Diving Bahamas with a child?

[jbmooney]

I'm considering a trip to the Bahamas with a few friends in the end of March, but I hava a limitation I need advice about. My 11 year old daughter will come with us, and she needs to do her OW certification dives before going anywhere else (she's completed her course and pool work, but needs the open water dives and could probably stand a little tune-up by then as well).

Additionally, since she's young, I understand that it's probably best that she stay in comparatively shallow waters for a while. I had hoped to do some diving on Long Island (Stella Maris), Cat Island, and maybe San Salvador (Riding Rock), but it looks like the best diving there may be kind of deep for an 11 year old. I'm relatively inexperienced myself, so I'm not sure about these impressions, and would like some input. (I should add that I've read Doc Vikingo's article about young divers and the risks attendant upon their diving, and want to keep my daughter to strict observance of the 40' standard for the next year and likely a while beyond. My question is really about whether there are such sites in those islands.)

I have two questions: first, where is a good place to do the OW cert dives for a junior diver (we could stop in Florida for a couple of days first, if need be), and second, what do those with experience in those areas think about whether there are dives available to depths that are appropriate for an 11 year old child (<40')? I'll contact the resorts on those islands directly, but I'd be curious about the consensus here as well.

Thanks in advance for your advice...

 

[G'Diddy]

I'd highly recomend going to Freeport and using UNEXSO. They can do the tune-up in their on-site pool and their single tank afternoon dives are usually in the 40' or less range. The folks there are great and you'll both have a good experience.

 

[G'Diddy]

I forgot to mention the if you're considering the checkout dives on the east coast of Florida first, you should know that they mostly go deeper than 40'. I was in Jupiter this past September and there was an SSI class finishing their OW checkout dives on the same boat. Our dives that day were to 90' & 75'. If you go the gulf coast you can get chek out dives in shallow water.

Hope this helps...

 

[jbmooney]

Thanks Jim, Freeport is a possibility, though I'm not sure it will satisfy the more experienced friends I was planning to go with - we'll see.

Thanks also for the word about the east coast sites in FL - that's useful info. I've been looking into going to the Keys, where I know they have some shallow diving, but the west coast is another idea I hadn't considered. Are there interesting things to see in those sandy shallows? Do you have any particular recommendations about sites?

I'm still wondering about whether the SE Bahamas islands I originally mentioned have enough such shallow sites that my daughter would be able to dive for a few days. My very basic research seems to indicate no, and I haven't gotten a clear answer from the various resorts I wrote to yet, but we'll see.

Thanks again for your reply!

- John

 

[G'Diddy]

UNEXSO does 2 tank morning trips. The 1st dive is the deepest 70' - 100', the 2nd is more shallow 30' - 50'. There's a number of wrecks to see, coral reels all with abundant marine life including sharks. it's a sandy bottom with coral heads and trenches. I've been going there for years and love it. freeport is the only place I've been the Bahamas so I can't help you with the other islands.

I did my checkout dives in Bradenton Beach on a wreck calles the Sugar Barge. Other than that, there's sandy bottom with spare marine life. But it'll get the tune up and check out dives done.

 

[kjscpc2]

If you can go a little later in the year you might look into the caribbean explorer dolphin trips. Explorer Ventures: Adventures in Live-Aboard Diving
Its a mix of diving and dolphin encounters.

 

[bythesea]

I had my girlfriend take Discover Scuba with Unexso last year. My kids took the same course with Ray at Xanadu Undersea Adventures a month later due to schedule conflicts. My 17 YO describes him as "wicked pimpin" Thats New England Youth speak for nice guy. My 12 year old liked him very much as well and it was a comfortable experience for the old man as I got to dive a wreck while they took their class.

Regards, Brad

 

[cgvmer]

I had luck with Stuart Cove in the Bahamas. I went there with my 2 sons, 18 and 13. The 18yr old was doing his OW cert dives, my 13 yr old and I went diving while he did that. They ran a number of boats and we had no problem getting them to move us to the shallower dives. They also run a special for "junior" cert divers the diving is free when with a certified diver.

 

[Mael]

my wife and I went through Xanadu Undersea Adventures and rely like the guys and the classes they are the only guys ive dove with in the bahamas though so im sure im biased
Mael

 

[dcrmd]

I have been diving in Freeport for many years. I dive exclusively with Grand Bahama Scuba and they take great care of everyone. They can provide the appropriate training and diving for the young. Fred and Melinda (owners) regularly take children out on shallow dives after a training session in the pool. They provide a 2-tank dive every morning, weather permitting, for the experienced divers and an afternoon shallow water dive for the novices. They will tailor the daily dives to the experience level and interests of those on board for that day. No going to the same site just because it is Monday for them. Diving in the waters around Freeport consists of shallow reefs (15' to 30'), medium reefs (45' to 80') and wrecks dives (35' to 100'). Each site has abundant life and rich corals. If it's sharks you want to see, ask about shark junction. In 45' of water, you get to mingle with some Carribean Reef sharks and a few groups. You might even see a nurse shark too. As with many of the dive destinations in the Carribean, you will definitely be seeing some Lion fish hanging around most of the sites now. Check out Grand Bahama Scuba's web site at Grand Bahamas Scuba - Meet Fred Riger and give them a call. they will happy to talk with you about any specific questions that you may have that you don't get answered on the board.