Diving with Blackbeards Cruises in
Bahamas/Northern Islands in 2002/10:
an Instant Reader Report

 Socorro Islands, Roatan, South Africa, Costa Rica, Channel Islands,
Massachusetts, North Carolina, Bonaire, Cozumel, Florida, Yucatan Caves,
Bahamas, Little Cayman  & Brac, Belize, Turks & Caicos, Indonesia,
Thailand, Cocos 

Dive Conditions

no decompression diving, stay with your buddy, come up with 300-500psi  

[None]  

Overall Rating

     Blackbeards Cruises serves up a time tested itinerary of decent
Caribbean diving interspersed with snorkeling and spearfishing
opportunities, aboard three 65ft sloop rigged sailboats. The experience can
best be described as “dive camping” as your only personal space is your
bunk, showers are limited, toilets are shared, conditions are cramped, and
everyone gets pretty familiar with each other. This was my second trip on
the Sea Explorer and since they offer one of the best values in terms of
diving/dollars I very well might go again. I find it’s best if you’re
taking new divers, without a lot of money, who like to drink beer.
	Captain Yolanda had some problems with a contingent of mid-western divers
who were mainly interested in spearfishing. The guys in this group were
pretty vocal about their displeasure at her inability to put them on “the
good sites” and it cast a bit of “negative energy” on our trip with some of
us siding with the Captain and some folks siding with the dive group. Other
than that everything went perfectly. Even in good weather the crossing can
be a bit harrowing for those who tend towards sea-sickness. So wear your
patches and pop your pills if you have that susceptibility. Food was
plentiful, nutritious, sometimes great, sometimes mediocre. Beer, wine, and
rum drinks are included. 
	Stand out dive sites included the wreck of the Hesperus, usually done as
both an afternoon and a night dive so you’d know your way around. I found
it even better than in 1995. The wreck’s nothing to speak of but the huge
schools of Grunts and mixed Snapper, squadrons of Southern Stingrays, and
legions of Ocean Triggerfish have proliferated. At night this dive turns
into Loggerhead Turtle central. You’re guaranteed to see big  turtles.
Other good dives included Swiss Cheese, a huge coral mound with lots of
swim throughs and a good variety of healthy fans, ropes, sponges, and
coral; and La Lanni, another decent site with multiple coral mounds and
ridges, healthy coral growth, and an amazing amorphous school of Mackerel
Scad and other tiny fish swirling around. The best site of the trip was
their shark dive location Bull Run. This conglomeration of big profile
coral mounds offered the prettiest coral growth and lots of great cracks
and swim throughs to explore. The presence of a dozen Grey and Blacktip
reef sharks made for a little excitement when you’d stumble upon one in a
crack. The shark dive itself went quick and was exciting for the
uninitiated and routine for the experienced. 
 

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