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Bahamas 2009
Underwater Playground is going to the Bahamas in May 2009. We will be flying to
the Southern Bahamas and then boarding the live-aboard vessel Caribbean Explorer II for
a week of scuba diving and fun along the southern Exuma's in the islands of the
Bahamas. We aniticipate a fun-filled week of diving off the islands of Long Cay, San
Salvador and Conception Island. Wall diving, sharks (reef & hammerheads),
turtles, eagle rays, stingrays, night dives, swim-thrus and 80 degree water
temps. We are 2 months before hurricane season and should have no worries there.
$2600
Your trip includes:
Roundtrip airfare from BWI to Georgetown, Exumas
1 night Hotel Stay on Friday May 1, 2009 in Georgetown
A week aboard the Caribbean Explorer II vessel (Sat to
Sat)
Up to 25 dives during the week
All meals except Friday and Saturday morning & lunch
Ground Transfers Airport-Hotel-Boat-Airport
All the fun and sun you can stand!!
Important Information:
$500 Deposit is Required to hold your space
2nd deposit of
$1000 due Jan 1, 2009
Final Payment is Due Mar 1, 2009
All monies paid are non-refundable unless we can
re-sell your spot and the trip is full.
We have booked the entire boat and pricing is based on
a full trip.
Any increase in Fuel Surcharge or Airfare will be passed on.
Passports are Required for this trip.
Price does not include the crew tip at the end of the voyage, 10-15% suggested
or $150-225.
 Located just east and south of Florida and comprised of more
than 700 islands covering 1,000 square miles of ocean, the Bahamas are an enigma
- many have visited, but few appreciate their vastness, nor have a clear idea of
the topographical variety of dive sites and the wide range of marine life that
such a huge area can offer. From blue holes to walls, caves and shipwrecks, from
shallow elkhorn coral forests to pelagics both large and small, the Bahamas
offer something for everyone, both beginner and experienced diver alike.
More than 5% of the world's coral is found in the Bahamas; much of the water in
the islands is less than 20 feet deep, allowing huge expanses of intricate reef
systems. Walls abound, as well; many of the tops begin from 50 to 100 feet below
the surface, and plunge to many thousands of feet. The huge area covered ensures
that nearly everything found in the southern Atlantic finds its way to the
Bahamas - sharks of all kinds, humpback whales, several species of dolphins,
whale sharks and eagle rays and arrays of smaller creatures too numerous to
list. This area offering a huge selection and variety of diving experiences,
matched with an exploratory journey through an island nation spanning more than
1,000 square miles of some of the clearest ocean in the world.
 The Southern Bahamas in particular offer the opportunity for a
liveaboard dive vessel to visit remote and rarely-visited sites. The wall diving
here is spectacular, with beginning depths ranging from 50 to 100 feet, with a
few shallower reefs. Large pelagics such as hammerhead sharks will charm the
thrill-seekers; large coral and sponge formations and the dramatic walls offer
something for critter divers and both wide-angle and macro photographers.
Please keep in mind that the areas which we visit each week can be highly
dependent on weather. Though our itinerary in the Southern Bahamas is still
being fine-tuned, and will incorporate Cat Island and Rum Cay on an occasional
basis as well, highlights of the trip can include the following:
Conception Island
 Located 15 miles northeast of Long Island, Conception is an
uninhabited reef-rimmed speck on the map. This Land and Sea Park has an area of
only 6 square miles, and is a nesting site for endangered green turtles and
seabirds - particularly the boobies, which give their name to Booby Cay just to
the east.
Underwater, Conception offers drop dead gorgeous walls with a profusion of
marine life and plentiful wide-angle opportunities. High profile coral heads are
interspersed with sand chutes spilling over the wall; expect to see elephant ear
and barrel sponges, schooling horseeye jacks, snappers and groupers - and keep
an eye out for both turtles and plentiful sharks, including hammerheads.
Dives available along the Conception wall include The Creek, Chutes and Ladders,
Grouper Ledge, Missing Link, Tunnel of Love, and West Bay. Due to the sloping
sandy ledge, most of the wall dives at Conception start between 60 to 70 feet
but all have spectacular swim-throughs and topography. Only West bay is a
shallow dive site which is in 40 ft of water.
San Salvador
 Though more commonly known as the place where Christopher
Columbus first landed in the New World, San Salvador is unusual in that it is an
exposed peak of a sub-sea mountain. There are only 5 islands in the Bahamas with
this distinction, and as a result of this, the island is entirely surrounded by
walls. The western shore is a massive submerged cliff that hugs the shoreline,
begins at 40-50 feet and drops off quickly to thousands of feet. The enormous
depth ensures a wealth of marine life, from tiny critters to the hammerhead
sharks which are spotted regularly.
Though there are between 15 -20 moored dive sites that we can choose from
depending on weather and currents, some of our favorites include:
- Great Cut - A truly amazing dive with a very unusual formation - a
cataclysmic event caused a 200 ft long section of the wall to split from the
main wall, creating a double drop off. Passing the ridge at 40 feet leads you to
a chasm which drops to 150 ft. Cross this gap to reach the second section of the
wall at 80 feet, which then drops vertically into the deep.
- Double Caves - A spur and groove formation reef on the southern part of
San Salvador. The top of the reef is at 45 feet, and at least 4 caves or tunnels
appear. You can either swim up or down the tunnels, as they are like slides
starting at 45 -50 feet and exiting at 85 - 115 feet.
- Vicky's Reef - A 40 -50 foot reef and wall dive. The wall has a underhang
drop down to 110 feet; expect to see huge elephant ear sponges and wire coral.
Here you can spot the rare whip coral shrimp, only normally found in
Indo-Pacific waters. This is also a great spot for turtles and reef sharks.
- Devils Grotto - Starting as shallow as 25 feet with 3 drop offs to a max
depth off 120 feet. There are enough swim-throughs to explore this dive site
several times over and never do the same profile.
- Hole in the Wall - Rolling mounds of coral beginning at 45 ft, dropping
off at a severe angle with 2 cuts in the wall forming a Y shape at 90 feet.
South of the ridge there is a wide cut starting at 50 feet, home to a 7 foot
high pillar coral. Look out for eagle rays and occasionally manta rays.
- La Crevasse - Very similar to Double Caves but multiplied several times
over, huge crevasses over 50 ft deep. The outside wall has a near vertical face
with undercuts and an abundance of sponges.
- Sandy Cliff - Here a spur and grove formation leads to the edge of the
wall. An outstanding coral ridge at 30 -40 feet defines the dropoff to a second
ledge and cave at 130 feet.
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