liveaboards

Scuba Diving the Bahamas Dive Sites

Nurse Shark - Bahamas — Nurse Shark – Bahamas

This is the fortieth in a series which introduces and describes the various dive services and sites for worldwide liveaboard dive safaris. This one focuses on the Bahamas liveaboard dive sites.

In addition to this one on liveaboard dive sites, the best worldwide dive resort locations and services are reviewed in their own series. To check them out, or other liveaboards, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in the Bahamas? If so, I’d love to know about your experience. What dive shop or liveaboard did you use? Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.? Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving the Bahamas

Background – The 700 islands and cays (30 inhabited) of the Bahamas cover a huge distance of more than 500 miles (800 kilometers) and are situated east of Florida, north of Cuba and Hispaniola, and west of Turks and Caicos. These low lying flat islands have ridges not higher than 66 feet (20 meters), a pinnacle on Mt. Alvernia of 210 feet (64 meters), and a warm tropical savanna climate. Gaining independence in 1973, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas has a population around 400,000, the vast majority of which live in Nassau on New Providence Island, and around Freeport on Grand Bahama. With the third-highest per capita GDP in the western hemisphere, just behind the US and Canada, the hard-driving economy that created it is based on tourism and finance. The local people are generally friendly and courteous and speak English that is strongly accented, especially on the outlying islands.

Undersea World – Covering such a large geographical area with so many islands there is a full range of diving available from shallow to deep with fringing and patch reefs, walls, caves, swim-throughs, pinnacles, and wrecks. Bathed in the current of the Gulf Stream the sites can have some current and are rich in nutrients. The reefs include a colorful array of hard and soft corals with a lot of gorgonians, sea fans, and a variety of sponges. A list of some of the Bahamas reef wildlife highlights includes hammerhead, nurse, lemon, tiger, bull, blacknose, and Caribbean reef sharks, eagle rays, stingrays, schools of jacks and barracuda, dolphins, groupers, several species of sea turtle, octopus, nudibranchs, lobster, garden, and moray eels, jawfish, angelfish, and blennies.

Seasons and Conditions – It is warm all the time in the Bahamas with diving possible year-round. Average daily high air temperatures reach 32°C (90°F) in July and August and dip to 25°C (77°F) in January and February. Water temperatures likewise change with the season with highs of 28°C (82°F) from June to September and lows of 23°C (73°F) in January and February. A 3mm wetsuit will provide suitable protection much of the time, and 5mm for some divers when it is coolest. Visibility is excellent all year with an average of 100 feet (30 meters). Current is possible on some of the sites but there is diving appropriate for all levels of diver.

For reviews of diving in eastern Florida and other Caribbean locations, please check out these posts:

Bahamas Liveaboard Dive Boats

Bahamas Aggressor

August- April: 11 and 8-day trips from Nassau to Exuma and Eleuthera
May-July: 8-day trips from Freeport to Tiger Beach
Check the Price and Details

Phoenix

Year-round: 7-day trips from Nassau to Exuma and Eleuthera
Check the Price and Details

Aqua Cat

Year-round: 8-day trips from Nassau to Best of Bahamas (Exuma Cays)
Check the Price and Details

Blackbeard’s Morning Star

Year-round: 7-day trips from Nassau to Best of Bahamas (Exuma Cays)
Check the Price and Details

Blackbeard’s Sea Explorer

Year-round: 7-day trips from Nassau to Best of Bahamas (Exuma Cays)
Check the Price and Details

Bahamas Master

September-January & April-June: 7-day trips from Freeport to Tiger Beach
Check the Price and Details

Cat Ppalu

Year-round: 7-day trips from Nassau to Exuma Cays
Check the Price and Details

Selected Bahamas Dive Sites

Grand Bahama

Tiger Beach: 15-25 feet (5-8 meters), white sand bottom known for sharks including tiger and lemon sharks, with occasional appearances of nurse, reef, bull, and even hammerhead sharks, suitable for snorkelers and all levels of diver

Sugar Wreck: 20 feet (6 meters), 330-foot (110-meter) steel barge with a cargo of molasses that sank on Little Bahama Bank in the late 1800s, well encrusted, rich marine life including green moray eels, snappers, octopus, nurse sharks, and hawksbill and loggerhead turtles, suitable for snorkelers and all levels of diver

Fish Tail: close to Tiger Beach but slightly deeper, rich reef with colorful gorgonians, sea whips, sea plumes, sea fans, and hard corals, lots of reef tropicals with a good possibility of sharks, suitable for all levels of diver

El Capitan: 50-90 feet (15-27 meters), big shoal topping at 50 feet (15 meters) sloping to the bottom at 90 feet (27 meters), lots of reef tropicals, macro critters, and schools of fish, suitable for experienced level divers

New Providence, Exuma, and Eleuthera

Lost Blue Hole: 40-200 feet (12-61 meters), the sandy area around the hole has smaller reef tropicals like jawfish, gobies, and tobacco fish, and nurse sharks, the rim is at 40 feet (12 meters) and makes a steep drop from there to 200 feet (61 meters), check the crevices and fissures in the wall for spiny lobsters at around 80 feet (24 meters), numerous blacknose sharks come in the spring and stay on the bottom at 200 feet (61 meters), suitable for experienced level of divers

Periwinkle Reef: shallow patch reef used as a fish feeding station, loads of reef tropicals like angelfish and sergeant majors ready for a feeding, suitable for all levels of diver

Austin Smith Wreck: 60 feet (18 meters), 90-foot (27-meter) Bahamian Defense Force Cutter that accidentally sank while undertow to San Salvador to be scuttled there to become an artificial reef, suitable for all levels of diver

Blacktip Wall: 60 feet (18 meters), a wall where the attraction is frequent sightings of hammerhead sharks, suitable for all levels of diver

Amberjack Reef: 50 feet (15 meters), patch reef teeming with marine life including garden eels, macro critters like pirate blennies, a number of big black groupers, schools of horse-eye jacks, and several shark species, suitable for all levels of diver

Jeep Reef: 30 feet (9 meters), well-encrusted jeep sitting in the Exumas Land & Sea Park, colorful corals and sponges, rich marine life and lots of fish, current is possible, suitable for all levels of diver

Monolith: 100 feet (30 meters), at the base of a wall big mounds of coral rise to 50 feet (15 meters), garden eels in the sand at the base, rich marine life including lobster, stingrays, nurse, Caribbean reef, and blacknose sharks, eagle rays, groupers, and pelagics, suitable for experienced level divers

Cave Reef: 40 feet (12 meters), patch reef with a few big swim-throughs, suitable for all levels of diver

Bahamas Transportation & Hotels

The Bahamas liveaboards depart from Freeport or Nassau. Below are details about how to get there and hotels.

Air – Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) in Nassau receives numerous flights from major US airlines and a few from London and Toronto. The regional airport in Freeport connects to Ft. Lauderdale and Miami with service from several airlines for daily flights.

Sea – A number of cruise lines and ferries are available at Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) with reasonably priced fares to Freeport and Nassau.

For further details on transportation and other tourist tips, please go to Wikitravel-Bahamas.

Hotels – Hotels in Nassau and Freeport begin at $30 per night. The website linked below has the details and can arrange a booking for the lodging. You can easily find the location on the map provided on their site. The rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

Photography in the Bahamas

With the macro life, beautiful, diverse coral reef, lots of fish, sharks, turtles, and rays, and interesting targets from the surface, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities. For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation. I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and give scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Bahamas dive sites interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section. I’d love to know of any experience you have. If there is no comments section directly below, click here: >>comments<<

Socorro Islands Scuba Diving Liveaboards

3:47 am by Joe Leave a Comment

Hammerhead Sharks - Socorro Islands Liveaboard Diving — Hammerhead Sharks – Socorro Islands

This is the thirty-ninth in a series which introduces and describes the various dive services and sites for worldwide liveaboard dive safaris. This one focuses on the Socorro Islands liveaboards.

In addition to this one on liveaboards, the best worldwide dive resort locations and services are reviewed in their own series. To check them out, or other liveaboards, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in the Socorro Islands? If so, I’d love to know about your experience. What dive shop or liveaboard did you use? Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.? Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Soccoro Islands Scuba Diving Liveaboards

Background – The four Revillagigedo Islands are located 240 miles (390 kilometers) off the tip of the Baja Peninsula to the south-southwest. Consisting of the three inner islands, San Benedicto, Roca Partida, and Socorro, and the outer island, Clarión, they are most often referred to as the Socorro Islands, named after the largest of the four. Unpopulated except for the 45 personnel at the Naval Station on Socorro Island, the east to west spread covers 420 kilometers (261 miles). Home to many endemic animal and plant species the archipelago was declared a biosphere reserve by the Mexican government in 1994. To maintain the pristine environment, regulations do not allow the use of gloves, knives, or lights for divers, except for camera lighting. For more information on the history and ecology of the islands, please go to Wikipedia – Revillagigedo Islands.

Undersea World – The islands are volcanic in origin with ongoing geothermal activity today. There are lava tubes, steep walls, and significant current. Divers don’t make the long journey to marvel at the relatively sparse hard corals and invertebrate life. They come for the megafauna – hammerheads and a big variety of shark species, whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, whales, big pelagics, and humongous schools of fish.

Manta Rays: Huge specimens frequently appear at many sites like “The Boiler” on San Benedicto Island, that are cleaning stations with Clarión angelfish and barberfish to rid them of parasites. They can be remarkably fearless around divers swimming right up to and around for minutes at a time.

Humpback Whales: From January through March massive numbers of humpbacks come to the area and are often spotted from the surface and occasionally mingle with divers and snorkelers in the water.

Sharks: A tremendous variety of sharks frequent the islands. Galapagos and silky sharks appear individually or in small groups, while hammerheads often congregate in humongous shoals. The silkies often arrive in the spring along with bait balls that they feed on. Whale sharks are common in the late spring and often get up close and pretty personal with divers. Other often-seen species are oceanic whitetips, silvertips, and large numbers of resident whitetip reef sharks free-swimming or hunkered down in groups under shelves or in caverns. Occasionally even tiger sharks make an appearance.

Dolphins: Early in the year from January through March large numbers of dolphins are seen around the islands. They have grown used to boats and humans and often swim with and hang out with divers.

For interesting and detailed descriptions of the Socorro Islands dive sites and a cruise log, check this website.

Seasons and Conditions – Transit time from the departure point in Cabo San Lucas through the open sea takes 26-28 hours. Seas are calmest from November to May which corresponds to the schedule of the liveaboards making the trip.

Average daily air temperature highs reach 32°C (89°F) between June and September and dip to 28°C (83°F) between December and February.
Water temperature can get to lows in winter of 21°C (70°F) and highs in summer of 28°C (82°F) meaning that a 5-7mm wetsuit with hood and gloves may be needed when the water is at its coolest.
Visibility is variable based on the weather with a range of from 9 to 60 meters (30 to 200 feet). Most of the time it is in a range of 18-30 meters (60-100 feet)..
There are times and locations where the current can be strong and surface conditions rough. During the diving season from November through May, surface conditions are optimal.

There is outstanding diving in the relatively nearby Sea of Cortez and around Baja California. For my reviews of the diving there, please check these posts:

Socorro Islands Liveaboard Dive Boats

Nine great liveaboard yachts make the trip out to the Socorro Islands from November to May. Five of them extend the season one more month into June. The food, service, and facilities are excellent on all of them. Differences in size, number of cabins and guests, general roominess per guest, and pricing are all to be considered. This cruise to the Socorros is very popular and gets booked up early. I urge you to make a comparison of the basic features listed for each vessel and click on “Check the price and further details” to find out the information that is most important to you, availability, and scheduling.

All cruises depart from Cabo San Lucas, on the tip of Baja California. Transportation and lodging details regarding Cabo are after this section below.

Quino El Guardian

Length: 27 meters
Number of Guests: 16
Number of Crew: 8
Equipment: per piece to be arranged
Nitrox: $120/trip
Nitrox course: $245
Single Supplement: +50%

Check the price and further details

Rocio Del Mar

Length: 34 meters
Number of Guests: 20
Number of Crew: 10
En-suite bathrooms
Equipment: per piece to be arranged
Nitrox: $120/trip
Nitrox course: $245
Single Supplement: +100%

Check the price and further details

MV Valentina

Length: 38 meters
Number of Guests: 20
Number of Crew: unpublished
En-suite bathrooms
Equipment: $30/day
Nitrox: $20/day
Nitrox course: no
Single Supplement: +50%

Check the price and further details

Socorro Vortez

Length: 42 meters
Number of Guests: 14
Number of Crew: unpublished
Equipment: per piece to be arranged
Nitrox: free
Nitrox course: $150 (certification required)
Helipad for emergencies
Single Supplement: to be arranged

Check the price and further details

MV Solmar V

Length: 34 meters
Number of Guests: 22
Number of Crew: 10
En-suite bathrooms, TVs, DVD
Equipment: per piece to be arranged
Nitrox: $120/trip
Nitrox course: no
Single Supplement: +100%

Check the price and further details

Nautilus Explorer

Length: 35 meters
Number of Guests: 25
Number of Crew: 10
En-suite bathrooms, TVs, DVD
Sun deck with hot tub
Equipment: $110/day
Nitrox: $100/trip
Nitrox course: $245
Single Supplement: +25%

Check the price and further details

Nautilus Belle Amie

Length: 41 meters
Number of Guests: 30
Number of Crew: 12
En-suite bathrooms
Equipment: $110/trip
Nitrox: $100/trip
Nitrox course: yes, price to be arranged
Rebreather diving available
Single Supplement: +25%

Check the price and further details

Nautilus Under Sea

Length: 32 meters
Number of Guests: 19
Number of Crew: 10
En-suite bathrooms
Equipment: $110/trip
Nitrox: $100/trip
Nitrox course: no
Single Supplement: +25%

Check the price and further details

Socorro Aggressor

Length: 41 meters
Number of Guests: 26
Number of Crew: unpublished
En-suite bathrooms
Equipment: $175/trip
Nitrox: $120/trip
Nitrox course: yes, price to be arranged
Single Supplement: +65%

Check the price and further details

Cabo San Lucas Transportation, Hotels, & Diving Services

The Socorro Islands liveaboards depart from Cabo San Lucas. Below are details about how to get there, hotels, and dive shops, should you want to do some diving in Cabo.

Air – Flight to Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) is the most convenient way for most to get to Cabo. International flights use Terminal 1 and domestic, air taxi, and private charters use Terminal 2. The airport is 30-45 minutes from town. Buses, airport shuttles, and taxis are available for this service.
Land – Mexico Highway 1 runs all the way from Tijuana to Cabo.
Regional Bus service is available to connect to San Jose and La Paz.
Taxis are available in town.
Rental Cars – Many agencies are in operation.
Cruise Ships anchor offshore and require a 10-15 minute boat ride into Cabo.

For further details on transportation and other tourist tips, please go to Wikitravel – Cabo San Lucas.

Hotels and Diving – There are several hundred lodging options in Cabo San Lucas starting at $15 per night. Dozens of dive shops in the area offer a full range of services that include equipment rental, diving certification classes, dive guides, and boat tours. Many are within or associated with lodging. The website linked below has the details and can arrange a booking for the lodging. You can easily find the location on the map provided on their site. The rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

Cabo San Lucas Lodging

Photography in the Socorro Islands

With the spectacular undersea topography and fantastic marine life like hammerhead and whale sharks, manta rays, pelagics, whales, dolphins, and interesting targets from the surface, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities. For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Socorro Islands liveaboard scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section. I’d love to know of any experience you have. If there is no comments section directly below, click here: >>comments<<

Scuba Diving the Sea of Cortez Midriff Islands Liveaboards

4:18 am by Joe Leave a Comment

Whale Shark - Sea of Cortez Midriff Islands — Whale Shark – Sea of Cortez Midriff Islands

This is the thirty-eighth in a series which introduces and describes the various dive services and sites for worldwide liveaboard dive safaris. This one focuses on the Sea of Cortez Midriff Islands liveaboards.

Have you ever been diving in the Midriff Islands? If so, I’d love to know about your experience. What dive shop or liveaboard did you use? Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.? Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving the Sea of Cortez Midriff Islands

Background – The Midriff Islands are situated in the upper third of the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California). There are 55 islands, islets, and pinnacles in all, with 11 larger islands, all uninhabited. There are no major cities in the area and shoreside diving options are minimal. The most convenient way to reach the best dive sites which are widespread is on a liveaboard.

Undersea World – The diving on these liveaboards takes place around Isla Angel, Isla Salispuedes, Isla Animas, Bahia de la Angeles, and Isla San Pedro (south of the area on the map below). Each location has its own unique topographical characteristics but much is volcanic in origin, with rocky areas, finger reefs, lava formations, steep walls, and seamounts. The reefs are rich in hard and soft corals and sea fans, with some areas covered in extensive black coral forests. Powerful current is possible on some sites making them more suitable for advanced divers but there are many sites that are shallow and appropriate for beginners.

There is great biodiversity with astounding megafauna and equally fascinating reef tropicals and macro critters. Especially notable are the numerous sea lions, pods of dolphins, manta and eagle rays, whale sharks that are there year-round, and wintertime appearances of hordes of Mobula rays, and a variety of whales including the possibility of orcas, and humpback, sperm, gray, and blue whales. Other highlights include turtles, schools of jacks, barracuda, and pelagics like tuna, slipper and spiny lobster, 16 species of moray eels, gobies, blennies, octopus, giant jawfish, many species of nudibranch, sea horses, and schools of chromis, Cortez damselfish, and sergeant majors.

There is outstanding diving up and down the Sea of Cortez. For my review of the diving in other great Baja destinations, please check these posts:

Midriff Islands Liveaboard Dive Boats

These two great yachts are the only major liveaboards cruising the Midriff Islands. The season is from July to September when the visibility is great and surface conditions smoothest. The Quino El Guardian is a little smaller and a bit lower priced than the Rocio Del Mar but the itineraries and services are similar. They are sister vessels under the same management who over the years have had an association with research and photography groups giving them special incites regarding species identification and location, and the best dive sites.

Quino El Guardian

July-September: 9 X 8-day trips to the Sea of Cortez Midriff Islands
September-October: 8 X 13-day trips to the Sea of Cortez
November-June: 19 X 10-day trips to the Socorro Islands
Daily housekeeping
Air-conditioned saloon, indoor saloon
Aircon cabins, non-smoking rooms
Sun deck, leisure deck, observation deck
Audio & video entertainment, library
Charging stations, camera station, separate rinse for u/w camera
Outside showers, warm water showers
Naturalist itineraries
Dedicated local & international crew, English speaking crew
Outdoor dining, BBQ area, western food, local food, vegetarian options, beer available, snacks all day, free wine w/dinner, vegan options, free soft drinks, wine available, set menu dinner, fine cuisine, welcome cocktails, full-board option, al fresco dining
Nitrox available, sidemount diving
Non-diver (snorkeler) friendly, kayaks on-board
Dive deck, shaded diving area
Tenders for diving – 2 x Yamaha 75hp

Check it on Liveaboard.com

Rocio del Mar

Featuring

July-September: 7 X 8-day trips to the Sea of Cortez Midriff Islands
September-October: 3 X 13-day trips to the Sea of Cortez
November-June: 13 X 10-day trips to the Socorro Islands
Daily housekeeping
Indoor saloon, air-conditioned saloon
Aircon cabins, sea view cabins, en-suite bathrooms, non-smoking rooms
Audio & video entertainment, library
Sun deck, leisure deck, observation deck
Outdoor dining, BBQ area, western food, local food, vegetarian options, beer available, snacks all day, free wine w/dinner, vegan options, free soft drinks, wine available, set menu dinner, fine cuisine, welcome cocktails, full-board option, al fresco dining
Outside showers, warm water showers
Charging stations, camera station, separate rinse for u/w camera
Naturalist itineraries, naturalist guide
Dedicated local & international crew, English speaking crew
Nitrox available, sidemount diving
Non-diver (snorkeler) friendly, kayaks on-board
Dive deck, shaded diving area
Tenders for diving – 2 x Yamaha 75hp

Check the Price

Seasons and Conditions – Diving is good all year in Loreto.

Average daily air temperature highs reach 36°C (97°F) in August and dip to 24°C (75°F) in January.
Water temperature can get to lows of 19°C (66°F) in January and potential highs of 29°C (84°F) in July meaning that a 5-7mm wetsuit with hood and gloves may be needed when the water is at the coldest. During the July-September liveaboard season, it is unlikely you would need anything thicker than a 3mm wetsuit.
The climate is very dry with a rainier season from July through October when it rains 1-2 days a month.
Visibility runs from 9 to 30 meters (30 to 100 feet) with the plankton bloom in the winter moving it toward the bottom of the range. Most of the year visibility is 15 meters (50 feet) or better.
There are times and locations where the current can be strong. In the winter months, winds are up and increased surface chop is possible.

	Quino el Guardian	Rocio del Mar

Length	27 m	34 m
Guests	16	20
Crew	8	10
Equipment	Pricing To Be Arranged	Pricing To Be Arranged
Nitrox	$120/Trip	$120/Trip
Single Supplement	+50%	+100%
Kayaks on Board	Yes	Yes
Snorkeling Friendly	Yes	Yes
Price/Day	$268	$330

Puerto Penasco Hotels & Transportation

For the departure from Puerto Penasco, most guests fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport which is 4 hours drive away. Tucson International Airport is another option requiring almost exactly the same 4-hour drive.

Hotels – Should you have a desire to stay overnight in Puerto Penasco before or after the cruise, there are more than 200 lodging options from $36 to $950 per night. The website linked below has the details and can arrange a booking for the lodging. You can easily find the location on the map provided on their site. The rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

Puerto Penasco Lodging

Photography in the Midriff Islands

With the colorful coral reefs, a variety of reef tropicals, macro critters, sharks, rays, pelagics, sea lions, whales, and interesting targets from the surface, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities. For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Sea of Cortez Midriff Islands liveaboard scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section. I’d love to know of any experience you have. If there is no comments section directly below, click here: >>comments<<

Best Cuba Scuba Diving Liveaboard Jardines de la Reina

6:40 am by Joe Leave a Comment

Trumpetfish - Jardines de la Reina, Cuba — Trumpetfish – Jardines de la Reina, Cuba

This is the thirty-seventh in a series which introduces and describes the various dive services and sites for worldwide liveaboard dive safaris. This one focuses on Cuba liveaboards.

Have you ever been diving in Cuba before? If so, I’d love to know about your experience. What dive shop or liveaboard did you use? Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.? Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Cuba Scuba Diving (Jardines de la Reina)

Background – In the 1950s under the Batista regime, Cuba was in the process of becoming a major tourist destination, a sort of Las Vegas of the Caribbean. From the relative, if lopsided, prosperity of that era, the Communist takeover, nationalization of the US oil companies, subsequent US embargo, and Cuban embrace of the Soviets ushered in a period of isolation that saw tourism evaporate. In the 1990s the authorities decided to loosen restrictions and started to encourage visitors again with many enthused to go for a look. Until the last few years, this renewed tourism was fueled mostly by Canadians and Europeans. Today the hoops for Americans to jump through have been greatly reduced, and in fact the liveaboards I introduce here have the necessary authorizations organized for Americans to easily travel to Cuba. The approximately 3 million tourists per year currently are a major economic driver and incentive for further internationalization.

Undersea World – The site of the liveaboards and top diving location in Cuba is Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen). Located 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of the main island of Cuba and 128 kilometers (80 miles) northeast of Cayman Brac, it has a mangrove and coral system that is 240 kilometers (150 miles) long which serves as a barrier reef and nursery for large schools of bait fish. The majority of the central section is a protected national marine park where fishing and inhabitation are prohibited. There is interesting subsea terrain with steep slopes and caverns with a rich Caribbean reef of corals, fans, and a variety of tube, barrel, and organ pipe sponges, among others. It is the home to lots of macro critters like lobster and green moray eels, with schools of blue striped grunts and yellowtail snappers. Humongous 90-180 kilogram (200-400 pound) jewfish, and big Nassau and black groupers can only be outdone by 7 species of shark including silky, Caribbean reef, blacktip reef, lemon, bull, nurse, hammerhead, and whale sharks. Sea turtles, tarpon, stingrays, and saltwater crocs are all commonly sighted and there are remnants of Spanish galleons to explore, as well.

Seasons and Conditions – Diving is good all year with the dry season from November through April which is the best time for visibility and sea conditions. The hurricane season is from May through October. Off the southern coast where Jardines de la Reina is situated, the effects of storms are less than on the opposite side with a smoother sea and better visibility, which can often be as good as 40 meters (130 feet). Current is generally mild to non-existent. Water temperature runs from 26-29°C (79-84°F) which means most divers won’t need more than a 3 mm wetsuit. There are sites suitable for all levels of diver from open water to advanced levels.

Here are my reviews of other Caribbean dive locations and liveaboards:

Selected Dive Sites

Cabezo de la Cubera (Snapper’s Head): 6-18 meters (18-60 feet), large circular coral formation with many species of snapper, big Goliath and other groupers, Caribbean reef sharks, roughtail stingrays, green moray eels, turtles, schools of blue tangs, and tarpon, from the formation is a wall running from 7-18 meters (22-60 feet) with a sandy bottom at the base, all levels
Black Coral I and II: two sites with coral reefs dropping off from their plateau at 18-21 meters (60-70 feet) to around 30 meters (100 feet), lots of Caribbean reef sharks, up to 20 at a time, forests of black coral, big sponges and gorgonians, schools of midnight parrotfish and jacks, black groupers, king mackerel, moray eels, nurse sharks, hawksbill turtles, experienced level
Pipin: wall from 15-30 meters (50-100 feet), big schools of grunts, jacks, and tarpon up to 50 at a time, silky sharks up to 12 in a group, hammerheads possible, turtles, eagle rays, Caribbean reef sharks deeper, forests of black coral, experienced level
Vicente: 40 meters (130 feet) maximum depth, wall going to the maximum depth, next to the wall are pinnacles rising to 21 meters (70 feet), covered in a variety of sponges, gorgonians, and corals, green morays, nudibranchs, butterflyfish, queen angelfish, big groupers, silky and Caribbean reef sharks, black coral forests in the deeper areas, hammerheads, wahoo, yellow and horse-eye jacks along the wall, experienced level
Farallón: coral mountain topping at 15 meters (50 feet), sandy bottom at 30 meters (100 feet), and a series of tunnels, lots of pelagics, schools of grunts, silver tarpons, and jacks, turtles, rays, Caribbean reef and silky sharks, experienced level
Five Seas: 7-20 meters (22-68 feet), wall with several overhangs, black coral, sponges, resident schools of tarpon and 15 Caribbean reef sharks, black groupers, snappers, wreck of a 15 meter (50 foot) pilot boat named Five Seas, scuttled to become an artificial reef, well encrusted with sponges and coral, black coral, schools of jacks, and green moral eels within or nearby, all levels
El Galeon: 17 meters (55 feet), two wrecks, an old galleon and nearby fishing boat, well encrusted with large brain corals, macro critters including crabs and lobster, small coral gardens with a variety of corals, sponges, and tubeworms in the sand nearby with queen angelfish, yellowhead wrasses, stoplight parrotfish, excellent night dive, all levels
Octopus Cave: 5-16 meters (15-54 feet), wall with a cave at 6 meters (18feet) that extends into the wall 70 meters (230 feet), but penetration is restricted, iridescent sponges with decorator crabs, blind brotulas seen only at night in the mouth of the cave, sponges and gorgonians cover the wall, schools of snapper, grunts, mullet, and porgies around pillar corals at the edge of the wall, schools of tarpon, Goliath groupers, Caribbean reef sharks, all levels
Anclitas: 17 meters (55 feet), canyons and tunnels with lots of corals and sponges, Christmas tree worms, drums, fairy basslets, redband parrotfish, yellow line arrow crabs, lionfish, hogfish, porgies, tiger groupers, hawksbill turtles, all levels

Liveaboard Diving Cuba Dive Boats

The Avalon I and Avalon II are very similar full-service liveaboard diving yachts. The Tortuga is a floating hotel based right on the Jardines de la Reina that uses speed boats for the diving.

MV Avalon I

Avalon I - Cuba Liveaboard Diving — MV Avalon I

Featuring

8 day/7 night cruises around Jardines de la Reina, approximately 18 dives total
Itinerary: Anclitas, Pipin, Mariflores, Boca de Piedras, Farallon, La Cabeza del Coral Negro, Tunel Azul, El Hueco del Pulpo, La Cueva de Carmen, Las Cruces, Vicente, Puente Escondido.
Daily housekeeping, laundry service, aircon cabins, warm water showers, TV in cabins, en-suite bathrooms
Air-conditioned saloon, audio & video entertainment
Outdoor dining, western, local, and vegetarian food, sun deck
The crew speaks English and Spanish
Shaded diving deck
Non-diver (snorkeler) friendly
Separate rinse for u/w camera
Inquire about the availability of Nitrox
2 x 150 HP Yamaha motorized dinghies

Check it out on Liveaboard.com

MV Avalon II

Avalon II - Cuba Liveaboard Diving — MV Avalon II

Featuring

8 day/7 night cruises around Jardines de la Reina, approximately 18 dives total
Itinerary: Anclitas, Pipin, Mariflores, Boca de Piedras, Farallon, La Cabeza del Coral Negro, Tunel Azul, El Hueco del Pulpo, La Cueva de Carmen, Las Cruces, Vicente, Puente Escondido.
Daily housekeeping, laundry service, aircon cabins, warm water showers, TV in cabins, en-suite bathrooms
Air-conditioned saloon, audio & video entertainment
Outdoor dining, western, local, and vegetarian food, sun deck
The crew speaks English and Spanish
Shaded diving deck
Non-diver (snorkeler) friendly
Separate rinse for u/w camera
Nitrox available
2 x 150 HP Yamaha motorized dinghies

Check it out on Liveaboard.com

Tortuga

Featuring

8 day/7 night cruises around Jardines de la Reina, approximately 18 dives total
Itinerary: Anclitas, Pipin, Mariflores, Boca de Piedras, Farallon, La Cabeza del Coral Negro, Tunel Azul, El Hueco del Pulpo, La Cueva de Carmen, Las Cruces, Vicente, Puente Escondido.
Daily housekeeping, laundry service, aircon cabins, warm water showers, TV in cabins, en-suite bathrooms
Air-conditioned saloon, audio & video entertainment
Free internet
Outdoor dining, western, local, and vegetarian food, sun deck, leisure deck
The crew speaks English and Spanish
Shaded diving deck
Non-diver (snorkeler) friendly
Photography station, separate rinse for u/w camera
Inquire about the availability of Nitrox
2 x 150 HP Yamaha motorized dinghies, 1 additional tender

Check it out on Liveaboard.com

	MV Avalon I	MV Avalon II	Tortuga

Length	37 m	40 m	34 m
Guests	18	20	25
Crew	11	9	10-12
Equipment	$200/week	$200/week	$200/week
Snorkel Friendly	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nitrox	To Be Arranged	$100/trip	To Be Arranged
Single R.	+65%	+65%	+65%
Price/Day	$455	$480	$418

Cuba Hotels and Transportation

Jose Marti International Airport in Havana is the port of entry which handles flights from Canada, Mexico, Europe, Beijing, and several US cities including Charlotte, Newark, and Miami. From there you will need to make your way to Port Jucaro. There are several ways to do it. You should get the latest advice from the liveaboard operator for the most convenient and effective way to do it.

If you are interested to spend time in Cuba before or after the liveaboard, this website can help you organize accommodation:

Cuba Travel Network Website

Cuba Photos

With the pristine coral reef, variety of sharks, rays, grouper, reef fish, wrecks, and other underwater attractions, and scenic and historic shoreside targets, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities. For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation. I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Cuba scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section. I’d love to know of any experience you have diving there. If there is no comments section directly below, click here: >>comments<<

Best Derawan Islands Diving Liveaboards

10:39 am by Joe Leave a Comment

Jellyfish Lake - Kakaban Island, Indonesia — Jellyfish Lake – Kakaban Island, Indonesia

This is the thirty-sixth in a series which introduces and describes the various dive services and sites for worldwide liveaboard dive safaris. This one focuses on Derawan Islands, Indonesia liveaboards.

Have you ever been diving in the Derawan Islands before? If so, I’d love to know about your experience. What dive shop or liveaboard did you use? Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.? Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Derawan Islands Diving

Background – The Derawan Islands are part of the Province of East Kalimantan off the coast of Borneo. They make up a 31 island archipelago with the most well-known islands being Derawan, Maratua, Sangalaki, Kakaban, Samama, and Panjang. Derawan and Maratua are the only inhabited islands. 1,300 people live in a single village on Derawan, which also has 3 dive resorts. Manatua is the other occupied island with 2,700 living in 4 villages, and one dive resort in operation. Traditional fishing is the primary occupation.

Undersea World – The Derawan Islands are known for rich biodiversity with 872 species of reef fish and over 500 species of coral and invertebrates. The archipelago contains the largest nesting area for turtles in Indonesia and there are two brackish ponds containing endemic stingless jellyfish. A variety of undersea terrain includes fringing reefs, walls, caves, and lagoons that provide excellent habitat for schooling barracuda, a variety of sharks, including whale sharks, manta rays, and a nice array of macro critters.

Sangalaki is known the world over for manta rays. Several sites close to the beach have mantas with wingspans as wide as 3.5 meters feeding on the rich supply of plankton or hovering around cleaning stations often in the range of snorkelers. Sangalaki also has a government-run turtle nursery you can visit. This is also a great spot to find whale sharks.
Kakaban has some rich coral sites and caves to explore. The most famous site is Barracuda Point which has schools of its namesake, big tuna, and sharks. In addition, there is the brackish lake in the middle of the island that has the non-stinging jellyfish and a number of endemic tunicates, anemones, crustaceans, and flatworms. The surrounding shore is fringed with mangroves.
Maratua has an excellent fast drift dive through the channel into the lagoon and another site called “Big Fish Country” that frequently brings attractions including mackerel, tuna, barracuda, turtles, eagle rays, and hammerhead, thresher and grey reef sharks. There are also 13 caves that have been explored and hundreds more yet to be penetrated significantly.
Palau Panjang and the contiguous Palau Derawan are famous for macro critters like frogfish, blue ring octopus, harlequin and tiger shrimp, pipefish, sea dragons, and pygmy seahorses.
Palau Sambit is known for hawksbill turtles and frequent sightings of tiger sharks.

Seasons and Conditions – Diving is good all year in the Derawan Islands with temperatures pretty steady throughout the year. The average air temperature is 26-27°C (79-81°F). The sea temperature is 26-30°C (79- 86°F). Some divers might like a 3 mm wetsuit when the water is at its coolest. It rains a fair bit all year but is a little stronger in November through January. Sitting 2 degrees above the equator, the islands aren’t really visited by a monsoon season. Significant current possible on some of the sights and visibility is usually greater than 20 meters (68 feet). There is diving suitable for all levels. The Raja Manta can provide a number of PADI courses on board.

Derawan Islands Liveaboard Dive Boats

KM Raja Manta – $231/day
Raja Ampat Aggressor – $215/day

There are only these two great liveaboard yachts cruising the Derawan Archipelago. Both are friendly to snorkelers and non-diving passengers and offer some shoreside opportunities. Facilities and services are outstanding and the pricing is quite reasonable. They only have short seasons in Derawan and spend the rest of the year cruising other top Indonesian regions.

KM Raja Manta – $231/day

KM Raja Manta Banda Islands Indonesia Liveaboard Dive Boat — KM Raja Manta

May through August: Eleven 7 day tours of the Derawan Archipelago that include Sangalaki, Kakaban, and Maratua Islands
Derawan Itinerary: Day 1 – check-out dive and night dive, Day 2 – 4 dives around Sangalaki and Kakaban, Day 3 – 4 dives around Kakaban and Jelly Fish Lake, Day 4 – 4 dives around Maratua, Day 5 – 4 dives around Maratua, Day 6 – 4 dives around Maratua, sail back to Tg. Batu, sleep onboard in the port, Day 7 – breakfast and goodbyes, check out of the boat and transfer to a local hotel or the airport
September through April: itineraries include Raja Ampat, Ambon/Banda, and Misool/Halmahera/Lembeh
Most cabins have ensuite bathrooms, sea view windows, aircon
Indonesian and international meals, outdoor dining, indoor saloon, aircon saloon
Laundry service
Camera station, separate rinse for u/w camera, charging stations
Massage
Audio & video entertainment
Sun deck
Hot tub
Shaded diving deck
Non-diver (snorkeler) friendly
Experienced English-speaking divemasters (4 divers per guide)
Certification courses available including PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue, EFR, specialties and Gas Blender
Nitrox available
2 motorized dinghies

Check it on Liveaboard.com

Raja Ampat Aggressor – $215/day

Raja Ampat Aggressor - Indonesia Liveaboard Diving — Raja Ampat Aggressor

July and August: Six 8 day tours of the Derawan Archipelago that include Sangalaki, Kakaban, Maratua, Panjang, Derawan, and Sambit Islands
Derawan Itinerary: Day 1 – get underway, no diving, Day 2 – 4 dives around Derawan, Day 3 – 4 dives around Sangalaki, Day 4 – 4 dives around Kakaban, Day 5 – 4 dives around Pulau Sambit, Day 6 – 4 dives around Maratua, Day 7 – 2 dives around Manatua, depart to Tarakan, Day 8 – disembark and transfer to Tarakan International Airport or partner lounge in the area
September through June: itineraries include Raja Ampat, Banda Sea, Komodo, and Flores
Camera station, camera room with table and charging point, charging stations
Daily housekeeping
Audio & video entertainment, library, paid internet
TV in cabins, en-suite bathrooms, aircon, non-smoking rooms
Indoor air-conditioned saloon
Sun deck, leisure deck
Western and local food, full-board option, bar, outdoor dining
English speaking crew
Warm water showers
Outside showers
Separate rinse for u/w camera
Experienced English speaking divemasters (6 divers per guide)
Non-diver (snorkeler) friendly
Nitrox available
Rinse hoses, shaded diving area
Tenders for diving
Emergency rafts

Check it on Liveaboard.com

	KM Raja Manta	Raja Ampat Aggressor

Length	36 m	30 m
Guests	20	16
Crew	19	14
Equipment	$50/day	$175/week
Nitrox	$6/fill	$150/trip
Snorkeling	Yes	Yes
Dive Courses On Board	Yes	Not Reported
Single Supplement	+90%	+65%
Price/Day	$231	$215

Derawan Archipelago Photos

With the interesting undersea terrain, walls, caves, and lagoons, beautiful corals, stingless jellyfish, barracuda, hammerhead and whale sharks, manta and eagle rays, and turtles, there are many excellent photo opportunities. For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Derawan Islands scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section. I’d love to know of any experience you have diving in the Derawan Islands. If there is no comments section directly below, click here: >>comments<<

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Derawan Archipelago Photos

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