Dive Operators in Nassau - what's the real story?

[Falcon99]

Just posted something similar to another thread, but thought this better served with a new one.

My wife and I are cashing in on several years of business travel miles/points for a week in Nassau early August. She's a rather new diver who desires lower risk excursions. I'm an advanced diver with plenty of water time in various locations.

We've been looking through various reviews on both operators and have some concerns. Aside from the marketing troll posts and the complaining ones with little or disconnected details ("ex: they didn't help my elderly mom out of the water"), there are a few that are rather disturbing. I'm wondering if i should leave my stuff home and save the money for elsewhere.

I'm seeing underlying themes of:

1. Dive boats are cruise ship excursions with 30+ divers of mostly minimal proficiency. I hate cattle boats. Can think of better things to do than wait in the back of this kind of line. Been there, never went back.

2. Dive locations that are barely deep enough to log - catered for snorklers, not divers. How much do they want for this?

3. Dive times limited to the lowest proficiency of the cattle herd in #1 above, usually 20 - 30 minutes. Been here before and was so ashamed I had paid money, I didn't want anyone to know about it.

4. Gear/operator safety. Several reviews are disturbing about the rental gear - with detail. These are issues beyond a loose strap or leaky O-rings, and are detailed in description. Recurrent examples are boat safety, reckless handling of gear, inoperational BC / Regs, rushing to get the herd off for the next herd, or (most disturbing) little or no resources for an emergency like O2, spare tanks for rescue, and the like.

Bottom line - do I leave the gear at home and save the money for a place with a wider list of operators and better repuation, or do I take the chance with spending $300.

If there are specific days of the week or times of the day to completely avoid the cruise ship excusions, what are they? If trips exist for more experienced divers or divers who want to get away from the cattle boat, what do I ask - who do I ask?

Do I leave the gear at home and save for Cozumel?

 

[deepstops]

There's only one significant operator in Nassau and that's Stuart Coves. (Dive Bahamas dot com has way too many negative posts for me to consider using them)

Six or seven years ago, there were three majors: Dive-Dive-Dive, Nassau Scuba Centre, and Stuart Coves.

They run multiple boats so I'd imagine you and your wife can both find the dives you want but not on the same boat.

I can't comment on their rental gear because I've always brought my own gear.

 

[george w]

Stuarts Cove is a very nise op. They sadly had an incident with a diver,but my wife and I dove with them in Feb and I will say they were the most professional op we ever dove with. I would say that is the place to go. They go out of there way to ensure you have a good time. My wife had an incident at about 60feet and the dm was there so fast I could not believe it. I have never seen a person move in the water that fast to get to my wife. It was really no big deal but at the time it could have been. try them you wount be sorrt

 

[Dantheengineer]

Recent criticism, from here on the board, made it's way in front of Stuart and Michelle Cove. They were upset and determined to redress the issues highlighted.........(or so dock hearsay at the time had it)
Certainly, the last time i tried to dive at short notice, i was turned away. This is a first in three years, normally there's "room for one more". I consider this indicative of their resolve to not over crowd the boats.

The hire gear is almost all new currently, following the brokerage of a deal with Aqualung about two months ago.

Sign in is always a busy time in the shop and really ruins the mood for allot of guests. One could alleviate this distress by declining the free bus transport and hiring one's own car in order to arrive early and beat the rush. Not ideal, but then...what ever is?

There is a reluctance to actually designate an "advanced" boat largely because if every one was taken at their word.....it would be the cattle boat leaving only students and a few unfortunates on the "special folk's" boat. In the light of this, a quiet word with one of the dock managers would more normally assure one's place on the "non student carrying boat" (if practical or a possibility)

More normally (either am or pm) the first dive is of the wall. Depth is restricted by your own training and experience. OW 60' : AOW and above 80' :those qualified and with a computer each 100'.
This is covered in every briefing i've heard there (400 plus and counting) I've only ever seen this actually enforced when one of the "harder of thinking" guests is being a proper muppet! By and large, as trained and certified divers we are left to adhere to our own.....well......training and certification.........
Essentially, if you and your buddy are together, aware and receptive of directions and hand signals from the dive leader, not below 120' (my personal best before catching an earful) and not ascending/descending rapidly, you'll be afforded enough respect to dive your own way.
The second dive may or mayn't be off the wall. If it's not, you are going to have a fairly shallow dive. Bahamas, i believe, actually translates as shallow seas.....
The ones to avoid are Nari Nari 30' (Cesna Wreck): Hollywood Bowl 30': Elkhorn Gardens 30": and South West Reef 30'. These sites are generally only dived if the weather or current is inclement (with the exception of SW reef which is actually rather cool for a shallow dive), also if there's new students or resort divers on board.
The wall top starts at 40' or deeper in the "Cove's" area. Generally the staff/Captain can be reasoned with to dive an interesting wreck atop the wall, failing that sensible suggestions from clients are ALWAYS heard. Suggest Will Laurie (50'), BBC wreck (Blue Plunder) (50') or even Bond Wrecks (35') in the event of bad current/weather.

Down time. Mmmmm.... the only advice i can give here is to be the first in and the last out. I try to be ready and kitted up by the time the boat anchors. Try a side entry if the muppet show's blocking the transom. The staff generally dont mind, but will be even more receptive with prior warning, after all it eases their day if every one just gets in clean and swift.
Coming back, i dont come back to the boat until the last man's cleared the ladder. Worst case, the captain gets to beat on the ladder with a weight venting his frustration out in that fashion rather than on you. Still do you're safety stop or you may yet take a hammering...........
In this fashion i've never had a dive shorter than 45mins.

Are you keeping the folk on the boat waiting? No, with only a five or ten min journey back to shore, you can get seated and start stripping your gear on the way and whilst they alight, you're packing your stuff. You've just assisted in staggering the processes and avoiding a glut

If i was you, i'd pack my regs and computer this time, then try it and see what you think.
They do get busy, they have just had a fatal incident (or at least, they've just recently lost a diver) this is a very imperfect world.
I hope you let us know how it goes and that the above helps you.

 

[Falcon99]

Dan, that was a wonderful, well worded, informative, and extremely wise post. Thanks!!

Strange - my wife and I were discussing this exact subject before I checked the thread. I had made a statement that this was probably a matter of due preparation to minimize bad luck and the rest of the conversation was right along the lines of your post. Can't get any better than that.

Can't wait to come visit your island. (Never been there before)

 

[Dantheengineer]

I really hope you have a good time!
You just gotta "take your time and live long".......(local saying)

Closer to my own understanding is..."to the optimist the glass is half full, to the pessimist half empty. To the engineer, the glass is simply twice as big as it needs to be.........."

The moral is, this is a great place.......just not everyone's cup of tea. You just have to take it as it is. USA (or UK) it aint! You wont change that.

(I really wish i was from here. i'm actually a Brit expat, but i aspire........)

Wishing you the best of British...

 

[Jim Ernst]

I dove with them in October (in Nassau) , And I had nothing less then a Great time and was treated like Royalty.

 

[Falcon99]

As a proud engineer, can't agree with you more. Wife laughed when she read your post.

But.. there's something really exciting about spending a week and no plans. Do I sit on a beach? Do I just sit in a bar? Do I take a walk downtown? I love it. No plans usually lead to the best adventures.

Spent time with the RAF on several tours the past 5 years (RAF and AUS together are a riot). Love every minute.

Thanks again. Can't wait for August.

 

[Dantheengineer]

Check out the aquarium in Atlantis on Paradise Island if you get a minute. The hotel (or even PI) isn't to everyone's liking, but it's difficult not to be impressed with the fish tank!

Also, if you do have your own transport and you fancy some cultured tranquility, try lunch at Good Fellows Farm, just along from Coves towards Lyford Cay (feels almost like being back in
Blighty on a warm summers day). It might fit in nicely after a mornings diving.

The Bahamas is currently undergoing a big (on land) clean up in preparation for Miss Universe in August. You should, i hope, see New Providence at it's very finest!

If there's anything further, please dont hesitate!

 

[scuba91709]

Dan,

Thanks for the thread, I will be on PI for the second week of August. Was planning on Diving with either Stuart Cove's or Bahamas Divers.

Don