From: cee@wshb.csms.com ( HBS/WSHB Sr Station Mgr)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Cayman Brac Recommendations
Date: 14 Dec 92 15:11:48 GMT
Organization: WSHB, Herald Broadcasting Syn., Inc., Cypress Creek, SC, USA

In article <1992Dec12.180139.22257@athena.mit.edu> eckhouse@athena.mit.edu (D. Noah Eckhouse) writes:
>Hello Net Diving World:
>
>My fiancee and I are trying to get our honeymoon plans finalized, and
>are trying to decide which place on the Brac is better.  

>Is the Brac Reef Beach Club more 'Sunset House-ish' than it is
>advertised?

	I would most certainly recommend the Brac Reef Resort.  This has been
my "dive vacation of choice" for the past five years.  The diving is
excellent, the staff very friendly, and the hotel is nice and cozy, much more
so than the larger and somewhat shabby DIVI Tiara.  The Brac Reef has only
about 40 rooms, has excellent food (the chef even prepares omelets to order
for breakfast), and a very good beach and lounge areas ( hammocks under the
sea grape trees, hammocks in the ocean overlook, etc.).  They also have a
tennis court and bycycles (or you can rent motor scooters).  The Dive shop
is well run, and Cornell, the chief Dive-master, is the best I ever been
with.  Cornell gives very good dive profiles, allows computers , and does
a great job of pointing out the "special sites" at each location.  When
I go, I always go on the "all-inclusive" package, so there is plenty of
free cold Red Stripe back at the bar for the de-briefings.

>We've heard less about the DIVI Tiara.  Any good/bad feelings about it?

	When I was on the Brac this past August, the Tiara was going through
some "labour problems."  It seems that the head of the dive operations, an
American, was siphoning off the tips left by guests for the Divemasters.
It got pretty ugly, and at least four U.S. citizens had their work permits
revoked and sent back to the U.S.  We went over to the Tiara to scout
around one day, and the Hotel could use a little maintenance, IMHO.  Of
course, it's too big for my tastes anyway, so I may be a bit prejudiced on
this account.

>What would _you_ choose if it was your honeymoon?  We're avid divers,
>but we're going to need to relax as well as dive on this trip, and
>going to an overly dive oriented place is not what we're looking for

	I like the Brac Reef.  As I pointed out, I've been returning
there for the past five years.  You won't find better diving, better food,
better "dive accomodations than Brac Reef.
	BTW, I forgot to mention Ed Beatty.  He runs a photo shop next to
the dive shop.  He goes out with groups 2-3 times a week, and does some
great U/W video work.  Some of the packages include the video, but if
yours doesn't, Ed will sell you one for around $30.  They are terrific !

>Noah Eckhouse
>617/253-5900  eckhouse@athena.mit.edu

	Enjoy your stay, and please say Hello to Cornell for me.  Tell him
ED from South Carolina sent you.
ED
-- 
******************************************************************************
C. Ed Evans, Senior Station Manager, HBS * cee@wshb.csms.com * +1 803 625-5555
WSHB, Cypress Creek, SC * WCSN, Scotts Corner, ME * KHBI, Saipan, Mariana Isl.
******************************************************************************
From: johnn@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (John Nicol)
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 15:56:34 GMT
Subject: Re: Cozumel's Galapagos Inn
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA