Blackbeards Cruise to the Bahamas

[archman]

bring along several medium-large ziploc baggies... a whole box if you have a bunch of people going. The bags will be a godsend for folks to stuff the odd shell, sea bean, expended bullet, etc.. These things often stink and are dirty; rinse with freshwater and sun-dry all the little knick knacks on the deck if possible before putting in the baggies. This is MUCH improvement when you have to pack this stuff with other luggage.

Blackbeard's affords several opportunites to collect nice souvenirs... I have some neat stuff myself.

 

[jhelmuth]

All good suggestions. I'll add one - don't dismiss the foul wether gear (IE rain coat and pants). My first trip was the worst during the crossing because I was cold and wet and tired. Keeping dry and warm during the crossing makes for a better trip overall.

Oh yes - pack as light as possible (and then unpack half of that and leave it home).

Blackbeards is truely a great trip and I go as often as possible. If you get Captn Paul (Pirates Lady usually), thell him Jim in St. Pete said howdy!

 

[jhelmuth]

bring along several medium-large ziploc baggies... a whole box if you have a bunch of people going. The bags will be a godsend for folks to stuff the odd shell, sea bean, expended bullet, etc.. These things often stink and are dirty; rinse with freshwater and sun-dry all the little knick knacks on the deck if possible before putting in the baggies. This is MUCH improvement when you have to pack this stuff with other luggage.

Blackbeard's affords several opportunites to collect nice souvenirs... I have some neat stuff myself.

To each his own - but I'd like anyone to consider leaving it the way you found it. Disturb nothing, observe and have fun, and do no harm.

 

[Hoogit]

If youre looking to save space consider backpacker/camping towels. Even if you only use one on deck they are great...absorbent and dry in the breeze during your surface interval.

Going on my 4th BB on May 8

 

[archman]

If youre looking to save space consider backpacker/camping towels. Even if you only use one on deck they are great...absorbent and dry in the breeze during your surface interval.

No joke, these things are fantastic! After towelling off from a saltwater dive, just dip or spray it in freshwater, wring out, air dry for 10 minutes, and they're ready to go again! If you skip the freshwater rinse step it takes a bit longer to dry, and the salt crystals may "chafe". No stinking towel dries this fast!

 

[hantzu701]

Many people brought full-length towels. They never totally dry out and are worthless if/when it rains. A camp towel is small and dries in a jiffy. My towel became my blanket for my trip as my blanket got wet during the crossing and never really dried out.

Bring a real save a dive kit and supplement it with hoses, extra o-rings, etc. On my trip, someone blew their 1st stage and had to borrow from someone who had an extra.

Forget taking pictures of the shark dive, take video if ur digital camera allows it. These things move too fast to get good photos.

Take the rum punch in moderation. Great stuff, but pretty strong. Keep in mind that u can buy rum in Bimini pretty cheaply and bring back to US duty free.

I brought a cushion, but never used it. People put gear on the seating area, so cushions get wet and never dry out. It sucks sitting on a wet cushion.

If I could, I would bring a small clip fan. I was in the bow of the boat and we never got enough ventilation.

ditto on the ziplock bags. Great for keeping things dry/clean. Great for throwing up on the ocean crossing.

 

[archman]

ditto on the ziplock bags. Great for keeping things dry/clean. Great for throwing up on the ocean crossing.

pansy.

 

[crispos]

I don't get all the references to need for clothes pins. Please enlighten me. Also the one about it being a familiar tribal group.

Blackbeard regularly sends 2 for 1 and other "deals" that on closer examination didn't look so great a price. I always wondered if their dive trips were any good. I know I always wanted to dive the western Bahama islands like Bimini.

 

[theskull]

The clothespins are for securing your wetsuit, hood, suit, etc. to the side railings so they can dry between dives but not blow off the boat while moving from site to site.

theskull

 

[kwickert]

This is my first time trying to link to this gallery, and my first day loading pictures to it as well. So far so good, I just hope this link works:

This is from a shark dive on Blackbeard's, following the #1 rule for photography, as it was explained to me; "shoot, shoot, and keep shooting..."

You never know what you might end up with.

Ken