Blackbeard - Liveaboard - Questions

[T.C.]

Regarding the wet suit. I am torn. I have a 3 mil shorty and a 5-4-3 Mares Flexa 5/4/3 mm buy and offers on Scubastore. I might bring both.

Give that space is at a premium, I would take the 5/4/3 suit and leave the shorty.

What was your favorite dive spot?

Two; Jeep Reef and Split Coral Head.

My wife is worried (shes's a big worrier) with not being able to be in contact for a week. After landing is there any WiFi I can hook up to at the marina to call or send a message before we leave and after we disembark from the boat?

When does your flight land?

Starbucks has internet, and if you land before 2 or so, there'll be plenty of time while they finish prepping the boat.

 

[jlcnuke]

Thanks for your input. I am going to drop the flashlight and multi-tool. I think I will keep the medicine, magazines & headphones as I will be staying extra days and also for traveling. Regarding the wet suit. I am torn. I have a 3 mil shorty and a 5-4-3 Mares Flexa 5/4/3 mm buy and offers on Scubastore. I might bring both. I don't typically get too cold but would rather be safe than sorry as they don't take up much room. But with that being said as I am keeping the toboggan. I like a warm head at night. Couple questions. What was your favorite dive spot? I am traveling as a single. Is the front of the boat better to stay at if possible? My wife is worried (shes's a big worrier) with not being able to be in contact for a week. After landing is there any WiFi I can hook up to at the marina to call or send a message before we leave and after we disembark from the boat? (unplugging is part of this trip for me, but you got to keep the wife happy ) I have international calling for on land but if there is WiFi available I would like to hold off. Thanks for all your help.

Just realized you are from Acworth. Kennesaw here, Heritage Club! What neighborhood do you live?

Feel free to bring both. The topside dive lockers are shared (2 people per locker) but have plenty of room for each person to store all their gear and have a second wetsuit without a problem. However, with the repeated dives, a shorty will probably not be warm enough for most dives if you're like me.

I travelled single (only 2 couples were onboard when I went) and I was in the main cabin and liked it (less private/busier but I was only in my rack for sleeping and tended to wake up earlier than most of the other divers), but they assign where you're at. I imagine you could request ahead of time if you'd prefer a more private bunk up in the forward cabins.

As WarernZ said, wifi is free at the starbucks across the street from the marina (I think it's also free at the Dairy Queen and the deli at the grocery store in the same shopping center). Additionally, you can use a cell phone in some of the anchorages (assuming you want to pay whatever international fees apply to your plan and that it allows it). There are cell phone towers in the Exumas (though I recommend staying unplugged if you're anything like me), so if you really wanted to you could call and say hi during the week (most of the crew called family on Christmas while we were anchored).

My favorite dives were the wall dives (I think it was Jew Fish Wall that I got video of a shark swimming over the dive pair that was coming out of the wall behind us), followed by the shark feed (which was cool too). The wall dives had some great swim-throughs that I really enjoyed and the variety of life from the boat to the wall was really cool to me. Lobster/No Lobster was probably my favorite shallow dive site though.

The shot I was talking about with the shark over divers:

I'm almost in Woodstock actually (technically Acworth, barely..). I'm over in Queensbury Orchard. Though I'm currently living in a hotel in Texas for work..

 

[scubapetecanada]

Is there any way to rinse your gear after a dive?

 

[T.C.]

After each dive, not really. Your gear stays attached to your tank, so it’s not feasible. There is also limited fresh water available for that. You may get lucky and get a free fresh water rinse from Mother Nature though.

There is the condensate hose from the air conditioner that you can use, but the hose doesn’t reach the gear rack and the crew won’t appreciate you dragging the gear over to it.

After the trip is done, there is several hoses at the dock for rinse and some rinse buckets. Honestly, you dive so often that your gear doesn’t have a chance to fully dry beteeen dives. I wouldn’t sweat it between dives.

 

[drbill]

Had a fun trip with them a few years ago and wore my 3/2mm full suit but I may also have had a 3mm hooded vest. I was plenty warm. They didn't use the cyalume sticks on our night dives at that time.

 

[scubapetecanada]

Thanks for the input T.C., read that they have rinse buckets for cameras and regs but no mention of anything else either on the ship or back at the harbour. We're planning on staying in Nassau for a couple days after we disembark so hopefully we can find a place with somewhere to hang it up to dry........if anyone has any suggestions we would welcome some

 

[T.C.]

Thanks for the input T.C., read that they have rinse buckets for cameras and regs but no mention of anything else either on the ship or back at the harbour. We're planning on staying in Nassau for a couple days after we disembark so hopefully we can find a place with somewhere to hang it up to dry........if anyone has any suggestions we would welcome some

Well, the boat will get back into harbor on Thursday, and you can rinse and clean gear on Thursday afternoon, and leave it to hang outside all night. I've never had an issue with the gear not drying well.

The camera rinse bucket is a large drum, and when you get back to harbor, they'll fill it with fresh water for gear- and you can use the hose as well.

 

[KathyV]

Thanks for the input T.C., read that they have rinse buckets for cameras and regs but no mention of anything else either on the ship or back at the harbour. We're planning on staying in Nassau for a couple days after we disembark so hopefully we can find a place with somewhere to hang it up to dry........if anyone has any suggestions we would welcome some

If you haven't seen the excellent trip report from @jlcnuke you may find it interesting:
My Blackbeard's Cruise Report

 

[KathyV]

Going on my first liveaboard trip on blackbeards this march. A couple questions. Did anyone buy the travelex insurance that they are pushing for their trip? If so what does it actually cover? Was thinking about taking a 3 mil full suit. Anyone who has gone during that time think that is enough? Also they say to bring Cyalume sticks for the night dives. Are these just the basic crack and use glow sticks like this https://www.amazon.com/Cyalume-Gree...e=UTF8&qid=1516748279&sr=1-1&keywords=Cyalume Do you just attach them to your bc? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

@dirkmy did you go on the Blackbeards liveaboard cruise in March as planned; how was it?

 

[dirkmy]

A little late response but here it goes. It has been a year since my blackbeards liveaboard adventure. I am ready to go back. We saw plenty of wildlife including whales on the first morning. We had amazing weather. The sea was like glass most days. We were able to travel into the national park because of the conditions which was a plus. It did get a little rough the last day which cut us a dive short from a total of 18 but I dont think anyone got sick. I was on the Morning Star with captain Breezy. Food was excellent. Crew was AWESOME! And guests were a lot of fun. There were quite a few international travelers other than Americans on the boat. Australia, Germany, Denmark, Russia & Canada along with each coast of the states were all represented. Having all the different cultures on that tight boat was very cool experience and everyone got along great. Quarters were a little tight but it was fine (I wasn't there to hang out in my room). I was in the front cabin along with 2 guys from Canada and 1 guy from France. If you are shy about changing clothes around random people you might be a little uncomfortable. No one in my cabin seemed to have an issue. Everyone on the boat had a great time. We drained a keg of beer while on the trip. A couple nights some people partied pretty late but I had no problem sleeping after doing 4 dives, having a great dinner and having a couple beers after the night dives. I was traveling solo so I was paired up with my dive buddy who was from Denmark. He was a solid experienced diver which made things a lot easier and enjoyable. The second day we got another buddy added with us. A Russian woman who would swim off on her own some times. She ran out of air on one dive. It got a little old baby sitting her and by the end of the week after discussing it with the divemaster I kind of let her do her thing if she didn't want to be safe. Anyways the boat did a total of 17 dives. I held out on the last night dive as I had a headache and was asleep by 7 at night. My pack out list was as follows: (When I go again I will probably bring the same stuff. Might get away with one less shirt or pair of underwear. I did bring a 3 mil shorty and full 5 mil. I used the 5 mil always after the first dive.) I also put down all the details from each dive below the pack out list. Enjoy!

Travel Clothes (Will Also Take & Use On Boat)
T-shirt
Shorts
Underwear
Shoes (Leave At Dock)

Toiletries
Glasses & Case
Extra Contacts
Contact Solution & Case
Eye Drops
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Tooth Picks
Hotel Bar Soap
Body Wash
Deodorant
Tylenol
Dramamine
Benadryl
Tums
Ear Drops
Q Tips
Sunscreen
Lotion
Chapstick
Ear Plugs

Clothing On Boat
(3) Swim Trunks
(2) Dive Shirt
(2) T-shirt
Flip flops
(3) Underwear
(1) Pants
(1) Jacket
(1) Long Sleeve Shirt
Toboggan
Sun Hat
Bandana

Dive Gear
Mask
Defog
Snorkel
Octo
BC
Knife
Compass
Computer
Wetsuit
Boots
Fins
Dive Light & Charger
Tank Light
Dive Log
Cert Card

Misc
GoPro
SD Cards
Sun Glasses & Case
Zip Lock Bags
(2) Quick Dry Towels
Flashlight
Multi Tool
Batteries (For Flashlight)
Battery (For Dive Computer)
Dry Box & Bag
Phone Charger
Headphones
Magazines
ID, Insurance Card & Passport
Money & CC
Pen
Spring Clamps

Clothes For Last Day & Travel (Left At Dock)
Shorts
T-shirt
Underwear
Shoes

Dive List

3/17/18
Dive Site - Pacman
Max Depth - 19'
Dive Time - 71 min

3/18/18
Dive Site - Flat Rock
Max Depth - 24'
Dive Time - 64 min

3/18/18
Dive Site - Madison Ave
Max Depth - 42'
Dive Time - 65 min

3/18/18
Dive Site - Madison Ave (Night Dive)
Max Depth - 43'
Dive Time - 53 min

3/19/18
Dive Site - Dog Rock
Max Depth - 101'
Dive Time - 38 min

3/19/18
Dive Site - Whale Shark Wall
Max Depth - 93'
Dive Time - 43 min

3/19/18
Dive Site - Hawks Bill Reef
Max Depth - 24'
Dive Time - 69 min

3/19/18
Dive Site - Hawks Bill Reef (Night Dive)
Max Depth - 26'
Dive Time - 60 min

3/20/18
Dive Site - Three Peaks
Max Depth - 56'
Dive Time - 53 min

3/20/18
Dive Site - Danger Jack
Max Depth - 64'
Dive Time - 59 min

3/20/18
Dive Site - Goom Bay
Max Depth - 52'
Dive Time - 49 min

3/20/18
Dive Site - Goom Bay (Night Dive)
Max Depth - 53'
Dive Time - 46 min

3/21/18
Dive Site - Cracked Coral Head
Max Depth - 73'
Dive Time - 43 min

3/21/18
Dive Site - Pillar Wall
Max Depth - 80'
Dive Time - 46 min

3/21/18
Dive Site - Austin Smith (Shark Dive)
Max Depth - 48'
Dive Time - 51 min

3/22/18
Dive Site - Jew Fish Wall
Max Depth - 103'
Dive Time - 51 min