the island's world-renowned beaches such as Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, and Salt Pond Bay. A nature lover's favorite, St. John offers hiking, camping, specialty shopping, and breathtaking views. If you take just a few hours to visit this island, you'll find it well worth the trip.

St. Thomas boasts one of the most beautiful harbors in the world. As the most visited port in the Caribbean, downtown Charlotte Amalie offers elegant dining, exciting nightlife, world-class, duty-free shopping, and even submarine rides. While it's full of energy, especially in Charlotte Amalie, this island also possesses numerous natural splendors, such as stunning views of the Caribbean from 1,500 feet above sea level. On St. Thomas, whales breed off of the north end of the island from January through April, and visitors flock to the beautiful, unspoiled Magens Bay.

St. Croix offers some of the best snorkeling in the world. Buck Island, famous for its striking natural beauty and underwater snorkeling trails, is one of only two underwater National Monuments in the United States. The north shore wall of the island, the Salt River Canyon, and Cane Bay offer world-class scuba diving. Kayakers can see snowy egrets, great barracudas, spotted eagle rays, and hundreds of other species in Salt River Bay National Park and Ecological Preserve.

St Croix
Anchor Dive
Dive Expereience
Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort & Casino ☺✩

Legends: ☺kids friendly (kids program or kids rates available); ✩ wheelchair accessible; ◊ internet access (◊◊ free)