Nassau Diving

[Hemlon]

:huh: I am considering a trip to Nassau. Are there good shore diving? Is there one section of the island that's better for diving that others?


Thanks!

 

[aprils0909]

Great question. I was considering diving thru a resort and noticed they have at least 10 great looking dives from their jump point. I'm wondering how great they really are and if it's worth it to plunk down $4500 to dive for "free" down there.

 

[rje634]

We are going to be in Nassau the end of March and will probably dive with Stuart Cove Diver on the southwest side of the island (this is where there operation is located). SC is about the only op on the island besides Bahama Divers.
I will let you know what it was like next month.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

We dove with Stuart Coves a couple of years ago and loved them. They have 18 wrecks you can visit as well as the reefs. The first day they put us on a boat and took us to a beat-up reef and we were thinking "If this is what the diving is like we wasted our money." The next day we were put on a boat with experienced divers and remained there for the rest of the week. We were taken to awesome sites including one that they normally only take divers to when they charter a private boat. I would highly recommend Stuart Cove's!
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[rje634]

...The next day we were put on a boat with experienced divers and remained there for the rest of the week. We were taken to awesome sites including one that they normally only take divers to when they charter a private boat. I would highly recommend Stuart Cove's!
Ber :lilbunny:

Any tips on how to get on the advanced boat from the start???

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Any tips on how to get on the advanced boat from the start???

I don't know for sure, you could probably ask though. We didn't realize they broke people up like that once they saw what your buoyancy control looked like.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[NYPI]

Any tips on how to get on the advanced boat from the start???

Dove with SC back in September 05. As stated above only 1 of 2 non resort operations on the island. Great bunch of guys and girls, clean boats. I arrived early my first day, 8am, and asked what site each boat was going to. They had no problem with letting me pick my boat prior to the first dive.

Sandals also has a small dive op and includes diving for their guests not sure on prices for non guests.

I will also be down for a week the end of March (22nd-29th) see you on the boat.

 

[rje634]

Dove with SC back in September 05. As stated above only 1 of 2 non resort operations on the island. Great bunch of guys and girls, clean boats. I arrived early my first day, 8am, and asked what site each boat was going to. They had no problem with letting me pick my boat prior to the first dive.

Sandals also has a small dive op and includes diving for their guests not sure on prices for non guests.

I will also be down for a week the end of March (22nd-29th) see you on the boat.

Sounds like the way to go. Don't want to get stuck on a boat with resort course people or beginners.
We're diving the 27th to the 30th with one of those days being the shark dive. Have you done the shark dive? If so any suggestions? What dive sites would you recommend?
Maybe we will see you on the boat.
Thanks Joe

 

[Ber Rabbit]

One of my posts about SC from another thread to give you an idea about dive sites:

Stuart Cove's ROCKS especially if you like wrecks, I think they have 18 total. Our first dive was a sorry looking reef and we were really disappointed, we said if the whole trip was going to be like that we wished we hadn't gone. Then they popped the wrecks on us WOW! We ended up on a boat full of experienced divers so they took us to the "Anne" a wreck they normally only do by private charter. "Clifton's Wreck" is cool too but deep and dark, looks like Great Lakes diving but you don't need a dry suit. Other wrecks we enjoyed were the "Will Laurie" (there are 3 wrecks here with a 4th in swimming distance) "David Tucker" "Steel Forest" (three wrecks) "DC-3" (plane was a movie set complete with rubber coral!) "James Bond Wrecks" (great place for macro photography and James Bond fans) and "Runway Wall" (skip the wall and go straight to the "Ray of Hope") "Carribe Breeze" and "Tropic Trader" (both at same site).

You'll have a good time. Make sure you check the o-rings on your tanks before you leave the dock so you can have them replace ruined ones, I had to have them replace a bunch of mine.

Ber :lilbunny:

 

[NYPI]

Sounds like the way to go. Don't want to get stuck on a boat with resort course people or beginners.
We're diving the 27th to the 30th with one of those days being the shark dive. Have you done the shark dive? If so any suggestions? What dive sites would you recommend?
Maybe we will see you on the boat.
Thanks Joe

The shark dive is a must just to say that you did it, but not a great dive. Kneeling in the sand watching the frenzy gets boring after 10mins.

The walls are a great dive on the other hand. No hand holding if it’s not needed from the dive masters. Dives last about 50mins. or so. Depth was only limited to your/buddies comfort level.

Plenty of wrecks depending on the day. Don’t remember the names off hand but I’ll check my log book. I do remember to watch out for the fire coral on the rigging of the intentionally sank coastguard ship. Check my photos for this ship.

I had a new camera with me and only brought it on two of the six dives I did with them.(my first uw camera) Batt. died sometime after 1st dive with it and I didn't notice until half way point on my 2nd so no pics. worth posting. Lots more experience on it for this trip and 2 extra batts.

I'll post the link to the usual sites later this afternoon. I have a print out home in my Nassau folder but don't remember the web address off hand.

I spoke to SC yesterday to book a 3day/2tank but wife doesn't swim let alone dive so I'm not sure what days I'll be diving but I have to decide befor Wed. 3/8 for them to hold the reservation. Will post dates after I decide but chances are I’ll be there on the 27th. Don't know if you booked yet but save $$ and pre book.

Don’t know where you’re staying but SC is a long ride from some. The first day I took a cab instead of the van to get in early.

See you on the boat…
Mike