Stuart's Cove Snorkel Nassau Bahamas

[sbeth]

Has anyone does this one? I've heard great things from some of you but I still have a couple of questions:

 

1. I'm within 8 days of my arrival date, so I've got to book today or tomorrow or I have to do it on the island. Has anyone done the on-the-island booking? Was it hard to arrange transportation? How does that work?

 

2. Has anyone had a bad experience with Stuart's?

 

3. We've never been to Nassau. We're arriving at 10am next Friday and departing at 6am on Saturday. Should we skip the whole excursion thing and just bum around the island?

 

4. Pick up to drop off, how long is this trip? What time does the afternoon drop off take you back to the boats?

 

5. Is my boyfriend going to get eaten by Caribbean Reef sharks? ;)

[sportsterjohn]

You don't have to prebook with them, although it will save you $5 pp if you do. They will pick you up in a van around noon in front of the customs building. I went on the tour a few years ago and loved it.

[sbeth]

Thanks for the recommendation. I booked it! I am very, very excited. Not sure if I'll actually get off the boat for the shark portion, but I am still very, very excited. Okay, now off to find some waterproof wallet thingy....

[MsJ]

Hello....we did the excursion with Stuarts Cove 2 years ago.......excellent snorkeling......the best part was the shark dive.....I almost chickened out ...and then thought I would regret it if I didnt try ...so I just jumped in.....it was really exciting...and I am in my 50's:) marianne

[sbeth]

You sound like me! I am already afraid of the shark part, but my boyfriend really likes adventure and is not afraid of sharks. As nervous as I am, I bet I will go in, just because I won't want to regret NOT having done it.

[Tallens]

You will love this excursion, it is much cheaper than the excursions booked through the cruise line and you get to snorkel at more sites.

You will snorkel at 2 reef sites in water anywhere from 5-15' deep. If there is a current it is best to swim into the current first and then drift back toward the boat. The boat will throw tag lines off the stern so that you can grab the line to pull yourself back to the boat if needed. The shark snorkel is really fun. You will not be jumping off the back of the boat or kicking around at all. You enter the water off the ladders, grab hold of the tag lines and pull yourself out toward the end of the line. The sharks will be swimming around a bait box suspended in about 30' of water. They pretty much just swim around the box in a calm manner. They are truly beautiful creatures, so graceful. After several minutes of watching the sharks you will pull yourself back to the boat. Once everyone is on the boat the mates will pull up the bait box. The sharks will follow the box up to the surface. Get your camera ready as the mates will throw the fish into the water. Watch the feeding frenzy. Be sure to tip the mates if you had a great time. They do work hard to ensure you have safe/fun dives.

[Stevesan]

Thanks for the recommendation. I booked it! I am very, very excited. Not sure if I'll actually get off the boat for the shark portion, but I am still very, very excited. Okay, now off to find some waterproof wallet thingy....

 

Nassau: “Snorkel Bahamas Adventure” is a 5-½ hour trip operated by Stuart’s Cove. The boat trip is @ three hours, and visits Schoolhouse Reef, the spectacular Golden Key Reef and finally a “swim with the sharks” at ‘The Wreck of the Bahama Mama’. I have never before witnessed such a number and variety of fish as at Golden Key. There are never-ending fish, large and small, singly and in large schools. The floor is decorated with huge, magnificent coral formations of all shapes and sizes. While there, a shark cruised past our group. He obviously thought this was his ocean and didn’t know, nor care, that we weren’t scheduled for a shark encounter until after Golden Key. Surprisingly, getting in with a dozen or so sharks is not frightening. I suspect we were too caught up with their grace and magnificence to be scared. The fact that the boat captain hadn’t lost a diver in twelve years was also encouraging. This is a five star, gold medallion, prime trip, not to be missed!