James A. Cormier's Dive Log

I have been all over the world diving accumulating some 5,000 plus dives and I am also a PADI IDC Staff Instructor. I must say truly that Fantasy Island has been the easiest diving I have done anywhere. It is like a live aboard on land. Diving is easy on Newman's or CoCo View walls as you can swim out from their Gazebo which is much easier than from Coco View. The Gazebo drops right off to 40 feet of sandy bottom. At Coco View you have to swim about a 100 yards before you get to around 15 feet or so. The first 5 yards is about 2 -3 feet and sometimes you have to fight a little current. You don't have this problem at Fantasy. Fantasy Island dive shop will take you out on either reef with their little Skiff as part of your shore diving package and will also pick you up at the Gazebo when you are done. If you are good at planning your dives and get back at the time you say, they will come and pick you up so you don't have to walk back the 300 or so yards back to the dive shop. However you leave your tanks at the Gazebo when you are done. They will come and pick them up later. I often go out on the boat dives with an extra tank and the boat will drop me off on Coco View or Newman's wall and I will take a few other divers on a tour back into the resort. I can't say enough about this resort and the diving. I have Stayed at Coco View before and there is no comparison. I just did my 5th time Feb 2008 at Fantasy Island and Christmas before that. February was the best as the water was the clearest I have ever seen in the Lagoon. My buddy and I got 38 dives in 6 days. A vast majority were 40 feet or less as that is where the best color is and we were doing a lot of photography and videography. We could swim along the top of the wreck Prince Albert and see both Coco View and Newman's walls at the same time. Lots of Squid and small creatures. Coral is very healthy. Night diving is also great with lots of Octopus, eels etc. You will definitely not be disappointed. Conquest tours operates the charter now for Fantasy Island as opposed to Noli Tours. Definitely the most reasonable cost for a trip.