Bahamas Out Islands-- looking for diving and quiet

[lil_wings]

With the prospect of returning in December or January from Operation Enduring Freedom, I'm eager to get some diving in... prefereably in a warm place with rum and where the most complex enemy that I'd face is a Taliban-sympathetic rogue parrotfish.

So I started reading about these Out Islands in the Bahamas and got interested.

Would anyone know of or have experience with a good dive outfit on any particular Out Island? I'm not completely "into" the big all-inclusive resorts, and I'm looking for something a little more... well... rustic? Okay, not so rustic that I am back exploring the finer nuances of using port-a-johns after a year of doing that here, but rustic in that it's quiet.

I've been doing homework on Cat Island and San Salvador, but I just figured I'd come back to a forum where people were certainly passionate about diving!

 

[DCBC]

I'd recommend Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros. The diving offers a variety that will satisfy everyone from beginner to expert. I've been there several times exploring the Blue Holes. For more information see: Bahamas All Inclusive - Andros Bahamas Hotel - Bahamas Vacation Have a great trip no matter what you decide upon!

 

[DCBC]

Another option is Stella Maris Resort on Long Island (Bahamas Hotel | Bahamas Resort | Stella Maris Resort). It's been a long time since I've been there, we landed on what appeared to be an abandoned landing strip and were met by resort staff. Great oceanside bar and restaurant. Diving was great and a relatively quiet place away from it all.

 

[herbdb]

I spend three months Nov-Jan in the Abacos two years ago, primarily out of Marsh Harbor and Hope Town. This time of year in the Bahamas is definitely not crowded. We kept the boat at Marsh Harbor Inn and Marina a great deal of the time. The Marina was practically empty.
We dove with Keith Rogers owner of Dive Abaco who is a great guy with a class operation. Small groups and prime dive sites. Largest group we had on the boat was eight divers.

Hope town is a quiet picturesque town this time of year. There is a dive shop and dive operator at Hope Town, but I have no personal experience with them.

Great Guana Cay is less developed and Troy runs a great operation at Dive Guana. The beaches there were almost empty and there is outstanding snorkeling off the beach.

You only need to get away from the major tourist meccas in the Bahamas to get peace and quiet this time of year.

I am a 20 year military veteran and appreciate your personal sacrifice for your country.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Another option could be a liveaboard.

 

[fire_diver]

How much time are you wanting to spend in the Bahamas? One my first trips when I got home from OIF this spring was a week-long liveaboard with Blackbeards. Nothing fancy, but good food, and great diving. And LOTS of rum-punch every knight, along with whatever mixed drinks, wine and beer on tap you want. If I had to do it overagain I would have booked 2 back-to-back weeks with them.

 

[OceanObsessed]

I think you are on the right track looking at Cat Island and San Salvador, but as DCBC mentioned, don't exclude Long Island which is also in the same general area. Long Island has it all, good diving, good food, Stella Maris will work with you with or without an all inclusive package. There are also lots of things to do that are land based like Dean Blue Hole, Cartwright’s Cave, Plantation Ruins, Columbus Monument and there is a population of Flamingos on the South end of the Island. Here are a few pics of Long Island. There is also a relatively a new dive operation on Staniel Cay, Exumas that sounds like what you are looking for. If you make it to Staniel, be sure and check out Thunderball Cave and go at high tide if given the option.

Small Hope Bay only offers all inclusive deals. Coral Caverns is another option on Andros that is not strickly an all inclusive operation. Great Guana Cay in the Abacos is a great spot too but if it were my choice I would go with the Southern Bahamas.

 

[osprey]

All the operations are great, but my favoriate is Small Hope Bay. They have been around for 30-40 years. Very friendly staff. Andros has some great walls and nice shallow reefs.

 

[digicus]

Check out the reply I left for CherieDam and her post:
Reef site recommendations for Bahamas anyone?

We have a definate soft spot in our hearts for the Guana Cay area.

Wish we could buy you a beer on the beach! Thanks for your service!

 

[frostfire]

We have twice been to San Salvador aka Club Med Columbus Isle. It's the only time we've been to Club Med, and we were extremely pleasantly surprised by the resort, the food, and most of all the diving. VERY reasonable dive packages, good equipment, nice boats ...and in what I think should be the international standard...when you come up for your surface interval, they have a whole buffet of cold cuts, french bread (Club Med is huge on fresh breads at all events chocolate bread...yummm), fruit salads. Really excellent wall diving with the best visibility I've seen in a long time. I was also very enamoured of the 12' female great Hammerhead we had a close encounter with. If not for the fact that there is absolutely nothing (literally) to do off resort, I would give it 5*. I like to be able to go out to eat at other places in the evening, and Club Med is the only thing on the island, other than Rocking Horse. Also, let me just mention that Club Med requires all divers to not only appear with a doctors certification, they require you to have a 5 minute check out with the in house MD before you can dive, but it was really painless.