Paradise Island

[Dirty-Dog]

Sue, Kim and I are going to be staying at the Riu Palace on Paradise Island for a week in July. We have not settled on a dive op yet.
Recommendations for a dive op that picks up on Paradise Island, and does shark dives? We prefer small boats/groups.
Thanks.

 

[diversteve]

There's really only two options on Nassau period unless you want to go exclusively Private charter then there's two more. Seriously, that's all there is...Pretty much everybody sort of does shark dives by default since you see them regularly near certain sites. Stuart Coves is the original shark feed operator and does that daily.

The "typical" operators are Stuart Cove's and Bahama Divers.

Cove's is on the south side so has a 45min. shuttle ride - they pickup twice daily at the Riu or any Paradise Island property. Coves does a shark feed dive every afternoon on demand so sharks tend to hang around nearby. Also a collection of wrecks and old movie sets (the buildings themselves were originally the old Flipper TV show set) at sites near their location so at many you will find sharks in a more natural setting. May not exactly be what you want though with a fleet of a dozen boats in the 24-50 diver range since they also handle the bulk of the cruise dives. I have heard they segregate by experience level - and that depending on the time of year/cruise ships in port may not be that busy. I have not been there in decades. Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas Shark Diving Bahamas Diving in Nassau Bahamas

Bahama Divers is located across the bridge from Paradise Island - literally. They also have a Paradise Island shuttle. Many of the sites they dive have sharks but they don't do a feed per se. Lost Blue Hole is about their best known dive and you should see sharks there. At one time hammerheads but they may've moved on recently. Bahama Divers

At Cove's it's possible to do up to 4 dives/daily unless one is the shark dive. Bahama Divers does 2/1 and some night dives.

The Private options are or Explore Scuba or Custom Aquatics. I know little about either except that Explore keeps their boat at a Paradise Island marina while Custom picks you up since they're even farther SE than Coves.

Explore Scuba - Custom Dive Charters in The Bahamas | Explore Scuba Bahamas is the only dive operator located right on Paradise Island The Bahamas, we offer that one of a kind experience.
Bahamas Diving - Custom Dive Charters in Exuma and Nassau Bahamas

 

[Scubanoobi]

I went with bahamas divers and wasn't that impressed with either the dive op or the diving.

First dive was a couple of wrecks to 90ft with no coral and no fish, followed by a second shallow dive after a 25 minute surface interval. Not much to see.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

I had heard that there were only two ops, but was hoping that was incorrect. It seems insane that there wouldn't be more.

 

[Edward3c]

I used SC last time there, and not going back; diving was mediocre, run with military precision.

Got rid of my place on Paridise Island.

 

[miked]

I had heard that there were only two ops, but was hoping that was incorrect. It seems insane that there wouldn't be more.

For a while, there were 2 others, located in the vicinity of Stuart Cove's: Dive Dive Dive, and Nassau Scuba Center. Both are gone, DDD sometime between 2002 and 2004, and NSC sometime after 2004 ( if I recall correctly).
Occasionally, there is a post on SB about some other op, but SC and BD seem to be the choices.

 

[diversteve]

Landshark Divers/Dive Hotel was around as recently as 4 years ago but they were only a small hotel with one shore dive somewhere. Which someone told me was a better snorkel. Their boat dives were thru Cove's anyway. But:

Location Closed Down - Permanently

Found this recently - hopefully they can get tanks somewhere? - http://paradisepleasuresbah.com/rates/

SCUBA DIVING
Boat rental $150 an hour (1-4 divers)
Cardholders MUST present credentials + Bring own equipment

It seems insane that there wouldn't be more.

Especially when I can name 5-6 on Freeport/Grand Bahama. I think the 4 liveaboards in the Nassau harbor draw business away also. Especially the Blackbeards boats and now Carib Dancer is back.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

So how does SC do their dives? With such large boats, do they try to keep everybody together? Do you dive your air, or are they setting time limits?

 

[miked]

So how does SC do their dives? With such large boats, do they try to keep everybody together? Do you dive your air, or are they setting time limits?

IIRC, the first dive of the 2 tank dive is a DM led dive, with the full group being divided among the dive masters. There is a "max bottom time" limit, and your particular group stays together. If someone runs low on air, the group is guided to the boat, and that buddy pair heads up.
The second dive is a your choice "DM led" or "go on your own (with your buddy)". The crew gives you a time to be back on the boat...schedules must be kept, especially if you are on a boat with people from the cruise ships.
It is a structure that some like, and some don't.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

IIRC, the first dive of the 2 tank dive is a DM led dive, with the full group being divided among the dive masters. There is a "max bottom time" limit, and your particular group stays together. If someone runs low on air, the group is guided to the boat, and that buddy pair heads up.
The second dive is a your choice "DM led" or "go on your own (with your buddy)". The crew gives you a time to be back on the boat...schedules must be kept, especially if you are on a boat with people from the cruise ships.
It is a structure that some like, and some don't.

When they divide up the groups, how many are generally with each guide?