Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's

**Monkey** · 24th June 2008, 02:59

here is the plan for the week

Saturday Enjoy dinner ashore on your own prior to boarding at one of Fort Lauderdale's many fine restaurants. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, we will transport you to the Riverfront where you may enjoy shopping, dining, movies, museums, and water taxi rides -- a fun place to spend the afternoon. Embarkation begins at Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades at 7:00 p.m. on the Nekton Pilot and 8:00 p.m. on the Nekton Rorqual. The Captain's welcome aboard briefing begins shortly after boarding. Note: Port Everglades' tight security restrictions require that our guests be accompanied to the boat by our designated badged ground agents.

Sunday Clear customs in Grand Bahama. Morning and afternoon dives at Indian Cay Reef.

Monday Enjoy dives at Mount Olympus or Scoto Reef followed by afternoon and night dives at our natural aquarium the Sugar Wreck (also inhabited by resident loggerhead turtles).

Tuesday Expect to be greeted by a friendly Green Moray eel during morning dives at Theo's Wreck which is a 230 foot freighter whose keel rest at 130 feet deep. Afternoon reef diving at Shark Junction and optional shore excursion into Port Lucaya by tender.

Wednesday Morning dives at the Gingerbread Grounds. Afternoon cruise to the Wreck of the Hesperus for afternoon and night snorkeling and dives. Highlights of this wreck include thick schools of fish, our own sting-ray city, nurse sharks and huge resident loggerhead turtles.

Thursday Morning dives on Bimini wall. Afternoon and night dives on shallower Bimini reefs. Optional shore excursion into Alice Towne on Bimini, the island that prompted the famous American author "Papa" Ernest Hemingway's famous novel "Islands in the Stream." On Bimini, try bicycling or visiting the "Fountain of Youth".

Friday Reef diving off of Cat Cay including Tuna Alley and Victory Wall. After the night dive, we'll start heading back across the Gulf Stream to Florida (please keep in mind your flight travel plans with regards to the Friday night dive).

Saturday You'll arrive back in Fort Lauderdale at 8:00 am. After clearing U.S. Customs and Immigrations, courtesy vans will transport you to the Fort Lauderdale International Airport or your local hotel. Please schedule flights after noon. For your own safety, please remember the recommended 24 hour waiting period between repetitive diving and flying when booking your flight.

netmage · 24th June 2008, 15:59

Vaca approved - I'm in..... Reserve me one of the single bunks; otherwise Adrian gets to sleep on the floor....

-Tim

JCdesign97 · 24th June 2008, 19:08

I'm seeing a couple of the usual suspects here ... and since the esteemed Mr. Katerenchuk can't carry the colors of the filthy northeasterners' contingent, I'm just going to have do it for him.

I'm in on this one - confirmed with James yesterday.

I just saw the itinerary and I'm even more glad I did! I've been to a good number of these sites before (above and below water) and I can't wait to get back ... especially the dive sites now with the CCR. I can attest to the accuracy of the stingrays and huge loggerheads on the Hesperus; and the great diving at some of the other sites in general. Can't wait until September!

**sfldiver** · 24th June 2008, 19:29

Quote: (Originally Posted by JCdesign97)

I'm seeing a couple of the usual suspects here ... and since the esteemed Mr. Katerenchuk can't carry the colors of the filthy northeasterners' contingent, I'm just going to have do it for him.

I'm in on this one - confirmed with James yesterday.

Now the trip's roster is starting to look like one of our Florida S.C.R.U.B.'s dives - One happy disfunctional family! Glad your onboard John!!

Quote: (Originally Posted by JCdesign97)

I just saw the itinerary and I'm even more glad I did! I've been to a good number of these sites before (above and below water) and I can't wait to get back ... especially the dive sites now with the CCR. I can attest to the accuracy of the stingrays and huge loggerheads on the Hesperus; and the great diving at some of the other sites in general. Can't wait until September!

It's nice to get a confirmation about the quality of the scheduled dives from someone's who's been to them in person - Thanks John!

I've done most of the dives in the Bimini / Cat Cay a few times times throughout the years, and besides the marine life and abundance of sharks, the turquoise Bahama's water color alone make them worth diving anytime, especially on a rebreather!!

jkaterenchuk · 24th June 2008, 19:44

John has given some information about the dive sites. I can give a little information on the Operator. I have been on a week trip with them before on one of the sister ships of the same design. If they have not changed their operating procedures then the dive day goes something like this....Dive platform opens early morning (its actually a large platform the width of the ship that moves up and down). It stays open until the ship moves to a new location. You can dive anytime the platform is open. The platform is open whenever the ship is not moving to a new location. Thats morning, afternoon and night. You can go and come back as you wish. There is a white board on the wall on the way down to the dive platform in which you log your in and out of the water times. There is no dive master or crew member assigned to babysit you on your dives. If you want one of the crew to come along you just ask and they will provide a person. You store all you dive equipment on the platform in individual locations/bins for the trip. There are quite spacious tables and rinse buckets a level or two above the dive platform immediatly outside the main salon to maintain and charge cameras. In the salon there are both tables and sofas a large screen tv and a computer for looking at pictures fromt he day of diving. On the top level is ample lounges for sitting in the sun, a shaded area with chairs and a white board for dive briefings and a area to hang wetsuits to dry between dives. There was also a hot tub.

Everyone has their own preferrences but I found the food to be plentiful and good.

I would not hesitate to go on another trip with them as it provided maximum dive time, good accomdations and food with a value price.

John

silent running · 24th June 2008, 19:52

Hello Monkey, looks like a very nice trip. Will it be possible to keep the OC divers separate from the CCR divers? Us nature lovers like our nature bubble free for best possible wildlife interaction. Thanks, -Andy

netmage · 24th June 2008, 21:58

Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running)

Hello Monkey, looks like a very nice trip. Will it be possible to keep the OC divers separate from the CCR divers? Us nature lovers like our nature bubble free for best possible wildlife interaction. Thanks, -Andy

When the dive deck is open, the divers go dive.....

There is no herding of the divers... nor is everyone expected to travel as a pack... I've found it doesn't take long for the fish to re-embrace us once the bubblemakers have left the area, so there is nothing to prevent us from going off on our own.

**sfldiver** · 24th June 2008, 23:52

Quote: (Originally Posted by jkaterenchuk)

John has given some information about the dive sites. I can give a little information on the Operator. I have been on a week trip with them before on one of the sister ships of the same design. If they have not changed their operating procedures then the dive day goes something like this....Dive platform opens early morning (its actually a large platform the width of the ship that moves up and down). It stays open until the ship moves to a new location. You can dive anytime the platform is open. The platform is open whenever the ship is not moving to a new location. Thats morning, afternoon and night. You can go and come back as you wish. There is a white board on the wall on the way down to the dive platform in which you log your in and out of the water times. There is no dive master or crew member assigned to babysit you on your dives. If you want one of the crew to come along you just ask and they will provide a person. You store all you dive equipment on the platform in individual locations/bins for the trip. There are quite spacious tables and rinse buckets a level or two above the dive platform immediatly outside the main salon to maintain and charge cameras. In the salon there are both tables and sofas a large screen tv and a computer for looking at pictures fromt he day of diving. On the top level is ample lounges for sitting in the sun, a shaded area with chairs and a white board for dive briefings and a area to hang wetsuits to dry between dives. There was also a hot tub.

Everyone has their own preferrences but I found the food to be plentiful and good.

I would not hesitate to go on another trip with them as it provided maximum dive time, good accomdations and food with a value price.

John

John, thanks for the info, as that is all good stuff to know in advance.

One question, in your experience, will they enforce no-deco guidelines or will they let us do our own thing?

**Monkey** · 25th June 2008, 01:16

Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running)

Hello Monkey, looks like a very nice trip. Will it be possible to keep the OC divers separate from the CCR divers? Us nature lovers like our nature bubble free for best possible wildlife interaction. Thanks, -Andy

Yes... I have already told the boat captain we need privacy to get close to the animals..

jkaterenchuk · 25th June 2008, 03:53

Quote: (Originally Posted by sfldiver)

John, thanks for the info, as that is all good stuff to know in advance.

One question, in your experience, will they enforce no-deco guidelines or will they let us do our own thing?

I really can't answer as at the time I was diving OC single 80 cuft. With five dives a day I could/did go into some light deco on the later dives but they never asked and I did not tell. I used air for the whole week. They could supply Nitrox but it was priced to high and needed to be ordered in advance of the trip and was limited. Most of the others on the trip did 3 dives a day and no deco that I noticed.

I would be surprized if they are not expecting deco dives with a bunch of CCR divers on board.

John

24th June 2008, 02:59	#11 (permalink)
Monkey Supporting Member Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lauderdale By The Sea Florida Posts: 338	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's here is the plan for the week Saturday Enjoy dinner ashore on your own prior to boarding at one of Fort Lauderdale's many fine restaurants. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, we will transport you to the Riverfront where you may enjoy shopping, dining, movies, museums, and water taxi rides -- a fun place to spend the afternoon. Embarkation begins at Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades at 7:00 p.m. on the Nekton Pilot and 8:00 p.m. on the Nekton Rorqual. The Captain's welcome aboard briefing begins shortly after boarding. Note: Port Everglades' tight security restrictions require that our guests be accompanied to the boat by our designated badged ground agents. Sunday Clear customs in Grand Bahama. Morning and afternoon dives at Indian Cay Reef. Monday Enjoy dives at Mount Olympus or Scoto Reef followed by afternoon and night dives at our natural aquarium the Sugar Wreck (also inhabited by resident loggerhead turtles). Tuesday Expect to be greeted by a friendly Green Moray eel during morning dives at Theo's Wreck which is a 230 foot freighter whose keel rest at 130 feet deep. Afternoon reef diving at Shark Junction and optional shore excursion into Port Lucaya by tender. Wednesday Morning dives at the Gingerbread Grounds. Afternoon cruise to the Wreck of the Hesperus for afternoon and night snorkeling and dives. Highlights of this wreck include thick schools of fish, our own sting-ray city, nurse sharks and huge resident loggerhead turtles. Thursday Morning dives on Bimini wall. Afternoon and night dives on shallower Bimini reefs. Optional shore excursion into Alice Towne on Bimini, the island that prompted the famous American author "Papa" Ernest Hemingway's famous novel "Islands in the Stream." On Bimini, try bicycling or visiting the "Fountain of Youth". Friday Reef diving off of Cat Cay including Tuna Alley and Victory Wall. After the night dive, we'll start heading back across the Gulf Stream to Florida (please keep in mind your flight travel plans with regards to the Friday night dive). Saturday You'll arrive back in Fort Lauderdale at 8:00 am. After clearing U.S. Customs and Immigrations, courtesy vans will transport you to the Fort Lauderdale International Airport or your local hotel. Please schedule flights after noon. For your own safety, please remember the recommended 24 hour waiting period between repetitive diving and flying when booking your flight.
(Online)

24th June 2008, 15:59	#12 (permalink)
netmage Tim Owens Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coconut Creek, FL Posts: 521	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's Vaca approved - I'm in..... Reserve me one of the single bunks; otherwise Adrian gets to sleep on the floor.... -Tim
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24th June 2008, 19:08	#13 (permalink)
JCdesign97 My unit can beat up yours Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: PA, USA Posts: 385	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's I'm seeing a couple of the usual suspects here ... and since the esteemed Mr. Katerenchuk can't carry the colors of the filthy northeasterners' contingent, I'm just going to have do it for him. I'm in on this one - confirmed with James yesterday. I just saw the itinerary and I'm even more glad I did! I've been to a good number of these sites before (above and below water) and I can't wait to get back ... especially the dive sites now with the CCR. I can attest to the accuracy of the stingrays and huge loggerheads on the Hesperus; and the great diving at some of the other sites in general. Can't wait until September! __________________ Cheers, John Cogan
(Offline)

24th June 2008, 19:29	#14 (permalink)
sfldiver S.C.R.U.B.'S Photographer Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Pompano Beach, FL Posts: 792	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's Quote: (Originally Posted by JCdesign97) I'm seeing a couple of the usual suspects here ... and since the esteemed Mr. Katerenchuk can't carry the colors of the filthy northeasterners' contingent, I'm just going to have do it for him. I'm in on this one - confirmed with James yesterday. Now the trip's roster is starting to look like one of our Florida S.C.R.U.B.'s dives - One happy disfunctional family! Glad your onboard John!! Quote: (Originally Posted by JCdesign97) I just saw the itinerary and I'm even more glad I did! I've been to a good number of these sites before (above and below water) and I can't wait to get back ... especially the dive sites now with the CCR. I can attest to the accuracy of the stingrays and huge loggerheads on the Hesperus; and the great diving at some of the other sites in general. Can't wait until September! It's nice to get a confirmation about the quality of the scheduled dives from someone's who's been to them in person - Thanks John! I've done most of the dives in the Bimini / Cat Cay a few times times throughout the years, and besides the marine life and abundance of sharks, the turquoise Bahama's water color alone make them worth diving anytime, especially on a rebreather!! __________________ *Currently piloting & shooting...* Dive Rite O2ptima FX Rigged w/ a Dsix Custom Aluminum Frame, Nomad Wing, Transpac Harness and VR3 Computer w/ VPM-B/E & a 4th Cell Sensor Link.* Canon PowerShot G9 Digital Camera *Rigged in a Patima-PDCH 2008 G9 Aluminum Housing w/ an Inon UWL-100 Achromat Wide Conversion Lens, 2 Inon UCL-165M67 Close-Up Lenses and 2 Inon Z-240 Strobes.
(Offline)

24th June 2008, 19:44	#15 (permalink)
jkaterenchuk . Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Megalodon Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lititz, PA Posts: 827	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's John has given some information about the dive sites. I can give a little information on the Operator. I have been on a week trip with them before on one of the sister ships of the same design. If they have not changed their operating procedures then the dive day goes something like this....Dive platform opens early morning (its actually a large platform the width of the ship that moves up and down). It stays open until the ship moves to a new location. You can dive anytime the platform is open. The platform is open whenever the ship is not moving to a new location. Thats morning, afternoon and night. You can go and come back as you wish. There is a white board on the wall on the way down to the dive platform in which you log your in and out of the water times. There is no dive master or crew member assigned to babysit you on your dives. If you want one of the crew to come along you just ask and they will provide a person. You store all you dive equipment on the platform in individual locations/bins for the trip. There are quite spacious tables and rinse buckets a level or two above the dive platform immediatly outside the main salon to maintain and charge cameras. In the salon there are both tables and sofas a large screen tv and a computer for looking at pictures fromt he day of diving. On the top level is ample lounges for sitting in the sun, a shaded area with chairs and a white board for dive briefings and a area to hang wetsuits to dry between dives. There was also a hot tub. Everyone has their own preferrences but I found the food to be plentiful and good. I would not hesitate to go on another trip with them as it provided maximum dive time, good accomdations and food with a value price. John
(Offline)

24th June 2008, 19:52	#16 (permalink)
silent running Mature mouth breather Current Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: U.S.A. Brooklyn, New York Posts: 1,832	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's Hello Monkey, looks like a very nice trip. Will it be possible to keep the OC divers separate from the CCR divers? Us nature lovers like our nature bubble free for best possible wildlife interaction. Thanks, -Andy
(Offline)

24th June 2008, 21:58	#17 (permalink)
netmage Tim Owens Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coconut Creek, FL Posts: 521	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running) Hello Monkey, looks like a very nice trip. Will it be possible to keep the OC divers separate from the CCR divers? Us nature lovers like our nature bubble free for best possible wildlife interaction. Thanks, -Andy When the dive deck is open, the divers go dive..... There is no herding of the divers... nor is everyone expected to travel as a pack... I've found it doesn't take long for the fish to re-embrace us once the bubblemakers have left the area, so there is nothing to prevent us from going off on our own.
(Offline)

24th June 2008, 23:52	#18 (permalink)
sfldiver S.C.R.U.B.'S Photographer Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Pompano Beach, FL Posts: 792	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's Quote: (Originally Posted by jkaterenchuk) John has given some information about the dive sites. I can give a little information on the Operator. I have been on a week trip with them before on one of the sister ships of the same design. If they have not changed their operating procedures then the dive day goes something like this....Dive platform opens early morning (its actually a large platform the width of the ship that moves up and down). It stays open until the ship moves to a new location. You can dive anytime the platform is open. The platform is open whenever the ship is not moving to a new location. Thats morning, afternoon and night. You can go and come back as you wish. There is a white board on the wall on the way down to the dive platform in which you log your in and out of the water times. There is no dive master or crew member assigned to babysit you on your dives. If you want one of the crew to come along you just ask and they will provide a person. You store all you dive equipment on the platform in individual locations/bins for the trip. There are quite spacious tables and rinse buckets a level or two above the dive platform immediatly outside the main salon to maintain and charge cameras. In the salon there are both tables and sofas a large screen tv and a computer for looking at pictures fromt he day of diving. On the top level is ample lounges for sitting in the sun, a shaded area with chairs and a white board for dive briefings and a area to hang wetsuits to dry between dives. There was also a hot tub. Everyone has their own preferrences but I found the food to be plentiful and good. I would not hesitate to go on another trip with them as it provided maximum dive time, good accomdations and food with a value price. John John, thanks for the info, as that is all good stuff to know in advance. One question, in your experience, will they enforce no-deco guidelines or will they let us do our own thing? __________________ *Currently piloting & shooting...* Dive Rite O2ptima FX Rigged w/ a Dsix Custom Aluminum Frame, Nomad Wing, Transpac Harness and VR3 Computer w/ VPM-B/E & a 4th Cell Sensor Link.* Canon PowerShot G9 Digital Camera *Rigged in a Patima-PDCH 2008 G9 Aluminum Housing w/ an Inon UWL-100 Achromat Wide Conversion Lens, 2 Inon UCL-165M67 Close-Up Lenses and 2 Inon Z-240 Strobes.
(Offline)

25th June 2008, 01:16	#19 (permalink)
Monkey Supporting Member Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lauderdale By The Sea Florida Posts: 338	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's Quote: (Originally Posted by silent running) Hello Monkey, looks like a very nice trip. Will it be possible to keep the OC divers separate from the CCR divers? Us nature lovers like our nature bubble free for best possible wildlife interaction. Thanks, -Andy Yes... I have already told the boat captain we need privacy to get close to the animals..
(Online)

25th June 2008, 03:53	#20 (permalink)
jkaterenchuk . Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Megalodon Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lititz, PA Posts: 827	Re: Monkey's Week long Live Aboard North Bahama's Quote: (Originally Posted by sfldiver) John, thanks for the info, as that is all good stuff to know in advance. One question, in your experience, will they enforce no-deco guidelines or will they let us do our own thing? I really can't answer as at the time I was diving OC single 80 cuft. With five dives a day I could/did go into some light deco on the later dives but they never asked and I did not tell. I used air for the whole week. They could supply Nitrox but it was priced to high and needed to be ordered in advance of the trip and was limited. Most of the others on the trip did 3 dives a day and no deco that I noticed. I would be surprized if they are not expecting deco dives with a bunch of CCR divers on board. John
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