Blackbeard Working Cruise Recap 2/12-2/18

[rsdancey]

Summary:

Our expectations were set reasonably well for this venture, which was billed as a chance to get a discount on a typical Blackbeard's fare in exchange for a less than optimum set of dive locations and delays while the crew sank new mooring pins at various locations. That itinerary, combined with windy and cold weather meant that we were only able to dive on 4 of 8 days, and of those days, one was a half-day's diving. We did one night dive, and skipped the shark feed and the drift diving. We stayed close to Freeport off Grand Bahama, and did not make the run to Bimini. On the 4 days of diving I did all 12 dives, and the wife did 8. The crew was competent, the ship was well provisioned and handled reasonably well in the rough seas. Dive sites were mostly coral heads, with depths from 40 to 80 feet. We did one deep dive (>100fsw) on a wreck. During various dives we saw sea turtles, two moray eels, and thousands of tropical fish. Others on our cruise reported seeing a hammerhead shark and a reef shark. The passenger compliment was 22 and everyone who sailed dove. Experience ranged from newly certified OW divers (who did great, btw), to a diver approaching his 1,000th dive.

Trip Details Follow:

We left Seattle at midnight on Thursday morning, and arrived in Freeport in the afternoon on Thursday. We stayed in a discount hotel room for 1 night (we crashed - no sightseeing beyond "where can we eat dinner"). Friday morning we took a cab over to Blackbeard's outpost.

Tip: If you call the Our Lacaya marina they have a hotel on site. The rack rate was more than $100, but mentioning that you're with Blackbeard's drops that rate to $65, including taxes and fees. Next trip, we'll stay at the marina, rather than in Freeport proper.

Formerly, the company operated out of Ft. Lauderdale. Recently they have moved their base of operations to a house on the canals connecting Our Lacaya marina to the ocean. This change means that the first night of sailing is not spent making the crossing from Flordia to the Bahamas, a trip that regularly incapacitated many passengers with motion sickness. Now, cruises begin right out of Grand Bahama.

Blackbeard's operates out of a large, two story house that is in the process of being remodled and converted for business use. Right now, I'd describe it as "Frat House Modern" - when we arrived there were several kegs out front waiting to be recycled. There is no landscaping in place yet - just a dirt yard and some dessicated shrubs. In time, with care, the place will probably look quite nice, but currently, it is a work in progress.

Tip: No matter when you arrive (we got there about 10:00am), ask if you can secure a storage bin on the ship. We were directed to leave our luggage in the yard and then we had time to kill until they were ready to board at noon, so we walked into Our Lacaya for lunch, and returned about 12:30 - to find that all the deck bins were taken except two small areas in the forward section. We filled our bins almost to the brim while other divers barely used half their space. Getting there early is only useful if you lock down some real-estate!

Tip: The cab ride to the marina complex is about $20 including tips, round trip. It's about a 2-3 mile walk, which we made 4 times during the time we were in the Bahamas. If you like to walk, and the distance isn't a factor, it's a pleasant way to stretch the legs. There are no hills, and there are improved sidewalks most of the way. We were happy to save the money.

After we returned and got our stuff on board, we were assigned a berth in the main cabin. The space we were assigned was the bottom half of a two-berth stack. Our space was roughly 5 feet wide, 6 feet long, and 3 feet tall. It slept 2 of us plus served as storage for all our non-diving gear.

Tip: Plan to pack a few days clothes in waterproof containers, and store them with your dive gear in the deck bins. You'll have the ability to switch into clean clothes without consuming valuable space in your berth.

We met our divemaster for the trip, and got a quick run down on how the boat would operate. We assembled our gear on tanks already in racks on the deck, which would remain assembled for the entire cruise. Tanks are refilled with air (no nitrox available) between dives using an ingenious air filling system. Blackbeards uses a standard aluminimum 80 tank, with larger tanks avaialble on request - except on our trip. because the larger tanks had all been sent in to be hydroed and tumbled (desipte my advance e-mail asking for a larger tank...)

Afterwards we were directed to the community area of the house, which was set up with big screen TV, pool table, and a couple of computers with internet access. A light luncheon was also provided. It became clear that we would not be leaving home port the first night - the word was passed that the seas were rough and the decision was made to stay moored to the dock. This left 20+ passengers with little to do but consume some adult beverages and make initial introductions. As with many forced social situations some (my wife) are better as these things than others (me), but we all got along fine.

We were dissapointed that we would not be able to dive in the canal area. Our suggestion that it would be a great time to get weighted and trimmed prior to leaving port were ignored. I felt this was a wasted opportunity. We, and I suspect others, were diving with unfamiliar gear (3mm wetsuits) and I would have appreciated the time to get squared away under controlled, shallow conditions, with the dive team standing buy to pinpoint weight loads. Frankly, after a long plane flight and months of anticipation, I would have been quite happy to just get wet and look at the pilings. A quick 30 minute check out dive here would have added value to the experience.

Everyone spent the night on the boat (or crashed on the couches in the house). Sunday morning dawned bright & clear, and we assembled on the deck for our first real "briefing" of the trip. We were introduced to our captain, first mate, engineer, deckhand, and cook (we met the divemaster the previous day on checkin). These six crewmembers would be taking care of us for the remainder of our cruise.

For our first day of sailing (Sunday the 12th) we'd leave the Freeport area and procede to a series of dive areas within sight of the harbor entrance. The crew was watching the sonar and fish-finder to seek out locations that would be worth return visits in the future. As a new member of the Grand Bahama community, the company is seeking to earn some goodwill by putting int additional mooring points for the use of all the dive operators in the area.

This was my first experience of warm water diving. The wife got in a few dives in Barbados last year, and I dove once in the channel islands off Los Angeles. 95% of our dives are in the cold, murky water of Puget Sound. Hitting the 73 degree, clear blue water of the Bahamas was awesome!

We dive with steel backplates and "hog" rigs. I guestimated my weight needs by extrapolating from my 7mm 2-piece wetsuit down to the 3mm one-piece wetsuit I was wearing for the trip. In Seattle, diving wet, I carry 34 pounds of weight. I went with 18 pounds of weight on the belt, and figured the 6 pounds of the backplate would offset the 6 pound positive boyancy of an empty AL80 tank. I brought six pounds of additional weight that could be added to my rig in tank weights if necessary, but I did not have to use them. The wife dove with 15 pounds of weight. We were able to assemble custom weightbelts out of two bins on deck (one for weights, one for belts). Weights were plentiful, and in many different amounts so zeroing in on an amount was reasonably doable.

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[rsdancey]

Prior to each dive, the divemaster drew a diagram of the site on a portable whiteboard and gave a briefing on depth and current. He also selected a "creature of the dive", something to look for in particular while exploring. We made 3 dives on the first day, two into "coral head" territory, and one on the wreckage of a barge. The third dive of the day was the "payoff" dive - the location was named "Blair House" (a reference to a notable shore landmark). The dive was in 50-60 fsw. Coral heads had overgrown one another in the area creating numerous "swimthrough" zones; semi-closed overhead environments with many access points. Due to cold, the wife sat this dive out, and I did it as a threesome with two other unattached divers. The visibility was great, the water was warm, the fish were plentiful, and we had a great time. Total dive time was just over 31 minutes, about average for my Puget Sound diving experiences with AL80 tanks. Of all the dives we did, this dive struck me as the most interesting. The area had other unexplored features including several large coral "mountains" and a slope down to 100fsw which we did not have time to explore. I would have been happy to do several repeat dives at this site.

Day two came cold & stormy. By the end of day one, several divers had already indicated that they found the conditions undivable. The water temp wasn't the issue, but the chill factor of changing on deck from wetsuits to dry clothes was too much for some. Day two was even colder & windier than day one was. For the first dive of the day we splashed around 18 divers, for dive two 10 people got wet, for dive three I think six of us were in the water, and the only night dive of this cruise, dive four, saw five swimmers total. All these dives were in similar territory, coral heads, with depths between 40 and 80 fsw.

Tip: Pay attention to your weighting during this initial dives, and adjust as necessary. I was able to knock 4 pounds off my belt, getting down to 14lbs, and the wife ditched 3, for a total of 12lbs. The less weight you carry, the more efficient you'll be in the water, translating to improved gas consumption. During the day two dives, my bottom time increased by 5 minutes on average, to a max of 38 minutes.

Following each dive we made a staged ascent (up the mooring line, provided we navigated back to the line! On about half our dives, we either missed the line, or made navigation errors and had to make free ascents. The water, while clear compared to the Sound was still offering visibility in the 50 foot range, which isn't a lot when you're looking for an ascent line in a landscape of nearly-identical coral heads...) I was using a modified ascent profile designed to reduce the symptoms of sub-clinical DCS, which I have a tendency to suffer. Instead of a PADI-approved 3 minute stop at 15 feet, we made a series of 1 minute stops in five foot increments beginning at 30 feet. I found that this approach reduced the post-dive lethargy I typically feel to an unnoticable level - an energy boost I knew I'd need considering my plan to do many repeat dives over many days.

Tip: Some of our fellow passengers reported that on previous cruises they had dived with others who brought small 02 bottles for in-water deco during the safety stops. This seems like a very reasonable additional step for safety to me, provided that you could arrange for pickup of an 02 filed cylinder in port and that you' cleared it with Blackbeard's prior to depature.

After you've completed your ascent, you'll need to move from the bow of the ship (where the mooring is) to the rear of the ship (where the exit ladder is). The ship trails a line from the stern that divers hold on to and use to pull themselves to the ladder. On this line, you're expected to remove your fins. This proved a new experience for me (boat dives in the Sound require that you keep your fins on until you're ready to board the boat, with fins being removed by the dive staff just prior to going up the ladder). On one of my early dives, my buddy (the wife) had already gone up the ladder when I was busy removing my fins. I put the first fin in my left hand, and reached down to get the second, realized a needed two hands to complete the job, and let go of the line. And then promptly started dropping for the bottom, being slighly overweight and not having completely filled my BC! (The surface was choppy, and I had been staying about 3 feet below the waves for the sake of comfort.) I rolled on my back and mashed the power inflator, trying to keep the drag line in sight at all times. I was shortly back on the surface and pulling myself to the ladder, none the worse for wear. I did have enough of a scare that I'd been reviewing my plans to drop weights and make an emergency ascent if I ran out of gas - while I normally surface with 500psi in the tank, I had been hanging on the drag line for some time and waiting for others to board the boat and knew I'd breathed down some of my safety margin.

Tip: Always fully inflate your BC when preparing to remove your fins and board the boat. Worst case scenario, you drift away from the line and have to be "rescued" by dingy.

After each dive we removed our wetsuits and clipped them to the railing. To facilitate this, we bought strong woodworking clamps at Home Depot before the trip. Those not in the know were forced to use wood clothespins; barely adequate for the job, and in my opinion, and invitation to lost gear (especially considering the winds!). Those Home Depot clips gave us peace of mind during the whole cruise.

Day three was the best weather of the trip. It was sunny, with light (or no) wind most of the day. We found ourselves east of the Freeport canals, near a large petroleum transfer tower, and near the set for the Pirates of the Carribean movies being filmed now. We did three dives in this area, all in 50-60 fsw. I achieved a personal "best" of 44:30 of bottom time.

By the end of Day three, the wind was picking up, and a general lack of interest on the part of the passengers resulted in a cancellation of a scheduled night dive. Instead, we went under way for the planned dives of Day four.

Nightlife onboard each night we were at sea benefited from pleasant company and good comaraderie. We made for the canals each evening, mooring near beach access which translated into bonfires and easygoing partying. Those who remained aboard read, played cards, watched TV, or got an early night's rest.

Day Four began with the ship moored to an artificial reef; a purpose-sunk wreck in 100fsw. This was our deepest dive of the trip. My dive planning indicated that we'd have more gas than bottom time, so we needed to ensure that we didn't overstay our time on the wreck and accidentally incur a deco obligation. The wreck was lying on its port side, and has become home to a lot of sea life. The surrounding area was mostly sandy bottom with some debris downcurrent of the wreck itself. The divemaster joined us on this dive and found a large ray in the sand. We were warned to avoid "fire worms" on the hull, critters that got their name from painful skin irritation that could result from inadvertant contact. For safety's sake, we made an additional 1 minute stop at 45 feet on this dive, which proved worthwhile as the ascent line was clogged with divers from 20 feet up, and our brief stop allowed some of the traffic jam to clear before we arrived. Even so, with a half-dozen divers at the 15 foot level, and several underweight (or overinflated), the ascent line was pulled upwards about 5 feet. Some of the divers had their fin tips out of the water before their safety stops were complete.

Tip: Pay attention to your depth while ascending. If you start to rise above your target depth, pull yourself back down the line a bit. Being slightly negatively boyant during your stop may help.

Our second dive on day four proved to be our last dive. Conditions worsened, with reports coming of stormy seas and high winds later in the day. We returned to port to await further developments and by mid-afternoon, the captain had called off further diving for the day. The crew and passengers relaxed in the Port Lacaya marina, with showers, and good food. A number of people hit the bars for a night of partying.

Day five saw the ship make an attempt to leave port, only to overturn a dingy (and nearly lose an outboard motor), and hit strong swells at sea that made diving impossible. We returned to port after being tossed pretty thoroughly. This was the only time on the trip when I felt close to being motion sick, although I was taking dramamine on the previous days as a precaution.

We spent the day in Our Lacaya marina on Day Five, and at the end of the day, we returned to the Blackbeard's house on the canals and tied up for good. We were treated to one last on-board meal, and a final briefing, then we packed up our gear, tipped the crew, and said our goodbyes. Some passengers were planning on spending one more night on the ship, but we had booked a room back at the marina, so we got a good night's sleep prior to the long flight home.

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[rsdancey]

General observations:

We ate three meals a day, and each was pretty filling. I don't eat beef, and was able to find something to eat in every meal. We had salads and fresh fruit almost every day. There was not a lot of snacking in-between meals. In the future, I'll bring a stash of Powerbars or something similar for extra calories when I get hungry. There was lots of booze for those so inclined. We made a large mug of hot sugared tea after each dive, and drank water often to stay hydrated.

The ship has limited fresh water. Showers are restricted to 30 seconds of fresh water per person (and as much salt water as you desire). Frankly, I didn't shower on the boat the entire trip, and I suspect most of the passengers did without as well. The combination of diving and good hygine resulted in everyone being reasonably fresh. On a longer cruise, in warmer weather, I suspect the showers would be more utilized. I found the experience no more or less challenging than a camping trip.

You'll be on your own a lot, including travel planning in and around Freeport, as well as logistical planning for packing and storage. The crew is there to operate the boat, and while they'd give advice if asked, didn't appear to be motivated towards dispensing unsolicited commentary. The passengers also entertained themselves; there's very little structure to on-board activity beyond the diving itself.

Blackbeard's doesn't supply gear or equipment other than the ship itself. If you want to take pictures, bring your own camera gear. If you need spare parts, bring them yourself. If your gear breaks, be prepared to perform you own in-the-field maintenance. If you want to night dive, you need to provide your own chemsticks (or buy them from the divemaster.) In port, you'll explore on your own, and make your own deals for food and excusions.

For a "working cruise", we didn't get to do much work. Only two passenger dives were undertaken while the crew was installing mooring pins. I think a lot of the passengers were interested in helping, and if the work had been more structured around our participation, I think there would have been many interested in helping out.

Our expectations were set about right based on the price and the overall concept. We enjoyed ourselves and had a good time diving. Others on our cruise who had done other Blackbeard's trips in the past remarked that they had enjoyed the other trips a lot more than this one, and missed memorable events like the shark feeding and the drift diving. All in all, I felt that we got fair value for the cost of the trip.

 

[Irene]

What an awesome trip report!! Thanks for posting the little details that many forget. I will run right out to Home Depot to get some strong woodworking clamps for my liveaboard trip this summer.

What were your room accomodations like? Was it like a room, or was it more like a curtain separating you from the others?

 

[rsdancey]

The accomodation was literally the bottom half of a bunk bed type arrangement. We had a curtain we could pull for "privacy", and our own light for reading. The benches at the main table shared by everyone for meals and nightly recreation were within arms reach of our mattress.

 

[theskull]

Great report. Brought back happy memories of my Blackbeard's cruise. Must dive with them again in the near future.

theskull

 

[Damselfish]

What an awesome trip report!! Thanks for posting the little details that many forget. I will run right out to Home Depot to get some strong woodworking clamps for my liveaboard trip this summer.

what liveaboard are you going on, need for stuff like woodworking clamps depends on liveaboard...

 

[mike_s]

How much is the working trip compared to the normal trip cost?

 

[Irene]

what liveaboard are you going on, need for stuff like woodworking clamps depends on liveaboard...

We considered Blackbeards, but decided on the Nekton....NW Bahamas route. I tend to get pretty seasick, and I think the Nekton will be my best bet for a week at sea. Hoping it works out well, would like to make a live-aboard an annual vacation. Any tips for the trip are much appreciated!

Its awesome that folks like rsdancey give these trip reports....really helps you get your expectations in order!

 

[Kat]

Its awesome that folks like rsdancey give these trip reports....really helps you get your expectations in order!

I totally agree! I love the trip reports. And details are a must. Thanks rsdancey!