Cozumel or Nassau Bahamas

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ranada

Registered
Messages
14
Reaction score
3
Location
south texas
# of dives
200 - 499
Our group of friends have been going to cozumel every year for the last several years. I'm generally the vacation planner and I'm looking at breezes Nassau and diving with Stuart's cove. This will be my last big yeehaw for a year as I'm due to have a total knee replacement. Opinions wanted for best diving and over all experience. We are a fun group and will make our own fun where ever we go but we don't won't stuffy. Also since I have knee issues with climbing the ladder my experience in cozumel has been that the crew were super helpful. Can I expect that in the Bahamas as it will be important. The knee is worse than the last trip i went on. So I'm a little uptight about ladder climbing. Gear has to be off, and I will need help. Such a bummer..
 
It's been almost a decade since I dove with Stuart Coves. We dove with them for a week, and I recall it was a big operation, but well run. There were always multiple boats heading out and they were usually pretty full of divers, so getting extra help might mean waiting for the crowd to clear out.

As for the diving, I was in the Bahamas a couple months ago, this time in the Exumas, and found the walls impressive, but reefs quite over-fished. I haven't been to Coz, so can't compare things to that location, but would definitely choose TCI, Cayman, Bonaire, Belize, or Curacao over the Bahamas--all had MUCH better diving.
 
Since you dive Coz you're going to be greatly disappointed in Nassau. Plus Coves from Breezes is about 45mins via their van. And they'll probably make other stops nearby plus at a couple resorts farther south for other divers.

Wouldn't be for me. We dove the Bahamas last about a decade ago and now don't consider them an option. On two different liveaboards - with a few exceptions we find ourselves looking for the fish.

See what you think of Anthony's Key Resort on Roatan. I also have a bad knee (not as bad as yours) and had no problem boarding their boat.

They may also have extended the BOGO into 2019. Nice thing about AKR is it's 5 mins. by cab from the West End where most of the shops/nightlife is. With a big group pre-arrange a couple of vans - our driver took us all over the island for under $10pp - sometimes a short ride for all of us was 1/2 that. Book Superior rooms as that means air conditioning.

With your knee maybe Cocview? also. Their boats have moonwells - a flight of stairs in he center you board from underneath, No pool at CCV if that's a requirement.

For Breezes money you could also just about afford Barefoot Cay - it's far nicer. Your group would probably have their own boat - our group of 14 did. Besides the amenities - including pool and spa, it's 5 mins. to French Harbour for other things. Nice villas and very upscale amenities.

Roatan is a pricier flight than the Bahamas but once there it's a lot cheaper. I still remember being shocked by market prices in Freeport (GBI)
30 years ago.

Actually maybe look into the Wyndham Viva Fortuna on Grand Bahama Island as well. Looked like a typical AI and the dive shop there goes out to Tiger Beach on a weekly basis GBI is a lot quieter than Nassau though.

My group had a pretty good time on Curacao also - it's all small stuff diving though. We rented condos but the Sunscape AI resort hosts the SB Surges and is only a few minutes from downtown. There's a shore dive on site, decent beach and Ocean Encounters has a shop/boat there. I've been on their boats - they're dive boats not converted from something else. Big swim step and decent ladders. Subscape is a former Breezes,

If the Marriott in Piscadera Bay re-opens by then - it's going to be nice as it was before. Carib Sea Sports will probably have the dive operation, excellent pool/bar complex and a lot of nice beach.

If you've got to do AI and that area - look at Beaches Turks/Caicos. It's a nicer beach, a lot better deep wall diving and Provo is smaller and more pleasant than Nassau. Last time I was in Nassau we were warned about areas to avoid - we did a LOB from Provo and at the dock the captain replaced their fax machine - when he threw the old one in the trash barrel he added a note that it was OK to take it - otherwise no one would. I don't believe they have any crime there. IMO the sheer beauty puts Nassau in 2nd place also - Grace Bay Beach is one of the nicest in the world. What Breezes Bahamas doesn't show you in their ads is all the hotel towers nearby - at some there's row after row of beach chairs for their guests. I've stopped briefly at the T/C Beaches - there's none of that nearby.
 
I've dived both and Coz is better. Nassau was lackluster. The Bond wrecks were piles of rubble and problably more so now. However I did enjoy seeing more sharks around New Providence (Nassau). The current in Coz may help with not finning as much unless of course you have to or need to stop, so don't fight it.

In Coz I dive smaller boats and the DM/captain will pull up weights, fins, and BCD so ladder climbing will be without gear. I would check with the dive op you want to see what kind of boat you will use (backroll versus giant stride), if they will pull up your gear at the end of the dive and how long the ladder is to avoid knee bending.

Also you did not mention the time of year. We were in Nassau in a January during a cold front where the air and water temps were 68F and the wind was blowing the water out of the pool for a week. Coz can have it's own weather issues but I have never seen 68F water temps.
 
Coz & iaec. However, if you've been to Coz several times and looking for something new / different, here's one more vote for West End in Roatan or Curacao. Or, since you said you're going with a group that's pretty good at "making their own fun" Bonaire might be a good choice, especially considering your bum knee. Lots and lots of easy-entry shore diving...
 
Our group of friends have been going to cozumel every year for the last several years. I'm generally the vacation planner and I'm looking at breezes Nassau and diving with Stuart's cove. This will be my last big yeehaw for a year as I'm due to have a total knee replacement. Opinions wanted for best diving and over all experience. We are a fun group and will make our own fun where ever we go but we don't won't stuffy. Also since I have knee issues with climbing the ladder my experience in cozumel has been that the crew were super helpful. Can I expect that in the Bahamas as it will be important. The knee is worse than the last trip i went on. So I'm a little uptight about ladder climbing. Gear has to be off, and I will need help. Such a bummer..

Mayan Riviera Vidanta resort
Beach dock.jpg

Take a look at this resort you can get 2 bedroom sleeps 6 about $1,000 a week and it is not all inclusive biggest rip off ever.
Vidanta Resort Mayan Riviera rental NON all inclusive 18 hole golf waterpark dive shop - YouTube

the cruise ships have scarred the bigger fish away plus divers everywhere.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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