Frequently Asked Questions
We have taken these questions from the emails we receive. These answers will tell you all you need to know about Scuba Diving with Pro Divers St Kitts. Please also read our diving rules page before booking with us.
Booking Questions
The prices on our rates page are kept current. We will confirm your full price including taxes, CC charges before accepting your booking. There are no hidden extras to pay on your diving day.
Read our Rates page for what is included with our packages.
We do not require a deposit on your booking.
For the benefit of all our guests, if you decide not to dive, please cancel with us as early as possible.
It is also important to be on time for your pickup.
We provide complimentary transport from all hotels in the Frigate Bay area. This covers the Marriott Resort and Beach Club, Timothy Beach Resort, Royal St Kitts Hotel, Sugar Bay Club, Silver Reef, Sealofts, etc.
We do not provide transport from Kittian Hill, Koi Resort, or the Park Hyatt.
We are a few minutes walk from the Cruise Ship dock.
We do not pick up divers from Nevis.
If you are travelling to us from Nevis you will need to take the 8am ferry to St Kitts.
We are a 10-minute walk from the Basseterre Ferry Terminal.
We dive from Monday to Saturday in the mornings.
We normally leave the dock between 9 am and 9.15 am, returning around 1 pm to 1.30 pm.
Your meeting / pickup time will be in your confirmation email
All divers are required to show a Certification Card (or equivalent) before diving.
Please do not ask us to “look you up” when you arrive at the boat.
If you have problems with your C Card, please tell us during the booking process.
Yes, but it is subject to space availability on the boat.
If the space is available, we will take a single non-diving passenger with a diver.
Children may NOT be left on the boat when their parents are diving.
Snorkel gear is available but please appreciate our sites are too deep for snorkeling and this is not a snorkel tour.
We cannot supervise snorkelers while they are in the ocean. We call non-divers “passengers” for a reason.
Passengers should note, that we do not return to the dock until we have completed both dives.
No, they do not, book the days you wish to dive.
We automatically charge you the lowest rate for the number of dive days
Yes, we will. Leave your gear when you have finished diving for the day and we will wash it off and have it ready on the boat for you when you arrive the next day.
Boat and Rental Gear Questions
Your timings will be in your confirmation email.
On a regular day, we use the following schedule:
- Hotel Pickups 8.45 am prompt.
- Port Zante meeting time for Cruise passengers is 8.30 – 8.45 am (LOCAL TIME).
- Students on courses 8.15am
If you are driving yourself please be at the boat by 8.45 am
For dive students, your pickup-up time may be earlier and will be confirmed by your Instructor.
Yes. The seating area is completely shaded. There is also ample open space on the bows.
We have no restroom facilities on the boat.
There are restrooms to the left of the Marina entrance.
We have bottled drinking water available free of charge.
Please bring your own snacks.
Please bring your own towels.
The boat has a flat deck, so at the wharf, you step straight onto the deck. When diving we do a “giant stride” to enter the water.
2 sets of ladders allow an easy climb back onto the boat.
You may remove your gear in the water and pass it up to our boatman if you prefer.
The boat has a first aid kit and oxygen onboard
We have very limited dry stowage on board for small bags.
You should make sure that electronics are contained in a dry bag.
We cannot accommodate large “suitcase-type” gear bags in dry stowage. There is room on the boat but they may be subject to sea spray.
We have rinse facilities at the marina. If you are diving on multiple days, we will take care of the gear for you.
Scubapro makes all our rental gear.
Weight-integrated BCDs from XXS to XL.
Regulators are complete with a secondary and an air/depth console.
We do not rent dive computers.
If your computer has a wireless transmitter bring it with you, we will be happy to fit this to one of our regulator sets.
We have DIN valves available in 80 cu ft, 100 cu ft, and 60 cu ft.
Convertible “Pro Valves” are the standard valves on all our cylinders.
Please pre-book if you require anything besides the standard 80 cu ft cylinder.
Diving Questions
Our maximum allowable dive time is 60 minutes.
This depends on two factors. NDL time and air consumption.
We also ask that you start your ascent with no less than 500 PSI (40 Bar) in your tank.
Within the above limits, actual dive time differs for each buddy pair.
The important thing to note is that the dive for the group does not end when the first diver has to return to the boat. This means that experienced divers will be able to enjoy longer dive times.
We are a warm water destination.
A 3mm shorty suit (we have these available) is suitable for most divers all year round. Summer seas are warm enough to dive in swimwear only.
Some divers may prefer to bring a 3mm full suit during the winter months.
- Jan to March 78° – 79°
- April to May 79° – 81°
- June to August 82° – 84°
- Sept to December 83 ° – 81°
Obviously, this differs from day to day (and site to site) due to many factors. But we normally enjoy visibility in the 60 to 80 feet (18m to 24m) range all year round.
It is rare for us to experience any current at all (NO drift diving here).
When it is windy (surface wind) we can usually find some sheltered dive sites.
The majority of our sites are multi-level, giving us a choice of depths.
Details of the depths of each site are listed on our dive sites page.
The best marine life here is in the 40ft to 70ft (12m to 21m) range.
We do not undertake deco diving.
We do not offer technical diving.
Our standard cylinders are 80 cu ft (11ltr) aluminum with convertible A Clamp/Din valves.
We also have available 60 cu ft aluminum and 40 cu ft pony bottles.
A limited number of 100 cu ft aluminum (A clamp or DIN) are also available at extra cost.
Please tell us at the time of booking if you require any tank other than 80 cu ft.
No. Due to the very high cost of imported oxygen, there is no Nitrox available on the island of St Kitts.
Diving Questions
We do 2 dives, a maximum of 60 minutes bottom time each dive with a minimum of 60 minutes surface interval between dives.
A regular dive tour takes 3.5 to 4 hours.
Yes, we do this on every dive.
This is particularly important when we attach to mooring buoys as the buoy lines are covered in barnacles and are not suitable for use as a descent line.
Yes. All our dives are led by an experienced Padi Instructor (usually by Auston himself).
We do however allow buddy pairs as much freedom as possible during the dive.
If you keep within visual distance of the dive leader and tell us when you get to 1,000 psi (80 bar) then we can navigate for you and ensure that you are back under the boat when it is time for you to ascend.
This question is often asked by experienced divers who do not want to do 2 dives at 40 ft because there are trainee divers on the boat.
Where necessary, we will have 2 instructors on the boat and split into 2 groups.
We have some excellent dive sites at shallower depths which means that our shallower dives will always be on interesting dive sites.
We also have many multi-level dive sites. On many of our sites, you can choose your own depth.
Please note that we do not take bulk group bookings on behalf of the cruise ships.
Yes, you can, providing you have a “Solo Diving” or “Self Reliant Diver” qualification.
You also need to make arrangements with us to rent a Pony tank (40 cu ft).
Please ensure you have an SMB and all the necessary safety equipment.
Yes. We are more than happy to train juniors and to take juniors diving.
We have BCDs starting at size XXS.
Please note that we follow PADI standards for divers 10 – 11 years old and 12 – 16 years old.
If you need gloves because your hands get cold when diving, then the answer is yes.
Please do not however handle any marine life or touch any coral.
You need to be experienced in Lionfish hunting and bring your own Pole Spear (Spear guns are not allowed).
If you intend to bring Lionfish back to the boat, this must be in a solid container (eg a ZooKeeper).
You need to be qualified in Sidemount Diving and bring and fit your own Tank Straps.
Tanks will be charged extra.
And the question we had to answer……(just for fun)
Farting is possible while scuba diving but not advisable because:
Diving wetsuits are very expensive and the explosive force of an underwater fart will rip a hole in your wetsuit.
An underwater fart will shoot you up to the surface like a missile which can cause decompression sickness.
The acoustic wave of the underwater fart explosion can disorient your fellow divers.
The massive underwater fart explosion attracts sharks trying to find out who did that.
We charge you extra for replacing the wetsuit!
