Dockyard Divers
Dockyard Divers
4.5
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About
Welcome to Dockyard Divers, Antigua.One of the greatest pleasures in life is to go diving. To move in that extra dimension and enjoy the colour and adventure of this other world is something everyone should experience. And of course diving in the warmth of the Caribbean waters is an added bonus. If you haven’t yet got hooked, one great way to see if its for you is to try a beginners or resort course. First a basic, easy to understand lesson, followed by equipment check out in shallow water, and your first dive! After this experience most decide to take a certification course.
English Harbour, Antigua and Barbuda
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
60 reviews
Excellent
51
Very good
5
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
3
Hannah J
2 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We had an amazing day with tony! He took us out to a dive site about a 5 minute boat ride from where the pickup location was and we saw such a wild array of sea life. We saw an octopus, a turtle, a couple barracuda, a moray eel and lots of stingray! He’s such a kind man and not once did we ever feel unsafe. It was one of the best dive trips we’ve done and we will for sure be back to experience another dive trip with Tony very soon!
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hatchorder63
Magrathea121 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
Having read reviews about various dive operations in Antigua I decided to go with Tony at Dockyard Divers. I have dived since the 90's and so wanted a more diver oriented experience than a "shop led" or "course led" experience and that is exactly what I got with Tony.
Diving out of season meant that it was just Tony and I on 10 dives. Dive sites were chosen according to weather conditions and swell/waves and we had some fabulous dives. Black Tip Reef sharks, big Rays, Turtles and every other fish in between in 29 degree water and mostly good vis meant it was a relaxed and enjoyable time. We even had a close encounter with a large Nurse Shark under a ledge and a chance to help the local ecology by helping to keep the Lionfish population in check, which is desperately important.
Do not waste the surface interval between dives. Get Tony to tell you stories of his various escapades and experiences through his life. 30 minutes go in a flash.
If I ever go back to Antigua I will be diving with Tony again.
Thank you for the dives, memories and picturesTony.
Diving out of season meant that it was just Tony and I on 10 dives. Dive sites were chosen according to weather conditions and swell/waves and we had some fabulous dives. Black Tip Reef sharks, big Rays, Turtles and every other fish in between in 29 degree water and mostly good vis meant it was a relaxed and enjoyable time. We even had a close encounter with a large Nurse Shark under a ledge and a chance to help the local ecology by helping to keep the Lionfish population in check, which is desperately important.
Do not waste the surface interval between dives. Get Tony to tell you stories of his various escapades and experiences through his life. 30 minutes go in a flash.
If I ever go back to Antigua I will be diving with Tony again.
Thank you for the dives, memories and picturesTony.
Written October 19, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter B
Sevenoaks, UK44 contributions
Nov 2014 • Family
I am a relatively experienced diver but wanted to dive with my wife and two boys who are all recently certified. Because of this I did a bit more research than I normally would, and I made sure I spoke to a few of the dive schools in Antigua. Tony was friendly and helpful from the start and when we did our two tank dive we were not disappointed. The dives were fantastic and Tony was knowledgeable, and helpful without pandering or baby sitting! To top it all off, he took some great photos underwater and sent me copies of them with no charge. Highly recommended.
Written November 4, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alexandra b
5 contributions
Jun 2018
Spent a fantastic 10 dives with Tony, an excellent under water photography teacher!
The dive sites are all really close to Nelson’s Dockyard, and offer amazing creatures big and small. Very excited to see my first eagle ray, a hammerhead shark, and an unforgettable close encounter with a turtle.
Couldn’t recommend more highly.
The dive sites are all really close to Nelson’s Dockyard, and offer amazing creatures big and small. Very excited to see my first eagle ray, a hammerhead shark, and an unforgettable close encounter with a turtle.
Couldn’t recommend more highly.
Written June 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dreid6
Toronto, Canada5 contributions
Dec 2016 • Solo
I just came back from a week long Christmas vacation in Antigua. I booked one morning diving (2 tank dive) with Tony and wished I had time to book more! I dove with Tony on December 28th 2016 just outside of English Harbour at the Pillars of Hercules site. I was his only booking that morning so I had the privilege of a private dive tour. Tony was very informative and had available any gear to rent that I needed that I did not bring along. It was a bit rough that day so we did 2 leisurely dives on the same site, which I was OK with considering I usually dive in cold Canadian waters, diving in a tee and shorts was a treat. His boat is small but adequate and perfect for the dive spots he visits and catering to smaller groups. During the dives Tony took the time to point out the fish and octopus that were hiding in crevices and would be missed if not pointed out! During the ride out and back in Tony also provides some information on the surrounding landmarks and boats anchored in the area. A very nice touch was the photos that Tony takes as he is on the dive with you. I got back to the resort that evening and I had a link emailed to me with the photos he took on the dives, just awesome service and I can't thank Tony enough for the great time I had.
Written January 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jaycee G
15 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Tony took my husband and I out on a 2 tank dive just off the coast of Nelsons Dockyard. He was very experienced on the area, and described our dive and the fish and animals we would see. He knew where the octopus and sea turtle of the area hang out. The sea turtle seemed to swim by to say Hi to Tony before surfacing for air! He has a laid back and calm demeanor and is a joy to dive with. His boat is small and we had to jump in backwards which was great! His boat may be a little tricky for new divers, but he is so knowledgeable that a new diver would feel secure with Tony. The 2nd dive site he took us to was absolutely beautiful! I would highly recommend Dockyard Divers.
Written December 11, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JD-70point3
Idaho Falls, ID334 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Tony is one of the more experienced divers we have dived with. He is the third diver with more than 12,000 dives we have dived with. His experience is reassuring. He will not take more than 4 and took just my wife and me this day. We were off a cruise and took a cab to English Harbor which runs about $30 just for planning. But English Harbor area is worth the visit regardless and the diving was excellent. Yes, he takes you out in an old fishing boat. Yes, the equipment is dated and used. If you are looking to be pampered, you may want to dive elsewhere. But for us, we just loved the experience and it all added to the joy. Just the three of us diving out in the bay in a little fishing boat. We loved it and will value the unique memory. Plus, Tony totally accommodated us when we arrived a half hour early and we went straight out and were done by noon so we had even more time to see our own things on land as well. Coming from a cruise ship, Tony was one of the best dive options I have ever had, even with the 30 minute travel time. The reality is the best diving is out this way anyway so you actually save time traveling by cab rather than by boat from a dive operator closer to the cruise ships. Tony lives on a boat in the harbor and just does his own thing. On our first dive, Tony watched us and once he realized we were capabilities divers, he gave us a lot of leeway. He is into underwater photography and took a lot of photos and sent them to us. They were far more professional than most other dive operators who have done that for us.
One reviewer commented that the equipment caused her to question safety. Let me say this. A new BCD will not save you under water but an experienced and careful dive master like Tony will. I would trust my life with Tony any time. We surfaced after 35 minutes on our first dive even with some extra air because we dived down to 80 feet and Tony dives off the dive charts. You can't get any safer than that. A bit quaint these days sure, especially since he has a dive computer which clearly would have allowed more down time. But I was grateful for his careful approach. The second dive was only 50 feet at Pillars of Hercules and we dived for 50 minutes or a bit more.
The dives were great. Despite Tony's experience, and his adamant that Antigua is the best diving around, I was surprised he had never dived Bonaire, one of the best dive destinations in the Caribbean. But he is right that Antigua is great. We saw plenty of critters including an octopus, even if in his den. We did not see sharks as some others have. But the coral formations and geography were really cool as well. I highly recommend this as a dive destination. Hard to compare with St. Lucia which I also dived since there the weather was bad and we didn't get to dive near the Pitons. So on this trip I would rank Antigua the better of the two.
One reviewer commented that the equipment caused her to question safety. Let me say this. A new BCD will not save you under water but an experienced and careful dive master like Tony will. I would trust my life with Tony any time. We surfaced after 35 minutes on our first dive even with some extra air because we dived down to 80 feet and Tony dives off the dive charts. You can't get any safer than that. A bit quaint these days sure, especially since he has a dive computer which clearly would have allowed more down time. But I was grateful for his careful approach. The second dive was only 50 feet at Pillars of Hercules and we dived for 50 minutes or a bit more.
The dives were great. Despite Tony's experience, and his adamant that Antigua is the best diving around, I was surprised he had never dived Bonaire, one of the best dive destinations in the Caribbean. But he is right that Antigua is great. We saw plenty of critters including an octopus, even if in his den. We did not see sharks as some others have. But the coral formations and geography were really cool as well. I highly recommend this as a dive destination. Hard to compare with St. Lucia which I also dived since there the weather was bad and we didn't get to dive near the Pitons. So on this trip I would rank Antigua the better of the two.
Written December 10, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BabbaKeith
Denver, CO31 contributions
Sep 2016 • Friends
I dived and my friend snorkeled with Tony during the off season. We were delighted to find so much equipment on his little boat. He has more than 1000 dives and knows the area like the back of his hand. He also had amazing stories to tell from living and diving all over the world. You are in good hands with Tony and it is great to give back to a local. Ask him for restaurant recommendations as well.
Written November 29, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tracy w
Epping Upland, UK190 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
I never have trouble writing reviews but this one is hard. After reading quite impressive reviews about Tony we decided we would dive with him .
He arranged to meet us at the car park by nelsons dockyard; the dive boat looked like a relic from the African queen but dirtier ! And no roof or shade from the burning sun !
So much junk on a little old wreck , he was bailing out water when we got on ! It hardly held 4 people plus all the tanks and equipment. Do not rely on his equipment, it's seen better days and really is ready for the scrap heap along with the boat. When i came up my bag was soaked along with everything in it .Tony himself is a nice enough fella and John who took us down was well experienced and a nice guy too .
But please if you value your safety don't dive on this boat . Sorry tony but your living on past glories time to hang up the fins i think .
There are better professional dive shops around.
He arranged to meet us at the car park by nelsons dockyard; the dive boat looked like a relic from the African queen but dirtier ! And no roof or shade from the burning sun !
So much junk on a little old wreck , he was bailing out water when we got on ! It hardly held 4 people plus all the tanks and equipment. Do not rely on his equipment, it's seen better days and really is ready for the scrap heap along with the boat. When i came up my bag was soaked along with everything in it .Tony himself is a nice enough fella and John who took us down was well experienced and a nice guy too .
But please if you value your safety don't dive on this boat . Sorry tony but your living on past glories time to hang up the fins i think .
There are better professional dive shops around.
Written May 22, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rob N
Marianna, FL254 contributions
Sep 2015
Tony is very nice and personalized our dives to us. Small boat but he limits trips to 4 divers. It was just the 2 of us. Tony took several photos during the dive and emailed them a few hours after the dive. Great dive sites. Saw lots of life on the reef including a large turtle. Definitely recommend Dockyard.
Written September 7, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How was his boat? Did you rent and if so what quality was the rental gear in?
Written June 20, 2018
small boat. gear was old and some of the hoses were cracked on the outside. However, Tony is very experienced and takes great photos--this more than made up for other issues. I felt very safe. This diving trip is probably better for more seasoned divers who can take care of themselves.
Written June 26, 2018
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