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Went to Nassau 12-9 to 12-16 for early winter getaway. Prices are cheaper until 12-19 - high season rates. We flew SouthWest direct from BWI - two bags FREE :yes:.
Stayed at Breezes - all inclusive , it was nice but we often missed breakfast and lunch due to dive schedule so not likely we'll pay for that option again.
Did a dive package with Staurt's Cove - really big operation. Buses would pick us up at 8:00 - and were on time :thumbup:. At least once each day - we stopped for other divers who were not on time and left the hotel. They run a tight schedule - often due to cruise ship divers who have to be back. It was about 30 minute ride to dive shop.
They offer AM and PM dives and option to do both with an hour or so break in between. Shop sells hamburgers @ $10.00 but they were about 1/2 pounders. You get AM or PM for $125.00 - discounted to $185.00 for both. Even better discount if you book a lot of dives ahead of time.
They run 3-6 boats depending on the amount of people. Not all are divers - they offer snorkel and SNUBA plus the bubble thing that looks like a motorcycle.
It was great diving - good viz. and 74* water. Normal cattle boat diving with 10-18 divers. The first dive they guide you as a group along a wall or wreck. Only complaint was the wait for all divers to get to bottom - more then once it was 15 minutes. Sometimes my wife and I would go by ourselves - cleared it first with divemaster. Once they get to know your air consumption and skills - they'll let you go alone.
Loved the wall - it drops from 60' to 6,000 ' - looked straight down , at least as far as I could see. We dropped to 100' on one dive but best life was 40-50 feet on the edge.
Second dive was option to go by yourselves or with divemaster. They gave us 60 minutes from when they tied up so it was important to be ready. As you can imagine - some new divers got in the way on the stern holding up the group. We learned fast to gear up near bow and go over the side to get full 60 minute diving.
Most second dives my wife and I were first in - last out. They do a recall at 50 minutes by banging weights on ladder.
Boats were nice and could not beat the 1-3 mile runs to dive sites. Lots of wrecks - few offered cool swim throughs and penetrations. Most of the divers stayed with divemaster so we got to explore on our own.
The real draw is the PM shark dive / feed - it costs more but is a fun thing to do. They put divers in a 30 foot circle on bottom in about 40 feet - then bring in a crate with fish. The 20 or so sharks know the drill and are almost like pets. Some of the wrecks are close to where they feed the sharks and on AM dive - we often saw them.
Only negative - lots of Lionfish and no real effort to kill them. I took out about 10 of them with dive knife - easily saw 100 of them. Wish I had a spear - it would have been game on.
Most areas we go - divemasters carry a spear to get them off the reef.
It was chilly for the area when we were there - 70-75* and breezy - sweatshirt between dives was perfect. I dove an older 3mm and was OK but put hood on for PM dives. Chicken vest would have been perfect - kick myself for not packing it.
Most divers used rental gear - everything looked well kept.
Got in 18 dives in 6 days - think we dove almost everything. They were good about asking repeat divers where they had been and doing best to go somewhere new. Tried to do a night dive but needed 6 and only had 4 divers at anytime.
The inlet is tight - the 42 footer only had few feet either side - at night it would be hairy , one guess why they do not promote night dives.
Airport in Nassau has US customs so it was easy to be cleared and land at BWI in domestic area. Guess it was 2 1/2 or so flight - not bad at all.
Overall - fun trip / easy diving.
Stayed at Breezes - all inclusive , it was nice but we often missed breakfast and lunch due to dive schedule so not likely we'll pay for that option again.
Did a dive package with Staurt's Cove - really big operation. Buses would pick us up at 8:00 - and were on time :thumbup:. At least once each day - we stopped for other divers who were not on time and left the hotel. They run a tight schedule - often due to cruise ship divers who have to be back. It was about 30 minute ride to dive shop.
They offer AM and PM dives and option to do both with an hour or so break in between. Shop sells hamburgers @ $10.00 but they were about 1/2 pounders. You get AM or PM for $125.00 - discounted to $185.00 for both. Even better discount if you book a lot of dives ahead of time.
They run 3-6 boats depending on the amount of people. Not all are divers - they offer snorkel and SNUBA plus the bubble thing that looks like a motorcycle.
It was great diving - good viz. and 74* water. Normal cattle boat diving with 10-18 divers. The first dive they guide you as a group along a wall or wreck. Only complaint was the wait for all divers to get to bottom - more then once it was 15 minutes. Sometimes my wife and I would go by ourselves - cleared it first with divemaster. Once they get to know your air consumption and skills - they'll let you go alone.
Loved the wall - it drops from 60' to 6,000 ' - looked straight down , at least as far as I could see. We dropped to 100' on one dive but best life was 40-50 feet on the edge.
Second dive was option to go by yourselves or with divemaster. They gave us 60 minutes from when they tied up so it was important to be ready. As you can imagine - some new divers got in the way on the stern holding up the group. We learned fast to gear up near bow and go over the side to get full 60 minute diving.
Most second dives my wife and I were first in - last out. They do a recall at 50 minutes by banging weights on ladder.
Boats were nice and could not beat the 1-3 mile runs to dive sites. Lots of wrecks - few offered cool swim throughs and penetrations. Most of the divers stayed with divemaster so we got to explore on our own.
The real draw is the PM shark dive / feed - it costs more but is a fun thing to do. They put divers in a 30 foot circle on bottom in about 40 feet - then bring in a crate with fish. The 20 or so sharks know the drill and are almost like pets. Some of the wrecks are close to where they feed the sharks and on AM dive - we often saw them.
Only negative - lots of Lionfish and no real effort to kill them. I took out about 10 of them with dive knife - easily saw 100 of them. Wish I had a spear - it would have been game on.
Most areas we go - divemasters carry a spear to get them off the reef.
It was chilly for the area when we were there - 70-75* and breezy - sweatshirt between dives was perfect. I dove an older 3mm and was OK but put hood on for PM dives. Chicken vest would have been perfect - kick myself for not packing it.
Most divers used rental gear - everything looked well kept.
Got in 18 dives in 6 days - think we dove almost everything. They were good about asking repeat divers where they had been and doing best to go somewhere new. Tried to do a night dive but needed 6 and only had 4 divers at anytime.
The inlet is tight - the 42 footer only had few feet either side - at night it would be hairy , one guess why they do not promote night dives.
Airport in Nassau has US customs so it was easy to be cleared and land at BWI in domestic area. Guess it was 2 1/2 or so flight - not bad at all.
Overall - fun trip / easy diving.
