Scuba Diving in the Bahamas
September 2 – September 8
It’s a 5-4-2 trip
(Less than 5 vacation days, 4 times a year, (almost) less than 2K)
Welcome Aboard!
Thank you for considering Oceanic Ventures and S/V Juliet Sailing and Diving! If this is your first live-aboard or your fifth, we hope that you will find the following documentation helpful.
On trips to the Bahamas you will discover a placid, turquoise paradise stretching as far as the eye can see with unimaginable graduations of color. Dive into diverse marine life around reef systems that are kept healthy by the continuous enrichment provided by the Gulf Stream. Topside you’ll find many uninhabited low islands with beautiful beaches on which to play, explore, and relax. On Saturday afternoon, sail from Miami to the Bimini Chain of islands where we clear Customs into the Bahamas. On your first morning aboard Juliet let the diving begin!
Unlike other trips to the Bahamas
(c) Juliet Sailing & Diving
Juliet’s Bahamas are different. They sail and dive where no one else goes, you won’t see another dive boat – or any boat some days!- for miles. They start out diving the Bimini Chain and will routinely travel to its southernmost island of Orange Cay, along the way stopping at dive sites such as Bull Run, the Nodules Wall, and Rainbow Valley at Victory Reef, to name a few of the abundant choices. From Orange Cay; continue south along the edge of the Grand Bahama Bank deep into Santaren Channel. You can visit dive sites such as Freedom Reef, Lost Pidgeon Reef, Longbow, Lost Medallion, Mad Cow Reef and Do It Again, where you’ll find pristine coral reefs and thousands of fish! These remote sites are dove exclusively by Juliet passengers, and host an abundance of life comparable to premier dive destinations around the world.
Sail from Miami, Florida to the Bahamas
Juliet leaves from downtown Miami so you don’t have to worry about international flights, lost luggage on connections, or airport customs hassles. Board Juliet in Miami and you’ll be whisked away to the islands of the Bahamas, and won’t have to see a customs line the entire trip. Also, from Houston, there are enough daily flights you should not need a hotel in the day of departure or arrival, but go directly to the vessel.
Diving in the Bahamas – Types of Dives
(c) Juliet Sailing & Diving
The Bahamas has a great variety of dives to offer. Best known for the endless visibility – thanks to the white sand and bright sun – the area of the Bahamas we dive is located close to the nutrient-rich currents of the Gulf Stream, which not only provide us with some spectacular drift dives, but helps to feed the coral and keep the reefs healthy. These reefs are some of the most resilient around – they grow quickly, recover from storms quickly, and can survive a larger range of conditions than most other corals. They provide beautiful, safe shelters for a huge diversity of fish – the abundance of life on the reefs is astounding! Bimini is the only area of the Bahamas that can claim the combination of mangroves providing a safe, shallow ecosystem for juveniles of every species to thrive in, and the Gulf Stream-fed reefs to give them a rich and healthy environment to live in as adults.
On the edge of the
Gulf Stream are beautiful awe-inspiring walls, some starting at only 35′
(11m), some at 80′ (24m), offering dramatic drift dives when the
current is running. Closer to shore are shallower patch reefs, some with
heads 15′ (5m) tall and loaded with swim-throughs. There is no shortage
of wrecks either (though the Bahamas can’t quite compete with the
Florida Keys in this category!). Some of our favorites are: the Sapona –
half in, half out of the water and surrounded with fish; the Hesperus
Wreck where you can barely see the wreck through all the schools of fish
and huge Loggerhead Turtles bed down at night; and the Bimini Barge,
where you never know what might swim in from the Gulf Stream. Schools of
Mahi-mahi, dolphins, once even a humpback whale was seen here!
Don’t
forget about the sharks! The Bahamas – Bimini in particular – is famous
for its sharks. Look in the Paul Humann fish ID book, almost all the
pictures of sharks were taken right here in Bimini. Typically you’ll see
Caribbean Reef Sharks and Nurse Sharks, but its not uncommon to see
Great Hammerheads, Blacktips, and the occasional Tiger!
Well-known for its resident populations of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins, on your trip to the Bahamas you may find yourself snorkeling with pods of these curious dolphins that often approach Juliet looking for someone to play with. They may swim right up to the boat and ride in our bow wake if we are traveling through their areas between dive sites. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a chance to swim with these beautiful creatures as they dance around you, so close you could almost touch them! (But please don’t, these are wild animals and we don’t want to disturb them). It’s an experience you won’t soon forget
Arrival Information
When you arrive on board the crew will help you settle into your cabins and show you the layout on the dive deck and help you set up your gear. Once you are squared away you will be “checked in” by your divemaster at which time we will collect your passport, certification card, liability release (attached), port fee ($80 cash per person) and will help you fill out the necessary customs forms (provided on board) for clearance into Bahamas during the trip. The boat will depart at 3pm on Sunday and diving will often commence that day if weather and timing allows – please check in with your divemaster or captain before partaking of any alcoholic beverages so you don’t miss out! Out trip depart on Saturday afternoon with boarding at noon. Juliet returns to Miami on Friday morning and will disembark at 9am. Flights after 11AM departing from MIA, or noon departing from FLL are ok. Allow a little extra time on weekdays to allow for traffic.
Juliet Sailing Charters
On Board Juliet
Food and beverage
On board you will be provided with three hot meals per day, snacks, and hors d’oevres, as well as sodas, juices, beer, wine and liquor. Please let us know ahead of time if you have any dietary restrictions, preferences, or allergies so that we can best plan your meals. Also please let us know if you or someone you are traveling with will be celebrating anything during your trip – a birthday, an anniversary, or even a landmark dive! We love cake just as much as you do.
Entertainment and Electronics
We have an extensive DVD library and flat screen television in the main salon for entertainment during surface intervals or after your dive day. Feel free to bring any digital media you’d like to watch or share on board! We also have Sirius Radio on board as well as ability to play your iPod or mp3 player on deck or in the salon.
Services and Amenities
- Laundry: available on board, please ask the crew if you need any laundry done.
- Email: we have a dedicated satellite email address for the boat, so you have the ability to send emails in the event of an emergency, but will not be able to check your personal email account on board.
- Towels: Both shower towels with wash cloths and deck towels are provided on board
- Shampoos and soaps: Each shower is equipped with soap and shampoo, and we have shampoo and conditioner on deck for post-dive showers. If you have personal preferences for shampoos and lotions, please bring them with you.
- Certification Courses: We offer several different specialty courses on board if you are interested in expanding your diving knowledge.
- Souvenir Photo CD: Most trips also have a photo CD available for purchase after the trip with top-side and underwater shots of you, your fellow dive buddies (human and otherwise), and your crew.
- Ships Store: Logoed T-shirts, long sleeves, sweatshirts, hats are available on board for purchase (cash, check, Visa, MC, Discover).
Departure Day
On Saturday morning we will clear customs into the United States. Check out time is 9am at which time we ask that you have all of your belonging out of your cabins to allow us to prepare for the next charter. If your flight is not until later in the day you are welcome to leave your luggage on board until your departure time while you sight-see. If you need assistance with ground transportation we can help you to arrange that.
How many / what kinds of dives will we do?
On a typical 7 day trip you can expect to do 18-20 dives per trip – 4 dives per day, three-day dives and one night dive on every dive day except departure day (typically only three-day dives are able to be done on the final dive day of the trip – Friday in this case – due to flying restrictions). The dive sites are all very well protected with little current, primarily reefs, wrecks and a few sloping walls. The Juliet is rebreather friendly but must be booked in advance to ensure supplies are aboard.
Fare
$1,890 per person double, discounted for cash and Club Membership in Master Cabin – only one left $1,690 per person double discounted for cash and Club Membership standard. Deposits: $750 deposit is required to hold space as well as your travel application (attached). Ask Ann for assistance with air if needed. Final payment is due 130 prior (May 15) to guarantee space. Trip insurance is strongly recommended. Dive insurance is required. You may get your insurance here. https://oceanicventures.net/travel-insurance/
What is included?
Three buffet-style hot meals per day, plus snacks and hors d’oeuvres, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, tanks, weights, weight belts, fishing and spearfishing equipment as appropriate, pre-trip meeting, trip leader, travel information and assistance
What is not included?
Port Fee ($80 estimate), Air transportation, Ground Transfers, hotels in transit if desired, Industry Suggested Gratuity of 10-15%, Nitrox, Specialties and Certifications, Rental Gear, shopping Estimates only: air (currently as low as $350 in April 2016) nitrox: $100 Port fee : $80 Taxi: $50 round-trip Tips: $170-$250
FARE?
Available Dates
Paperwork Needed
Travel Application & Forms
A complete a Cruise Application and Waiver Agreement by each person will need to be completed at the time of booking.
Credit Card Form
Please complete the credit card from and return it to us.
We require diving insurance for all participants and strongly recommend trip insurance.
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All prices are subject to change until booked and ticketed.
As with most small island properties, cancellations are more of an issue so they have limited ability to fill unused spaces. We always recommend trip insurance to help avoid any unnecessary problems. There are no refunds for missed flights or changes in plans. Travel Insurance (ie: comprehensive accident, medical, baggage and trip cancellation and interruption insurance) purchased at the time their reservation is made, may help protect guests from financial disappointment if they are prevented from making their scheduled trip due to illness or family illness, or in the event that unforeseen circumstances prevent the airline or yacht from making its scheduled trip.
We require diving accident insurance. For your convenience below are links to Dive Assure . Both organizations offer Travel Insurance and Dive Accident Insurance and be purchased via our web site at https://oceanicventures.net/travel-insurance/. Both Dive Assure and Travel Guard have a family plan. Dive Assure is diving insurance and also has a travel insurance option.
Please review the other terms and conditions. Please remember, making a deposit means you agree with the terms.
Please plan to bring a copy of your logbook, c-card, and diving insurance.
As with all international travel, your passport Passport must have a minimum of 6 months validity at the end of your trip.
You are responsible to make sure your passport is valid for travel.
