Sandals, Bahamas DIVING
- Thread starter Bonesdoc
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We used them quite a few years ago and others more recently. Their dive operations are fairly standardized across their properties. You may end up doing a checkout in the pool. Their dives in general are fairly short. They have a more regimented and conservation operation. Groups come up together regarding low(er) air - like first to 1000 psi. The boats are genarally in good shape. Don't know about rental gear but looked newer.
There is decent diving around. The Bond wrecks we saw were broken down and in my opinion, not worth it. We did a wall dive that was not bad but the current switched on us so it was shorter. Bear in mind we were there during January and a week long front moved through so many am dives were cancelled due to rough water and wind. There should be two tank am dive for certified divers and an afternoon single tank dive for new divers (resort course?) but depends on weather and number of boats. Check in with the dive op as soon as you get there. It has been standard practice that you have to sign up daily for dives. There will be a standard medical form to fill out. Note that if you take some sort of medication (or chronic athletes foot) and mark yes on the form (for anything) you will need a doctors note clearing you to dive regardless of what it is. Without it- you don't dive.
There is decent diving around. The Bond wrecks we saw were broken down and in my opinion, not worth it. We did a wall dive that was not bad but the current switched on us so it was shorter. Bear in mind we were there during January and a week long front moved through so many am dives were cancelled due to rough water and wind. There should be two tank am dive for certified divers and an afternoon single tank dive for new divers (resort course?) but depends on weather and number of boats. Check in with the dive op as soon as you get there. It has been standard practice that you have to sign up daily for dives. There will be a standard medical form to fill out. Note that if you take some sort of medication (or chronic athletes foot) and mark yes on the form (for anything) you will need a doctors note clearing you to dive regardless of what it is. Without it- you don't dive.
Monel12
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We were there last March....as was stated above, regimented, diving in a group....we dove 2 dives each morning for 4 days. Master divers were fine....boats were clean and everything was well organized. First dive was rediculous.....15 feet....must have been a checkout dive for the group....most of us dived together all week.....the next day I sort of complained and asked for more interesting dives.....from then on, we dove wrecks, coral shelves....about to 80 feet, most others were above us, we just dove around it and back up......
The water was extremely clear and calm most of the time...I have dove Sandals for the last 3 years and have had good experiences all the time. Yes, if you haven't dove for 6 months or so, they will make you don stuff and paddle around the pool for about 15 minutes........we are going back to Jamaica this March....hope it's better topography down there.....
The water was extremely clear and calm most of the time...I have dove Sandals for the last 3 years and have had good experiences all the time. Yes, if you haven't dove for 6 months or so, they will make you don stuff and paddle around the pool for about 15 minutes........we are going back to Jamaica this March....hope it's better topography down there.....OK Divers just got back from Nassau Sandals and made 1dive, yep 1. What a fly by night group. We went Sunday after getting there Fridaynight, well Sunday is not included in the price, and it’s there Shark dive andextra 100 bucks each. Not too bad except the guided dive, the dive master wentwith the current and when we all started to get close to a grand of air we hadto swim against the current. Well the fins had no function at all. so it waslike kicking with bare feet. No one wanted to see any C-card. The next day atthe end of the dive the dive master was the first on the boat and a diver wasat the bottom with no air. Emergency assent to the surface and the diver masterdid not even know he was down there. NOPE NO more dives with that crew. NOT US.Sure the water was clear and the shark dive was great but SAFTEY FIRST..
Very odd experience Bonesdoc. I can see current switching direction but not checking C-cards and not tracking divers doesn't sound like the Sandals operation I've experienced. They usually go overboard on these things (Nassau, Exuma and St. Lucia). I was at a safety stop longer than all the group and the captain was yelling at the DM. Not sure if it was a safety or schedule thing.
Hope you got to dive with another dive op. That's what I try to do now when at Sandals but not due to safety concerns.
I have found their management to be responsive (informative would be the goal tho), so drop them an email and see what they say.
Hope you got to dive with another dive op. That's what I try to do now when at Sandals but not due to safety concerns.
I have found their management to be responsive (informative would be the goal tho), so drop them an email and see what they say.
We just got back from Sandals Negril and had a great experience. On many dives it was just the 2 of us w/DM, maybe 1 more. We saw a 12+ft shark swimming, huge eagle and sting rays, many lobsters, crab, turtle, octopus & squid, even 2 turtles mating on the surface, of course they were killing a lot of lion fish. The only problem was that the ladders had been shortened and I had trouble getting out of the water with my bum knee. Several other divers recommended Royal Bahamian so we booked for next Apr. We are both in our 60's, have close to 400 dives, but like less "challenging" dives in our "old age". Sandals has worked good for us--Negril 2 times, St Lucian Grande 1, Beaches T & C 2 times.
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