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Something else that might be a factor. I understand it is very difficult to get permission to work in the Bahamas if you a not a Bahamian. You might eat a waiver if you are going to guide in andros because there would no qualified Bahamian. I think that is how Christina Zato is able to guide in Grand Bahamia. BTW you don't need to go all the way to Andros or Abaco GB has some great cave diving.
We flew from Denver to Miamia to Nassau (American Airlines). We spent the night in Nassau and then took a very early morning flight to Andros via Le Air. We then flew Andros to Nassau to Abaco via Bahamas Air. One of the really big issues is the inter-Island flight weight limits. We worked very hard to minimize weight, but if you are coming in with a steel backplate (etc.), clothes are an expensive luxury.Quote:
Originally Posted by rddvet
In theory you could possibly dive the caves on Abaco on your own. If you know where they are. If you can get tanks and fills. From what I gathered through conversations, the dive operators on the island will not give you directions or tank fills if they think you are going to dive the caves on your own. I can find a couple of caves on my own now that I have been there, but I would not do so. I respect the status quo.Quote:
Originally Posted by NEON
From what the people have written so far, the primary concern is what I would have expected--cost. It is much more expensive to get there and stay there than I would expect. I don't know why. We stayed in a condominium complex via a VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) process, and there might have been one other unit occupied in the entire complex. We almost stayed in another complex, and we ended up visiting it briefly, when we learned absolutely no one was there that week. We celebrated our anniversary in what we were told was the best restaurant in Abaco, with a skilled piano player/singer providing live entertainment, and we were the only people in the place. Yes, it was expensive. I have to figure that the Bahamas have not figured out the law of supply and demand. If people can't afford what you are selling, you have to lower the price if you want to make the sale.
This is the main thing that's kept me from going there. At $200 each, that's $400 for me and my wife. I can go to Mexico and dive for a lot less, even when paying a guide. I don't know the logistics of diving in the Bahamas and why it costs so much, but I think if they were able to get the costs down to similar to what it costs in Mexico, more people would travel to the Bahamas for cave diving.Quote:
Originally Posted by moody
I think, it is one of those vicious circle things.Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
The cost of living is very high on the Bahamas, so a guide would have to make a decent daily pay in order to survive. Guiding one person a day at $300 would be OK, but not great. The price includes nitrox fills, and oxygen costs about as much there as helium does here. It includes transportation to and from the dive site.
The next problem is the fragile nature of the caves themselves. I think he is afraid to take too many people. He said he prefers one client and will not take more than two. That cuts down on the income potential and makes it necessary to have clients on every possible day. Without a high volume, he has to charge a high price to stay solvent.
So the problem is that people aren't diving there because the price is too high, and the price is too high because people aren't diving there.
I have talked to folks about loading up my boat with gear and a few people and running across. The major cost would be fuel and lodging (I could stay on the boat), but you could have all your own gear and your own schedule. Never could generate any interest though. Go figure.
Don't bother going to the Bahamas to cave dive. Nothing to see there ;-)
Cry "Havoc" and let slip the Trolls of War!
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Happy Hacker has obviously never been to Abaco or Grand Bahama. I have seen great pictures of the caves on Abaco. I have done several dives in Mermaid's Lair on Grand Bahama. It is beautiful. The stalagmites are fresh enough that they glow in the beam of my dive light. Mermaid's has lovely speleothems on the main line. The first jump to the right leads to multicolored carvings (similar to Cow Upstream). Gina's Wonderland is a wonderland of translucent columns!
Christina is the only cave guide on the island, and she is usually busy instructing open water. I think I know Mermaid's well enough to do it with a buddy, but I am a little afraid of driving on the wrong side of the road.
Um, I'm pretty sure that's sarcasm...Quote:
Originally Posted by allen
Yes, but he left out, "Move along..."Quote:
Originally Posted by moody