"We're having loads of dinghy action today, there'll be massive windsurfing action, and some of you have already enjoyed early-morning mountain-biking action," announced Rob, the cheery if somewhat hyperactive new chief instructor, a windsurfing wizard fresh in from Porto Heli in Greece. "Right now, it's time for some breakfast action!"
My thoughts were on diving action. Having dipped its toes, Neilson Holidays is now integrating diving more closely into its Surf, Sail and Cycle holidays. Several of the alarmingly fit sports instructors at its Riviera Beach resort in Grenada, mostly wind-merchants at heart, had either learned or were in the process of learning to dive.
After all, with the spectacular Bianca C wreck just a short boat-ride from their base on Grand Anse beach, healthy reefs and the promise at least of Atlantic pelagic action, thrill-seekers would be crazy to overlook Grenada's underwater potential.
The dedicated diving instructors worked not for Neilson, however, but for a dive centre called Eco-divers, a couple of minutes' stroll down the beach.
When it came to watersports, I have rarely seen any group of people gel as quickly as these 40 or so Brits did, under the relaxed guidance of the dozen Neilson instructors. Within hours a community had formed itself in which even the biggest sporting vegetable could call on unlimited guidance or simply go and lie on the beach.
Most people availed themselves of a dazzling array of boards, boats and bikes, and retired to bed shattered surprisingly early each night. I heard few complaints.
During my week in Grenada, many of these holidaymakers enrolled with Eco-divers for try-dive or Open Water courses. Most of them returned full of the joys of scuba.

ANCHOR ON THE POOL
If you want to combine diving with other activities, or leave non-diving companions engrossed in exciting pastimes of their own rather than pining for your company, you'll appreciate a resort like this one.
You can immerse yourself on the Bianca C, the 600ft cruise liner that caught fire in 1961 and sank under tow in 50m. It's how one imagines scuba-diving on the Titanic might be.
The wreck was located unerringly each time by eye rather than GPS. The idea is then to roll in negatively buoyant and chase the guy with the SMB down to 35m as fast as possible to dodge the surface currents. If he stays in sight, you're doing all right.
Over the week I did see a succession of divers insist on going down with a minimum of lead, only to find their aluminium tanks turn into balloons towards the end of the dive on their safety stops. They should have known better, and I speak from experience, because I did it myself on my first eager pop on morning one.
Erring on the side of caution after that, I got down fast onto Bianca C and enjoyed three further dives on the wreck, each more satisfying than the last as it grew more familiar.
The water had a greenish tinge and visibility was variable following a period of storms, but the sight of the mighty liner never failed to captivate. An anchor dragged by a visiting cruiser has caved in much of its celebrated swimming pool, but we would drop onto the wreck amidships and hover to take in the view, before looping towards the stern section and back up to the bow at 30m.

DREAM MAIN COURSE
My fourth and farewell dive here was perfect. A spotted eagle ray winged its way sternwards as we meandered in the direction of the bow, just above the port rail.
Below, the huge promenade deck ended and the now-familiar stairway curved down onto the foredeck. Looking up, I could see the foremast as usual surrounded by clouds of baitfish and, hanging ominously among them, barracuda.
With visibility good, we dropped over the bow and backed off to enjoy the view of the oncoming liner. Then we made our way in midwater over to Whibble Reef, 100m away. This would allow a gradual ascent to safety-stop level while watching the sting rays and jacks on the reef below.
If the Bianca C is a dream main course, there are tasty reefs for afters. The seas were playing up for the equinox - on the six-mile long Boss Reef we were promised a drift but I found myself having to work fairly hard against the current.
Northern Exposure was more relaxed, one of the prettiest dives, where a light drift wafted us along a shallow wall garlanded with soft coral and sponges, where parrotfish roamed and spiny lobsters gestured that we should have a go if we thought ourselves hard enough. Pot Pourri was different again, a petrified forest of tube, vase, rope and barrel sponges, sea whips and gorgonians in fetching autumnal shades.
Everywhere we saw moray eels, in and out of their holes, and angels, butterflys, cows, damsels, trumpets and squirrels on parade. Spiny lobsters were too numerous to cause excitement, and I noticed one well-concealed Spanish lobster at Purple Rain, a site so-called because of the shoals of creole wrasse that surround you on ascent). There were also sizeable grouper and striking red-gold triggerfish here.
Other wrecks are inevitably dwarfed by the Bianca C - the Quarter Wreck in 17m is little more than the innards of an engine-room surrounded by damaged corals, though attractive coral gardens lie nearby. More fun are the Twin Wrecks, two freighters scuttled in 1985, one upright and intact with a hold and wheelhouse to investigate, the other nearby on its side and split open, with triggerfish playing in the wheelhouse.

ERRATIC BREEZES
Newcomers to diving enjoyed lessons at Moliniere and Flamingo Reefs, where the shallow coral had been so badly damaged by backwash from Hurricane Lenny nearly a year before that a few stray fin-kicks could hardly have made things much worse.
There is still plenty of life among the gullies here, and nearby is Grand Mall, one of the best reef dives, with a maze of well-populated canyons and ledges to explore around the 15m mark.
For the possibility of diving with pelagics and a bit more excitement, if conditions allow try to persuade the dive centre to take you to Atlantic coast sites such as Shark Reef or the wreck King Willy, or north for a day trip to the Isle de Ronde. As with so many destinations, it helps to have the clout of going with a suitably qualified group if you want to practise anything other than basic diving.
An increasing number of visitors also take some days out to enjoy diving in the unspoilt island of Carriacou to the north.
I packed in as many dives as I could around the south-west of Grenada, with windsurfing filling any remaining daylight hours, though the breezes were erratic during early September.
The temptation is to make the most of a multi-activity break, but remember that a sweaty sport such as board-sailing might be provocative in terms of decompression illness too soon after diving (certainly the way I do it). Take it easy - you have an excuse!
As for mountain-biking, I chickened out after seeing some of the less-fit survivors of the "warm-up" ride - it's hot out there, even before breakfast, and I couldn't help noticing that the terrain was a trifle hilly. More work in the gym is called for. I know my limits.

this pillar coral is unique to the Caribbean

St George's harbour


memorial to the Bianca C rescue in St George's


standard dives take you over the Bianca C but you can arrange to do deco-stop dives to explore it at closer quarters


scorpionfish in a barrel sponge


on the Bianca C

GETTING THERE JMC flies from Gatwick (via St Kitts outward-bound). DIVING DETAILS:Eco Divers is one of a number of dive centres on Grand Anse Beach. It also now has a new set-up at the True Blue Resort on the Atlantic coast, complete with nitrox fills and training, designed to facilitate more ambitious deco-stop diving on the Bianca C and other sites. ACCOMMODATION: The Riviera Beach Resort, Neilson's base on Grand Anse Beach, offers spacious air-conditioned half-chalets, with kitchenette and bathroom (0870 909 9099, www.neilson.com.uk). There are several hotels with dive centres on Grand Anse beach, or try the True Blue Bay resort (www.truebluebay.com). MONEY: US or Eastern Caribbean $, credit cards. FOR NON-DIVERS:All sports offered by Neilson, plus golf, rainforest trekking. The capital, St George's, is close by, though quiet. BEST TIME TO GO: Grenada is the most southerly of the Windward Isles, so beyond the hurricane belt, though Lenny caused indirect damage. December to May is the calmest and driest period, but with air temperature always at least 28°C, this is a year-round destination. WATER TEMPERATURE:26-28°C.. DIVING SUITABLE FOR: Everyone. COST:Seven days with Neilson including flights, breakfast, sports tuition and equipment (not diving) and transfers costs £655-865 depending on season (14 days £814-1050). A five-day dive pack including equipment costs £55.

PROS: Multi-activity holiday centres ensure something for all; increasingly popular but still largely unspoilt Caribbean destination, classic wreck site bears repeated visits, healthy reefs.

CONS: Don't bother with a multi-activity break if you want to take it easy. If you want advanced diving, you will have more clout with a group.