Nassau diving from shore or Black beards?

[SailNaked]

We have a flight credit I need to use before June 15th so considering either diving from land or from LA.
last option may be ft, lauderdale. We dive a lot and the 20 dives on BB LA is very tempting.

 

[H2O Gal]

Shore diving on New Providence Island isn't very good--if you don't do Blackbeards you'll probably have to go with a company such as Stuart Cove's or Bahamas Divers. If lots of dives is what you want, you'll get much more value going on a Blackbeards cruise.

 

[Sieg@VU]

I love diving with Stuart Cove, but I totally agree with H2O Gal if you want more dive ops....

 

[diversteve]

The logistics of diving with Cove's make doing 20 dives in a week a lot more difficult. It's possible if you want to spend all 5 days at their property. They're about 45minutes from Nassau, most major hotels are either on Paradise Island or in the Cable Beach area on the north side - Cove's is on the south side. They do have a free shuttle though.

For that reason alone I'd go with Blackbeards.

If you can spend around $1500/pp. + fees/taxes - check with Lost Island Voyages or Cat Ppalu (the other Blackbeards affiliated operation) Both leave from Nassau and are sailboats. Cat PPalu will look like a full boat charter on their website but they often sell extra spaces.

Both are much nicer accommodations than BlackBeards - and probably less crowded. Certainly the showers are better.
And it's nice to actually have a non-share cabin. Some of the bigger berths on BlackBeards are immediately adjacent to the galley - just a curtain between you and it. The Cat has one lower double berth, below the main deck - the rest are one deck above. But it has an underwater viewport. I've never seen LIV's boat - Avalon. But have heard it's pretty nice.

Bahama Divers is on the Nassau side of the Paradise Island bridge but only does 3 dives/day.

There's also Explore Scuba on Paradise Island - IDK anything about them.

There's No shore diving on Nassau, the reef is too far out. Except one shallow dive on one end of the island.
Landshark divers tried to make a go of that, they're out of business. And booked their boat dives thru Cove's anyway.

Those are all the Nassau options.

 

[Willar]

I absolutely LOVED Blackbeards, but know what it entails. It is not a luxury boat but it is FUN and great diving. You will have bunks and very limited space, no privacy, good food, lots of dives, plenty of beautiful scenes.

 

[ADimitris]

Can you please tell me about that dive?

I am planning to attempt the high speed ferry form Ft Laud or Miami to the Bahamas for 1-2 days of diving, Since he ferry seems to arrive too late to make a boat dive the first day and leaves too early to do an afternoon boat dive the next day, that leaves only one morning boat trip. I woul dlike to know my options. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.


There's No shore diving on Nassau, the reef is too far out. Except one shallow dive on one end of the island.
Landshark divers tried to make a go of that, they're out of business. And booked their boat dives thru Cove's anyway.

Those are all the Nassau options.[/QUOTE]

 

[diversteve]

Can you please tell me about that dive?

I am planning to attempt the high speed ferry form Ft Laud or Miami to the Bahamas for 1-2 days of diving, Since he ferry seems to arrive too late to make a boat dive the first day and leaves too early to do an afternoon boat dive the next day, that leaves only one morning boat trip. I would like to know my options. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

There's No shore diving on Nassau, the reef is too far out. Except one shallow dive on one end of the island.
Landshark divers tried to make a go of that, they're out of business. And booked their boat dives thru Cove's anyway.

This Ferry? https://www.ferryexpress.com/wps/portal/comercial/home_us_en?estrecho=3&resetPortlet=true

Bahamas Express is a company dedicated to maritime transport, that offers fast-ferry service between Port Everglades (Florida) and the Bahamas (Bimini and Grand Bahama island).

It doesn't go to Nassau. Nassau is on New Providence Island. I've been to but haven't dove on Grand Bahama (Freeport) but I believe the same issue exists there. There is this thread about it: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bahamas/370219-shore-diving-near-freeport.html

IDK about Bimini but afaik for Bahamas shore diving you need to fly into the Abacos.

Almost all the Abacos' Cays offer shore diving opportunities with reefs and coral heads as close as 1' below the surface and 5 yards from the beach (esp. Manjack, Great Guana and Green Turtle Cays).

Diving and snorkeling in The Bahamas Abacos, Including Local Knowledge, Maps and Helpful Vacation Tips