Program Reviews

This is my fourth year bringing college students down for dive training. This year, we also included a project week wherein students applied all of their new skills in a reef monitoring and coral out-planting research. Staff here have always been very accommodating of various skill levels and interests of participants and provide flexibility in our programming. We are super excited to partner with them on this new research project. Additionally, their staff have an excellent understanding of the social, economic, and environmental interplay in coral reef management, educational outreach, and enhancement projects.
In addition to diving and project work, staff organize weekly social events and can also provide guidance on additional recreational activities including hikes, snorkeling, kayaking, and more. Five Stars!

My experience was great! Though at the beginning I was a bit hesitant to get in the water and do the training activities once I was doing them it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The staff here are really supportive and are willing to accommodate for any needs people had. They are willing to work at your own pace while still pushing you to do your best. After all the training was complete I felt more comfortable diving and it made the experience more enjoyable. The dive sites are really cool as well. There are many different locations not too far away from the shop. I would recommend this dive shop to people, it was a great experience and I wish to come back.

The team at Deefer Diving made learning how scuba dive fun and exciting. As a new comer, having kind, knowledgeable and confident instructors made the process easy. They answer all questions with enthusiasm. Their goal is to help people reach theirs. Not only was diving a fantastic experience, but the location of Carriacou was perfect. The work being done with the reefs in the area was extremely interesting to those have a knack for marine sciences.
If you have ever wanted to scuba dive, this is a great team to start with.

The staff at Deefer Diving are absolutely phenominal. They are patient, understanding, incredibly safe, knowledgable, and they're so much fun. We had a fairly large group, and they were able to accommodate eveybody's specialized needs and skill levels. They gave great recommendations for adventures to explore outside of diving as well. This was truly the experience of a lifetime, and I could not recommend them enough! Thank you to all of the staff at Deefer Diving for giving your 110% every single day. Your hard work and dedication is seen and appreciated.

This was a life-changing experience. The crew at CRB provided a mix of fun and education that was an amazing basis to learn and become certified as an advanced open-water diver. The fact that we were able to help with a research project only made the entire experience more enjoyable. I am forever changed by this experience and plan to revisit the great people at Deefer Diver. I had moderate expectations for this trip with the school and will preach to anyone interested in participating in the future. I can not say thank you enough but here goes

Thank you all,

Jason Chirico

I felt 8 weeks wasn't enough, so decided to stay for another 8 weeks to gain some experience... It turned out to be the best decision I've made in my life!
Caribbean Reef Buddy not only gave be the training and knowledge I needed to be a better diver and love the ocean, but it also opened a door for me to choose a new life style into becoming a Dive Instructor.
The team at CRB and Deefer are highly professional, knowledgeable, courteous and fun, which makes you feel amongst family and friends.
The underwater sceneries are mesmerizing, which makes Carriacou one of the best diving locations in the world.
But what I've loved the most, by far, was getting new dive buddies from different places in the world and also be able to experience the Caribbean culture.

I came to Carriacou in hopes to work with Caribbean Reef Buddy for 2 months, but ended up staying for double that! Their EcoDivemaster allowed me to not just develop professionally within diving, but also personally. CRB then allowed me to intern, learning more about our underwater world and the day to day activities of a dive shop. It gave me insight and knowledge I couldn’t get elsewhere.

The staff are so welcoming and friendly. They’re there to help you with whatever you need whenever you need. Their experience is beyond amazing, it’s so special waking up everyday knowing you’re going to see something you’ve never seen and learn something you’ve never heard about.

Safe to say, I definitely made lifelong friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

I decided to join Deefer Diving for my dive master and internship as I was very interested by the way Gary and his team are teaching it.
I found exactly what I was looking for: a safe and professional learning environment. I found myself challenged everyday to improve my scuba diving skills! It is all about changing my mindset to be able to achieve new skills I would not think possible! Overall is a lot of fun and an amazing team! It is without saying that the place and the reef are high quality!

I had a wonderful time with Caribbean Reef Buddy! I didn't have any scuba diving experience, but in my first week I completed my Open Water certification. The instructors were very knowledgable and I picked up the skills quickly. The dive sites were so beautiful and not too challenging for a new diver to navigate.

I found the volunteer work really interesting! I helped with the lionfish containment, fish identification, coral watch, and coral nursery projects. I appreciated how the staff gave presentations about the background and significance of the projects before we got in the water. I could tell the staff were genuinely interested and enthusiastic about keeping the reef healthy. I learned a lot about marine conservation from the presentations and hands-on work.

The staff and other volunteers were super friendly and there was never a dull moment with them. My 6 weeks in Carriacou went by too fast!

When I came to Carriacou I had never dove nor traveled by myself before, not to mention to a completely foreign country. I came to this program nervous but excited for the coming weeks on the island. As soon as I arrived I instantly felt welcomed by the staff and other members of the program and my nerves seemed to melt away. The staff were all proficient and incredibly enthusiastic about their work, making the work fun and very successful. By the end of my time there, I took part in many conservation activities, expanded my knowledge of the reef systems and diving a hundred-fold, and felt as though I was a part of a second family. Throughout the program, the staff led many fun activities around the island beyond diving - such as a hike up to Chapeau Carre, and a trek to paradise beach through the beautiful mangrove forest. I was truly heartbroken to leave Carriacou and Caribbean Reef Buddy at the end of my stay, and if I had the chance I'd probably stay down there forever.