Scuba Diving in Bermuda

[my2monkeys]

Anyone been diving in Bermuda, and used one of the Dive Center's? DH and my 12 year old son want to scuba dive in June while were there. We will be docked at King's Wharf. Thanks for any help.....:)

[scubaran]

Anyone been diving in Bermuda, and used one of the Dive Center's? DH and my 12 year old son want to scuba dive in June while were there. We will be docked at King's Wharf. Thanks for any help.....:)

 

yep, several times. You'll want to go with Blue Water Divers. They're the big dive shop on the island and have a shop near King's Wharf. Diving in Bermuda is easy. It's surrounded by fringing reefs and lots of wrecks. It's also great for smaller ones since the max depth I've been able to get was 45ft. The waters are clear and no deep diving in Bermuda. You can goggle Blue Water Divers to get details.

 

Randall

[my2monkeys]

Thanks Randall. I had googled them in the past, but since there are a few different dive centers, wanted to get someone's recommendation....:)

Do you know if they pick up from the ship, or do you need to get there on your own?

Thanks, Karen

[scubaran]

Thanks Randall. I had googled them in the past, but since there are a few different dive centers, wanted to get someone's recommendation....:)

Do you know if they pick up from the ship, or do you need to get there on your own?

Thanks, Karen

 

Hi,

 

honestly don't know. I've been lucky enough to be working on the island so I took a taxi. Maybe someone else will know. BTW you can see my underwater pictures from Bermuda at http://www.randallgamby.com. :0)

[helo driver]

scubaran,

 

Have you also shore dove in Bermuda? Will be there in July and diving with my 15 year old who perfers to shore dive (will boat dive if it is that much better, but gets a little sick, so takes some convincing that the diving is much better from the boat). Any thoughts on the shore diving?

[my2monkeys]

scubaran,

 

Have you also shore dove in Bermuda? Will be there in July and diving with my 15 year old who perfers to shore dive (will boat dive if it is that much better, but gets a little sick, so takes some convincing that the diving is much better from the boat). Any thoughts on the shore diving?

 

Would love to know the answer to that also. Those are awesome pics, Randall, what kind of camera were you using?

Thanks for all your help, Karen

[scubaran]

Would love to know the answer to that also. Those are awesome pics, Randall, what kind of camera were you using?

Thanks for all your help, Karen

 

Hi,

 

Sorry, had computer problems for a day or two.... As far as shore diving, yes, at Elbow Beach (it's a blue water divers shop as well). Elbow is about a 5 minute ride outside of Hamilton, a bit away from the Naval Wharf. Elbow Beach is a resort and if you want to dive, ask the taxi to take you down to the beach instead of dropping you off at the front drive (it's down hill and a bit of a walk but there's a road down for taxis). At the beach there's a 10' sea wall and the dive shop actually is in the wall (along with change rooms and bathrooms). See picture below There's also a nice beach restaurant where I've eaten both lunch and dinner and the food's excellent). If you don't have a dive buddy you can rent a dive instructor for about $50 dollars to take you out to the reef (you can also call as sometimes singles walk up and are looking for buddies (I lucked out this way once)). Off the beach there's a wreck (the pollock shields) that you can dive on (a real one, not one of those intentially sunken one). The dive shop can give you the layout.

 

The entry can be a little tough some times if the waves are up so make sure you're familiar with beach entries (I'd gear up and walk backwards into the surf instead of wading out and putting on my fins in shallow water). But there isn't any current and diving around the coral heads is very easy. The max depth I logged from the shore was around 35ft. so air can last quite awhile.

 

But call the shop directly even if you have a buddy. It's been a year or so since I dove at Elbow and I don't know if they have full time staff any more. Also once you're done diving, have the dive shop call a cab. Sometimes they'll come down to the restaurant on the beach but more than often I had to hike up the hill to the entrance (make sure you leave some energy to hike up). While Elbow is a resort, unless you're in a rush you can enjoy the restaurant, change rooms and beach at no charge. I spent about 2 hours one late afternoon after a dive enjoying the sand and surf. Anyway, it's an easy peasy place to get to and dive but I was in Hamilton, not at the Naval Yard (though I've taxied all over the island and they're pretty cheap).

 

As far as the camera, I use a canon point and shoot with the canon enclosure. I also have a small slave strobe and flashlight on arms (btw, I took the picture below with the same camera. Actually from a blue water diver's boat dive that did the outside of elbow beach's reef).

 

I just checked, you can get more info on Elbow Beach at their website: http://www.divebermuda.com/elbow.aspx

 

Let me know if you need any more info.

 

Randall