Best Dives of the Bahamas, Bermuda & the Florida Keys

By Joyce Huber

“ . . . the bible of Caribbean dive-travel. . . I highly recommend it.” Christopher Lofting, The Travel Show, WOR Network Radio. “It’s super! . . . a great reference and we love it.” Dive Travel Magazine. “. . . A terrific guide.” John Clayton, The Tra

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hunter Publishing
• Release date: Oct 7, 2009
• ISBN: 9781588431363

Book preview

Best Dives of the Bahamas, Bermuda & the Florida Keys

Joyce Huber

Hunter Publishing, Inc.

www.hunterpublishing.com

[e-mail]

IN CANADA:

Ulysses Travel Publications

4176 Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec

Canada H2W 2M5

514-843-9882 ext. 2232/fax [phone]

IN THE UNITED KINGDOM:

Windsor Books International

The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington

Oxford, OX44 9EJ England

tel. [phone]/fax [phone]

© Joyce & Jon Huber

Maps by Joyce Huber

For complete information about the hundreds of other travel guides

offered by Hunter Publishing, visit our Web site at:

www.hunterpublishing.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Brief extracts to be included in reviews or articles are permitted.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is correct, but the publisher, authors and contributors do not assume, and hereby disclaim, liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential problems caused by information in this guide, even if such errors or omissions are a result of negligence, accident or any other cause. This publication is intended only as a guide. Additional  information should be obtained prior to visiting each area. Every effort has been made to obtain accurate and up-to-date information for this publication. However, considering the sheer magnitude of the research involved, not all information could be confirmed immediately prior to press time. All prices quoted are subject to change.

Critical Acclaim for previous Best Dives guides:

. . . the bible of Caribbean dive-travel. . . I highly recommend it.

Christopher Lofting, The Travel Show, WOR Network Radio

It’s super! . . . a great reference and we love it.

Dive Travel Magazine

. . . A terrific guide.

John Clayton, The Travel Show, KABC Radio, Los Angeles

. . . a must have. . . for divers, snorkelers or those who just love to float in liquid turquoise.

Brenda Fine, Travel Editor, The New York Law Journal

. . . a good travel planner.

Jill Schensul, Travel Editor, The Record

It’s a trustworthy publication.

Undercurrent

. . . opens a new world of adventure to anyone with a mask and snorkel.

Pat Reilly, travel writer, Commerce Magazine

. . . the best coverage of the subject matter I’ve seen, and incredibly easy to read. . . essential for the serious or beginning diver.

Dr. Susan Cropper, DVM, Society of Aquatic Veterinarians

. . . details more than 200 of the finest dive sites in the Caribbean.

Bill Smith, Dive Travel News

I have bought both editions of this book [Caribbean], because the first edition got so dog-eared that I wanted a clean one for vacation last year. The book is a marvelous source for both the snorkeler and the diver.

Cindy McBride, diver

Introduction

Resources & Travel Tips

Scuba Certifying Organizations

Cruises & Package Tours

Handicapped Divers

Money

Insurance

Documents

Security

Drugs

Cameras

Sundries

First Aid

Sunburn Protection

Diver Identification

New Divers

Additional Reading

Using This Guide

Nitrox

Bahamas

History

When to Go

Sightseeing

People-to-People Program

Junkanoo

Dining

Other Activities

New Providence Island

Best Dives of New Providence

New Providence Dive Operators

New Providence Island Accommodations

Grand Bahama Island

The Blue Holes

Diving

Best Dives of Grand Bahama

Snorkeling Grand Bahama

Grand Bahama Dive Operators

Grand Bahama Accommodations

The Out Islands

The Abaco Islands

Getting to the Abacos

Best Dives of the Abacos

Snorkeling the Abacos

Abaco Dive Operators

Abaco Islands Accommodations

Great Abaco

Great Guana Cay

Green Turtle Cay

Spanish Cay

Treasure Cay

Walker’s Cay

Andros Island

Getting to Andros

Best Dives of Andros

Snorkeling Andros

Andros Dive Operators & Accommodations

The Berry Islands

Best Dives of the Berry Islands

Snorkeling the Berry Islands

Berry Islands Dive Operator & Accommodations

Getting to the Berry Islands

Bimini

Getting to Bimini

Best Dives of Bimini

Best Snorkeling Sites of Bimini

Dive Operators of Bimini

Bimini Accommodations

Cat Island

Cat Island Accommodations

Crooked Island

Crooked Island Dive Operator & Accommodations

Getting to Crooked Island

Eleuthera Island

Best Dives of Eleuthera

Snorkeling & Shallow Dives of Eleuthera

Eleuthera Dive Operators & Accommodations

Harbour Island

Getting to Harbour Island

Harbour Island Dive Operator & Accommodations

The Exumas

Getting to the Exumas

Best Dives of the Exumas

Exuma Dive Operators

Exuma Accommodations

Long Island

Getting to Long Island

Best Dives of Long Island

Dive Operators & Accommodations

San Salvador Island

Getting to San Salvador

Best Dives of San Salvador

Snorkeling San Salvador

Dive Operator & Accommodations

Bahamas Live-Aboards

Cruise Ships’ Private Island Retreats

Facts

Turks & Caicos

History

When to Go

Grand Turk

Best Dives of Grand Turk

Snorkeling Grand Turk

Dive Operators of Grand Turk

Grand Turk Accommodations

Salt Cay

Best Dives of Salt Cay

Salt Cay Dive Operator

Salt Cay Accommodations

The Caicos

Best Dives of Providenciales Island & North Caicos

Snorkeling Provo

Caicos Islands Dive Operators

Photo Service

Providenciales Accommodations

South Caicos

Best Dives of South Caicos

South Caicos Accommodations

Live-Aboards

Facts

Bermuda

History

Bermuda Today

When to Go

The Shipwrecks of Bermuda

Best Dives of Bermuda

Beach Snorkeling

Dive Operators of Bermuda

Snorkeling Tours & Rentals

Other Activities

Sightseeing

Shopping

Accommodations

Dining

Facts

The Florida Keys

Diving

Weather

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Best Dives of Key Largo & the Upper Keys

Key Largo’s Artificial Reef

Key Largo & Upper Keys Dive Operators

Islamorada & Lower Key Largo Dive Operators

Key Largo & Upper Keys Accommodations

Key Largo RV & Tent Campgrounds

Key Largo Dining

Islamorada Accommodations

Plantation Key to Long Key

Islamorada Campgrounds

Islamorada Dining

Best Dives of the Middle Keys

Marathon & the Middle Keys Dive Operators

Marathon Accommodations

Middle Keys Dining

Long Key

Duck Key

Marathon    

Best Dives of the Lower Keys & Key West

Fort Jefferson National Monument

Big Pine & Lower Keys Dive Operators

The Lower Keys

Key West

Lower Keys Accommodations

Big Pine Key

Little Torch Key

Sugarloaf Key

Lower Keys Campgrounds

Key West

Key West Campgrounds

Key West Dining

Key West

Other Activities

Facts

The Shipwreck Trail

The City of Washington

Dive site

The Benwood

Dive Site

The Duane

Dive Site

The Eagle

Dive Site

The San Pedro

Dive Site

Adelaide Baker

Dive Site

The Thunderbolt

Dive Site

The North America

Dive Site

The Amesbury

Dive Site

Eco-Tips

Dispose of Trash Properly

Hit the Beach

If you wish to find out about beach clean-ups, contact the Center for Marine Conservation, 1725 De Sales St., NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036, tel. [phone]. Website: www.cmc-ocean.org.

Practice Good Buoyancy Control

Avoid Dangle Damage

Keep Your Hands to Yourself

Watch Your Bubbles

Keep Sea Snacks All Natural

De-silt Sponges and Corals

Bail Out a Crab

BOATERS

Obey Restricted Access Signs

Approach Seagrass Beds Gently

 First Aid

SEA STINGS, CORAL CUTS, AND SUNBURN

What About Sharks?

Introduction

Best Dives of the Bahamas and Bermuda takes divers and snorkelers through the grandest places to explore in the Bahamas, Bermuda, Florida Keys and Turks & Caicos.

Romanticized by Ernest Hemingway’s Islands in the Stream, these islands share the marine richness carried by the Gulf Stream, a broad current that sweeps the entire area with powerful flows of warm water, nutrients and fish. Collectively, the area attracts more than 2,000,000 divers each year.

The Gulf Stream shapes the climates too. Tropical temperatures predominate in the southernmost islands year-round. Bermuda, the northernmost island chain, cools off during winter, but retains sufficient warmth to sustain lush vegetation and hard corals.

Text, maps and photos in Best Dives of the Bahamas and Bermuda describe and illustrate the incredible variety of treasures to found both above and beneath the sea throughout this unique area. In addition to starfish-rated dive and snorkeling sites for every skill level, the guide describes accommodations for every budget, suggests fast-food and gourmet restaurants and lists helpful travel information Rated dive sites include shallow reefs, wall dives, exhilarating drift dives, submerged movie sets, underwater sculptures, train, plane and shipwrecks.

Travel tips, listed at the end of each chapter, cover airlines, documents , transportation, currency, climate, language, gear, electricity, clothing and where to find more information.

Mystery abounds too, with stories of Bermuda’s historic shipwrecks, the Bahamas’ Stones of Atlantis – the lost continent, the Sand Mound Sculptures of Bimini – so vast they can only be recognized from the air, The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Shipwreck Trail and the former salt plantations of the Turks and Caicos.

We hope you find Best Dives of the Bahamas and Bermuda a useful tool for vacation planning. Have a great trip, and when you get home let us know the highs and lows of your vacation. We’ll pick some to run in our next edition.  Write to us care of the publisher’s address listed on the copyright page or e-mail us at [e-mail] or [e-mail].

Resources & Travel Tips

Scuba Certifying Organizations

Locations for scuba instruction near your home may be obtained from one of the following organizations.

IDEA, International Diving Educators Association, PO Box 8427, Jacksonville FL 32239-8427. tel. [phone].

NASDS, National Association of Scuba Diving Schools, 1012 S. Yates, Memphis, TN 38119. tel. [phone]. Website: divesafe. com.

NAUI, National Association of Underwater Instructors, PO Box 14650, Montclair CA 91763. tel. [phone]. Lost cards 909-621-6210;  fax [phone]. Website: www.naui.org.

PADI INTERNATIONAL, Professional Association of Diving Instructors, 1251 E. Dyer Rd., Suite 100, Santa Ana CA 92705-5605. tel. [phone]. Website: www.padi.com.

PDIC INTERNATIONAL, Professional Diving Instructors Corporation 1554 Gardener Ave, Scranton, PA 18509. tel. [phone]; fax [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]. Website: www.pdic-intl.com.

SSI, Scuba Schools International, 2619 Canton Court, Fort Collins, CO 80525. tel. [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail] or [e-mail].

YMCA, National YMCA Scuba Program, Oakbrook Square, 6083-A Oakbrook Parkway, Norcross/Atlanta, GA 30093. tel. [phone]; fax [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]. Website: www.webcom. com/cscripts/-ymca/ymca.html.

Cruises & Package Tours

Package vacations may save you hundreds of dollars, but be sure to read the fine print carefully when you are comparing tours. Consider transfers, sightseeing tours, meals, auto rentals, acceptable accommodations, and taxes. Tanks and weights may or may not be included. Also ask whether extra airline weight allowances are included for dive gear.

Oceanic Society Expeditions, a non-profit environmental group, offers research-oriented snorkel trips and dolphin swims to a variety of destinations. tel. [phone] or 800- 326-7491 or write to the Oceanic Society, Fort Mason Center, Bldg. E, San Francisco CA 94123. Website: www.oceanic-society.org.

Landfall Dive and Adventure Travel offers hassle-free, money-saving tours for groups and individual divers to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Turks and Caicos and the Pacific. tel. [phone], fax [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]. Website: landfallproductions.com.

CEDAM (Conservation, Ecology, Diving, Archaeology, Museums) offers programs as varied as an underwater archaeological dig on an ancient shipwreck or a mapping tour of the Turks & Caicos. Write them at 1 Fox Rd., Croton NY 10520. tel. [phone]; fax [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]. Website: www.cedam.org.

Tropical Adventures offers more than 27 destinations and live-aboards worldwide. tel. [phone]. Website: www.divetropical.com.

Handicapped Divers

Handicapped divers will find help and information by contacting the Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA). The association has provided scuba instruction to people with physical disabilities since 1975. Over 600 instructors in 24 countries are HSA-trained. HSA has developed the Resort Evaluation Program to help handicapped divers select a vacation destination. They check out facilities and work with the staff and management to ensure accessibility. Once a resort is totally accessible, it is certified by HSA.

For a list of HSA-certified resorts, group-travel opportunities and more information on HSA’s programs, instruction and activities, tel. [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail].

Money

Most large resorts, restaurants and dive operators will accept major credit cards, although you risk being charged at a higher rate if the local currency fluctuates. Traveler’s checks are accepted almost everywhere and often you’ll get a better exchange rate for them than cash. It’s always a good idea to have some local currency on hand for cabs, tips and small purchases.

Insurance

Many types of travel insurance are available, covering everything from lost luggage and trip cancellations to medical expenses. Since emergency medical assistance and air ambulance fees can run into thousands of dollars, it is wise to be prepared. Trips purchased with some major credit cards include life insurance.

Divers Alert Network (DAN) offers divers’ health insurance for $35 a year plus an annual membership fee of $25 ($35 for a family). Any treatment required for an accident or emergency that is a direct result of diving, such as decompression sickness (the bends), arterial gas embolism or pulmonary baro-trauma is covered up to $125,000. Air ambulance to the closest medical care facility, recompression chamber care and in-patient hospital care are covered. Non-diving travel-related accidents are NOT covered.

Lacking the ability to pay, a diver may be refused transport and/or treatment. For more information write to DAN, PO Box 3823, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710. tel. [phone]. For emergencies worldwide call collect tel. [phone] or 919-684-4DAN (4326). E-mail: [e-mail]. Website: www.dan.ycg.org.

International SOS Assistance is a medical assistance service to travelers who are more than 100 miles from home. For just $55 per person for seven to 14 days, or $96 per couple, SOS covers air evacuation and travel-related assistance. Evacuation is to the closest medical care facility, which is determined by SOS staff doctors. Representative Michael Klein states that SOS will send out a private Learjet if necessary to accommodate a patient. Hospitalization is NOT covered. Standard Blue Cross and Blue Shield policies do cover medical costs while traveling. For individual and group information write to International SOS Assistance, Box 11568, Philadelphia, PA 19116. tel. [phone] or 215-244-1500. E-mail: jfahy @intsos.com. Website: www.intsos.com.

Lost luggage insurance is available at the ticket counters of many airlines. If you have a homeowner’s policy, you may already be covered. Be sure to check first with your insurance agent.

Keep a list of all your dive equipment and other valuables, including the name of the manufacturer, model, date of purchase, new price and serial number, if any, on your person when traveling. Immediately report any theft or loss of baggage to the local police, hotel security people or airline and get a copy of that report. Both the list and the report of loss or theft will be needed to collect from your insurance company. Do not expect airlines to cheerfully compensate you for any loss without a lot of red tape and hassle. Regardless of the value of your gear the airline pays by the weight ($9 per pound) of what is lost. Be sure to tag your luggage with your name and address. Use a business address if possible.

Documents

Carry your personal documents on you at all times. Be sure to keep a separate record of passport numbers, visas, or tourist cards in your luggage.

Security

Tourists flashing wads of cash and expensive jewelry are prime targets for robbers. Avoid off-the-beaten-track areas of cities, especially at night. Do not carry a lot of cash, expensive cameras or jewelry. Keep alert to what’s going on around you. Stay with your luggage until it is checked in with the airlines. Jewelry should be kept in the hotel safe.

Rental cars have become a target for robbers in some areas. To avoid problems, try to rent a car without rental company markings. If someone bumps into your car, do not stop. Drive to a police station and report the incident. Do not stop for hitchhikers or to assist strangers.

Drugs

Penalties for possession of illegal drugs are very harsh and the risk you take for holding even a half-ounce of marijuana cannot be stressed enough. Punishment often entails long jail terms. In certain areas, such as Mexico, your embassy and the best lawyer won’t be much help. You are guilty until proven innocent. Selling drugs is still cause for public hanging in some areas.

Cameras

Divers traveling with expensive camera