Some time ago I published an article on the Blackbeard’s cruise (see https://activedivers.org/Blackbeard_Cruise.html ) that I have reserved the premier spots on for a trip from June 6-12, 2020 and so far 3 have put down a deposit of $206 for the trip. I reserved the best bunks on board a year in advance and I only have 11 total spots reserved in the salon area of this 65 foot sailboat. Sometime around January, 2020 I will have to surrender any unused spots.

As most divers have learned, the less people around a dive location, the better the diving. And if you look at the pinpoints on the map above you will see that they are very remote. The last time I did this trip I saw fields ( yes, that means as far as you can see) of stag horn coral, snorkeled with wild dolphins, saw schools of tropical fish and dove with reef sharks. In between dives I relaxed on board and ate wholesome food three times a day with snacks throughout the day. At night, I marveled at the stars that are only visible when you get away from the light pollution of the mainland. And then on the last night of the cruise, stopped at a restaurant on Norman’s Caye where some local talent played the guitar and sang to us.

Is this trip a little different from most since it is a sailboat dive cruise?? Yes it is, and if you appreciate being totally digitally disconnected and in touch with nature then this is a trip for you. Included are all of your meals, up to 19 dives, beer, wine and rum drinks after you finish your day of diving. All of this for $995 PP plus port fees and your RT airfare to Nassau.

Like all good things, this will disappear unless you reserve your spot on this amazing trip to the Bahamas. So make your $206 deposit now by using the easy button below for another Active Divers Scuba Adventure!

See you onboard!!

Online Deposit for Blackbeard's Cruise: $206 - June 6 to June 12, 2020

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It seems only fitting to start this story with the quote above as it sums up what many of our international divers said about this trip... that this was the best Caribbean dive trip yet! Seventeen divers were booked on this trip but unfortunately, one person missed the trip due to transportation problems. Toucan Divers was the resort’s dive operator and they started out with an orientation and briefing on the marine park rules and the boat diving procedures the evening we arrived.

Bright and early the next morning we sat at our private group table in the concierge area of the restaurant getting some food prior to our 8:00 AM boat departure. Our group was the largest there and we had to split into two groups, one on the “Blue Moon” and the other on the “Green Flash”. Throughout the week we went on many of the same dive sites, but not all. While it would have been nice to be on one large boat, it was actually very pleasant to be in smaller groups on the reefs with less crowding.

After two morning dives, we had lunch and relaxed a bit before going for an afternoon dive on the house reef, 18 Palms. It is absolutely amazing how nice the reefs are in Bonaire just a few feet off shore, and the house reef was no exception. Lots of tropical fish, healthy coral and a squadron of tarpon greeted us that afternoon.

The rest of the week followed a similar pattern: eat, boat dives, eat, shore dive, eat, sleep and repeat! As we started our shore dives it became apparent that every diver had to verify that they brought everything they needed, plus some spare articles to share if needed. One diver forgot to bring a BCD on the first shore dive, but that was easily remedied by a quick trip back to the resort. For many, the highlight of the shore dives was the Salt Pier, which we were able to do as a drift dive in the morning and then as a dusk entry shore dive that evening. It is an actual production pier with ships arriving twice a week to fill with salt for export so you have to know the schedule, since you cannot dive there when a ship is docked. Shown above at right are divers preparing to start the dusk entry on the pier. 

And then an hour later or so you see them starting to come out of the water.

Thousand of pictures were taken and many have been posted on Facebook, YouTube and in various emails of the trip both above and below water. The reefs were the star of the trip and in true Bonaire fashion they were all spectacular- simply no bad dives the entire trip!!

The Plaza Beach Resort and Toucan Divers went all out to make sure we had excellent accommodations, great food, entertainment and personal attention in the concierge area. Quincy was at our service in the dining area and always asked “Do you need anything? Do you have any problems? “. And he took care of everything we brought up!! In all the trips I have planned and run, I got more accolades throughout this trip than any other I have done.

On the last night there, we were honored at a party at the dive shop with our own commemorative “rock” created by the shop that will remain for all to see that the Active Divers were there in 2019!

No trip report would be complete without a group picture so here it is on the right:

It’s going to be hard to top this trip but Dan and I will start shopping for the next great Caribbean adventure soon- any suggestions just send them to me at diverdaryl@bellsouth.net.

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While the Sky Princess may not run out of cabins (although this new ship may get full!) the dive trips will definitely get booked up. All of those already on this cruise have booked the Princess dive excursions on Roatan and Costa Maya and they have a limited capacity. I will begin negotiating with the local operators for Grand Cayman and Cozumel in late August, so time is really running out if you are thinking of doing this trip (see https://www.activedivers.org/ ).

Don’t miss out on this amazing value packed dive cruise by waiting too long to book. As always, I will pair up single divers with others interested in the trip. I have already looked at 2020 cruises and I have not found any with this terrific itinerary.

See you onboard!

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Active Divers is broadening its horizons once again this October, when we offer a certification course on archaeological diving, followed by two dives on historic wrecks in the Florida Keys.

Active Divers, coordinating the all-day event with Sail Fish Divers in Key Largo, has organized the PADI Heritage Awareness Diver training course and dives for Saturday, October 12. The dive shop is located at 103100 Overseas Highway, Suite 33, Key Largo. Course participants must arrive at 7:30 a.m. to register and complete the class, then, after a short lunch break, board the dive boat on the adjacent dock at 1 p.m.

The fees are $95 for the Heritage Awareness Diver morning course, $125 for the two-tank afternoon dive on historical sites, $220 for both. The instructors will provide historical and archaeological background on the wrecks and sites to all those on the dives. Rental dive gear is available.

Active Divers are welcome to register for either the 3-hour morning class, the afternoon dives, or both. However, participation in both the morning and afternoon activities is required to qualify for the PADI Specialty Diver certification.

Tom Simmons, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer with Sail Fish Divers, said, “As with most primarily altruistic programs, Heritage Awareness Diver appeals to a more conscientious kind of diver. Your group should feel rightfully proud of their interest in preserving and protecting our underwater cultural resources.”

The PADI course focuses on developing the students’ knowledge of the importance of conserving submerged cultural resources, and familiarizing divers with the skills, knowledge, planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems, hazards and enjoyment of diving on submerged cultural resources. In 2016, about a dozen Active Divers earned the SDI Heritage Awareness Diver certification during Florida Public Archaeology Network classes and dives the club sponsored in Key Largo and Tavernier. The weekend course, which focused on assessing and mapping historic wrecks, culminated in the participants remapping El Enfante Spanish galleon wreck from 1733.To view more information on the 1733 shipwrecks, click on the Alert Diver magazine article, "The Shipwrecks of the Florida Keys"

For additional information, contact John Davis, Active Divers board member and chair of Archaeological Diving, at (561) 716-0509. Online registration is available on our website under Book Dives.

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