Bimini???

[Bigcape]

we booked our liveaboard w/ blackbeards and they port at bimini midwk. we did multiple dives around bimini. i never visualized any dolphins scuba diving. on our way back to freeport we had spinner dolphins do there thing around the boat for about 15min or so. as far as walls. we only did one wall dive. as far as reef life there is plenty. they even include a shark feed. carribean reef sharks are the ones you usually encounter. vis. in my book nothing beats cozumel. but it was descent. i don't know what the pacific offers, but bahamas was about a 8 out of 10. many octos, cuttlefish, box fish, triggers, groupers, remoras. you name it. the gingerbreads are my fav. i will tell you that blackbeards is a camp at sea. i love sailing so it did not matter. ck it out. for the price you can not beat it i did 20 dives in 5 days. and if you book it ask for capt grayson.
michelle

I did the BlackBeard trip a few years ago as well. We went on one dive and there were thousands and thousands of these siver dollar size brown jellyfish at the surface. Remember the Pac-Man arcade game? Thats what the looked like

We also lost two divers (they got caught in a current) and we had to go in a search and rescue formation with the other BlackBeard fleet. After a few Zig-Zags we found them!!!!

Oh the sand fleas at night were a killer

 

[diversteve]

Tuna Alley is actually off Cat Cay, where the Pilot cleared customs on day one. Bimini was the last day. The strip is full of life, but small. The island is neat for about 2 hours then it is just hot. I didn't go on the shore excursion this time, but having been there once before, really didn't need too. Since the Compleat Angler burnt, there is only one other small bar, from which to escape the heat, but I don't think its much on air conditioning.

Technically Cat Cay is part of the Bimini chain. But you're right. On our trip we actually went to Bimini both ways and never cleared customs on Cat Cay. Something to do with the tradewinds after TS Alberto.

 

[LowVizWiz]

I have never dove in Bimini, but fishing there is outrageous! So I would imagine the sealife to be outstanding. Some of the spots we fish are submerged airplanes and many wrecks in very shallow water 40' to 60'

One thing to be aware of is the bull sharks... they are everywhere!

Wys.

 

[fishb0y]

I dove there over 6 years ago with the shop that does the dolphin excursions (although we didn't dive with the dolphins). While this was my only trip to the Bahamas before moving to Hawaii, I did have a good time.

If you are looking for a nice hotel and a pool, then you would have to look somewhere else. If you are looking to meet great people (even if they do like the Miami Dolphins) and enjoy some laid back diving (even though the divemaster we dove with the most was a little overbearing), Bimini is a great place.

I was lucky enough to stay at the Complete Angler (I believe it was recently destroyed in a fire) in what I was told was Hemingway's room. Although the food barge didn't show up until later on our trip, and most places were running out of items such as lettuce, food was pretty good. Conch and lobster galour. One night we wandered down to the other end of the island (which is only about 8 miles long) and the owner closed her bar for a couple of hours to cook my group of friends a nice home cooked meal (if I remember right, she had the last bit of lettuce on the island).

If you can live without such niceties as room service and a pool, then I would definitely recommend Bimini.

 

[Mantasscareme]

Thanks for your help everyone, Ill look into it.

 

[WOODMAN]

One thing to be aware of is the bull sharks... they are everywhere!

Really? I have been diving around Bimini 3 or 4 times over the past couple of years (all from liveaboards) and I don't think I have ever seen one. Plenty of standard reef sharks, and one memorable encounter with a tiger shark (!), but no bulls. Woody

 

[LowVizWiz]

Really? I have been diving around Bimini 3 or 4 times over the past couple of years (all from liveaboards) and I don't think I have ever seen one. Plenty of standard reef sharks, and one memorable encounter with a tiger shark (!), but no bulls. Woody

Maybe our chum slick has something to do with this!

But, seriously... at times we end up cleaning mostly half a fish.

Wys.

 

[pbowl]

I love going to Bimini. I went there once on the Blackbeards liveaboard, and then I've been back twice by plane. I love the diving there, and I've done a number of amazing night dives. The dive shop Bimini Undersea does a great job. If you leave your gear with them, the next morning when you show up they'll have your gear already set up for you. The Wild Dolphin trip is awesome too. I would recommend staying at the Bimini Big Game resort if you want to go to North Bimini.