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Dive Review of Blackbeard's -- Morning Star in
Bahamas/Nassau,Exumas,Eleuthera

Blackbeard's -- Morning Star: "Great week of Diving on the Morning Star", Sep, 2019,

by Catherine Choomack, CO, US (Reviewer Reviewer 4 reports). Report 11169.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 3 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments My husband and I had a fantastic time on this trip. If you have never been on this liveaboard do not expect too many creature comforts. It is basically like camping at sea only the crew does all of the work. The bunks are small but comfortable. The cabins are air conditioned. Fresh water shower time is limited to thirty seconds but you can have all of the salt water you want plus the condensation hose off the back of the boat. The food is hot and plentiful, actually quite good considering the tiny closet of a kitchen the chef had to cook in. Passenger ages ranged from late 20s to 82! Crew was hard working, helpful, and ensured we all had a safe, fun trip.

The diving is variable enough for all levels of divers: wall dives, swim-throughs, a blue hole, shallow coral gardens, and a plane wreck. There is also one shark-feed dive where you will see a handful of Caribbean Reef Sharks (they are around on most dives anyway) and some sizable groupers. Notable small-medium fish included queen angels and triggers, assorted parrot fish, butterfly fish, and wrasses . Several varieties of grouper, snapper, and jacks were also around on most dives as well as barracuda. Lion fish are still in this area though I hear rumors that barracuda are starting to eat them. There was a decent variety of sponges and soft corals but the hard corals have seen better days. I was finally able to pay enough attention to see garden eels and jaw fish. My deepest dive this time was about 112 feet or so on a wall dive. There were 19 dives total including one drift and four night dives. The visibly was not the greatest due to the recent storms but there was still plenty to see.

All and all for 995 USD per person, this is an enormous bang for your buck if you want to give it a try. I do highly recommend it.
Websites Blackbeard's -- Morning Star   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Cozumel, St. Lucia, Cabo, Hawaii, Bahamas, Fiji
Closest Airport NAS Getting There DEN to NAS through ATL on Delta

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, cloudy Seas calm, choppy, surge
Water Temp 78-85°F / 26-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 30-60 Ft/ 9-18 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions 1-Stay with Buddy
2-No Deco (try not to get below 5 minutes)
3-Come up with no less than 500 psi
4-Stay within depth limits appropriate to your training and no deeper than 130.
Other than that, plan your dive and dive your plan, based on the dive briefing by the DM.
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? no

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 3 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments There is a rinse bucket for camera and electronic equipment plus a drying table on the stern for cameras. It isn't that large so this wouldn't be the trip to take a sizable rig.
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Subscriber's Comments

By Ms Lynda Durfee in VA, US at Oct 09, 2019 20:38 EST  
Given the bunk layout and the only exit appears to be past the galley, did you have any concerns after the Conception fire?
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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