Adrian Blackman had a lengthy career in the diving industry before he finally opened his own diving company Native Spirit Scuba Grenada. Located on Grand Anse Beach at the Radisson Resort, it is the first diving operation owned and operated by Grenadian native citizens. The vibe is relaxed and quality excellent. They take safety and preparation seriously and carefully prepare us for a fast drop to the Hema, a wreck that Adrian watched sink more than a decade ago. A member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Blackman responded to the sinking and rescued the crew members from the ship. As they boarded his vessel, they heard a deafening crack. The ship broke in half on descent. Today it sits well offshore in the clear, current rich diversity of the Atlantic. Sharks hide in the lee of the wreck and large schools of fish constantly carpet the surroundings. A pair of eagle rays drifted over our heads as we descended quickly to the bottom.
Our second stop was a beautiful reef site where I carefully observed Coral Reef Gardener Paulina seeking out and noting the tiny inhabitants of the reef. Her role, sponsored by an EU NGO, helps her develop and maintain a coral nursery and also monitor reef health and trends. Now 20 years old, she is seeking further education and a career involving marine biology. A confident and graceful diver, she is a joy to watch as she hovers effortlessly over little holes containing lobsters crabs and reef fish.
Joe and I both enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of Native Spirit Scuba and truly appreciated hte expert boat handling and diving procedures.
