I was a diver back in the 60s and 70s. I dove Florida and the Bahamas. It was beautiful and coral and fish were plentiful. When I went back to diving in early 2000s I was shocked by how it had all deteriorated. I really don't want to have to spend $6K on a trip to Cuba to see good Caribbean diving. Is there anywhere left in the Bahamas that is still very good to excellent?? Thanks.
Are there any great sites left
- Thread starter Dave Kay
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RockiesFan
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I suspect you already know the answer to that one.
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Turks & Caicos is still good - similar deep wall diving, sharks, lush coral...easier to get to the better sites on one of two liveabaords - both out of Provo (Provideciales) which is the main airport.
pretty easy to get to thru AA's Charlotte hub.
Both a Crown of Thorns and Sargassum Weed infestation in the last 10-15 years haven't done the Bahamas Out Islands much good,
pretty easy to get to thru AA's Charlotte hub.
Both a Crown of Thorns and Sargassum Weed infestation in the last 10-15 years haven't done the Bahamas Out Islands much good,
diverswifey
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Headed to Grand Turk on Nov. 20 for a week- husband (the diver) diving daily with Blue Water divers- I am the planner and have done extensive research. The best diving is not off of Provo but off of Grand Turk. You can fly to Provo direct from many US cities then a 20 minute flight on Caicos Air to Grand Turk. We are staying at the Osprey Beach Hotel which is where Blue Water offices are located- pick up right there.... all seems very easy for any people who want land based trips (I do not dive).
Damselfish
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It's true the diving right around Provo is not generally considered the best available in T&C - most of the best diving is around some of the less populated islands including Grand Turk. Liveaboards leaving from Provo do not stay around Provo - they travel to West Caicos and French Caye. You can also dive those areas and others from Provo with land based ops that run boats from there, though they can be longer boat rides than some prefer. (My favorite diving in T&C was actually at South Caicos.)
There are lots of great choices in the Atlantic/Caribbean besides Cuba and the Bahamas!
What kind of diving are you looking for? If you like a lot of sharks than the Bahamas, Florida, Cuba, and the T&Cs are probably your best choices for that part of the world.
But if you like beautiful walls and coral reefs and healthy fish populations (and a few sharks) then there are lots of other choices in the Caribbean and Central America, for a lot less than $6000 per person traveling from the Midwest.
What kind of diving do you want to do, what time of year do you want to travel, what else do you like to do on vacation, are you traveling singly or with a buddy, and what is your target budget?
Well, anything will surly beat Indiana! Just returned from Cozumel and if that won’t satisfy you, not sure what would? I dove Nassau two years back and will again in two weeks and it was an enjoyable dive with a healthy reef and fish...
Now the Keys...yeah, it’s not like it was back in the late 70s-80s. And most say Cuba is fished out and if you went, it wouldn’t cost $6k....lol.
Now the Keys...yeah, it’s not like it was back in the late 70s-80s. And most say Cuba is fished out and if you went, it wouldn’t cost $6k....lol.
Damselfish
Contributor
Depends on your definition of good to excellent, and what you want to see. Good if you want to see sharks but if you're more of a reef person which it sounds like you are, not so much. I was on a 2 week Bahamas liveaboard about 5 years ago, which covered a bit more more than the usual liveaboard routes, and aside from a few really nice spots, wasn't impressed with the reefs anywhere we went. Maybe if you sail to the southernmost Bahamas with a compressor.
I'd say there are lots of places in the Caribbean where the diving is better than the Bahamas, but I don't think anything mainstream in the Caribbean is what it used to be 40 or even 20 years ago. We've been diving almost 30, and have done a few trips in recent years with our original instructor who hadn't been there since those days - he was pretty bummed. At least it's close-ish to home - I just enjoy it for what it is now. There may be remote places that are less impacted, but getting there or finding tanks or accommodations may be challenging. I've seen nothing in the Caribbean that comes anything close to what I've seen in the Philippines, Indonesia, Maldives, etc. My favorite Caribbean spot overall is probably Little Cayman, but I'm pretty sure that's not what it used to be either. I saw hints of good stuff in Guanaja, but weather didn't cooperate for us so I don't think we got to see the best of the diving there. Maybe Mona Island west of Puerto Rico, but I haven't been there. Or the Corn Islands (Nicaragua), Providencia or San Andes (Columbia) but I haven't been to those either.
scubafanatic
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It's possible any of the great sites left are 'secret' and not shared with the general public, so that they remain 'great'.
aquacat8
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If my time machine ever works I will invite some scuba buddies... intend to dive 1962. If we mess up and wind up in the Jurassic we may have a good dive before we get eaten.
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