Grand Bahama here we come!

[scubajb]

Hey all,

Just booked a 9 day trip to Grand Bahama next summer. I've looked around a little at some of the posts. Please chime in with recommendations for dive operators. have about 15 people going from local dive club, all different dive levels. Specifically, for my family, I am beginning my DM, my wife is rescue, my son will be JAOW (maybe JRES). I am also specifically looking for a place that my 9 year old can do some bubble makers or something like that, if available.

Any ideas????

Jim

 

[osprey]

Where are you staying. Unexso is a great operation if you are in Lucaya.

 

[scubajb]

Staying at the Wyndham Fortuna... Is that close enough? What type of stuff do they have Unexso, i.e. bubblemakers for the 9 year old??? Looks like there are lots of wrecks and sharks.

 

[osprey]

If you are at Viva Fortuna you can dive with them. I believe it is included in the package. They also have snorkel trips and there is a small but nice reef about 100' off their beach. They have a great staff.

 

[Capt Scotty]

I second Unexso as a Dive Op. Cristina is awesome.

 

[G'Diddy]

I'd also like to add my vote for UNEXSO. Christina is the bomb, but Jarvis, Tom, Art, Scott and the rest are not slouches either.

They are a full service dive op. You can to dolphin experiences, snorkeling, as well as reef wreck and shark diving with.

 

[confusednoise]

I just returned from Freeport -- I dove all last week with Fred & Melinda Riger at Grand Bahama Scuba (grandbahamascuba.com). I picked them after going through recommendations on this board and was very happy with them. We stayed at a hotel right next to Unexso -- it might have been a tiny bit more convenient for me to dive with them, but Melinda picked me up every day so it was pretty much a wash.

Unexso looks like a decent enough op -- the only issue is that they are a very big operation with some boats approaching the 'cattle boat' level. Grand bahama scuba on the other hand is a small op w/one boat that holds a maximum of 10 or 12 divers. We had 5 on the boat all week. Melinda was even kind enough to send me some underwater pictures she took during the dives. I prefer the small, personal thing more than the big operation, but your mileage may vary...

Either way, you're diving, so that's a good thing no matter what, right?

-Neil

 

[passionforscuba]

We just got back yesterday and used Grand Bahama Scuba with Fred and Melinda all week. They were wonderful!!! We also stayed at the Viva Fortuna. Melinda picked us up every day. They were good with all levels of divers, as we had my husband and I who have about 100 dives, and there were students some of the days, as well as a few preteens. They let us dive for a long time and come up when we were ready. I will be posting a trip report soon.

 

[moneysavr]

GB scuba is good smaller boat the owners German and years back he rang my bell!I deserved it!If they will pick you up book with them!
Reason why your hotel Wyndham Fortuna-is way out nice area- nice beach -but man a cab would be $60 bucks one way to town or rental car cause your trapped!

Take a walk down the beach WEST about a block and a half or two-ask,,, See my Pal Jenks at the "SandBar"I know your food and booze is comped but try his conch fritters-the food and atmosphere at the sand bar is a blast!!! talk politics-or football with Jenks a real "Conky Joe"-white Bahamian a real smart / nice Bahamian pal!
UNEXO will I am sure get your son in the pool see there web site as they have small pool on site,more cattle boats when diving.
Xanadu is great and still offers Nitrox/mixed gas blends on Island
have fun!
Brad

 

[gmsgfdr1a]

Everytime I get to Freeport (twice a year), I dive with Fred & Melinda at Grand Bahama Scuba. I like the small personal touch & have since become good friends with them. I dove once with UNEXSO & was treated by their staff as a second classer (I usually go solo on my trips). Not sure if it was due to being just 1 person in my party, but I felt like they really did not want me there.