Grand Bahamas is truely GRAND

[curtschu]

52 miles east of West Palm Beach inlet is an Island that truely a Great Cave diving locale.

Trip report for Grand Bahamas,
Early this year I posted a request for information about cave diving on Grand Bahamas.
I had researched the island and knew there were several good sites but as I had never been there before a guide was going to be needed. Brian K recommended Christina Zenato at Unexso, this turned out to be great since I stayed right across the street.
Christina put together a great day, since we had never met the first dive was a main line swim in Mermaid’s Lair. I little about this cave, it is a saltwater pool about 10ft round about 500 yards inland from a beautiful beach. Once you duck under the water you enter a very large cavern of breakdown. There is a large line the runs the perimeter of the cavern for cavern tours. We ran our line through this cavern and dropped into the cave section. Tied off to the main line and Christina had me lead on from there.
If you have never dove in a decorated cave you will find yourself almost paralyzed by the sight before you. The passage is fairly low by Florida standards 5-7 ft but it is as wide as the eye can see with HUNDREDS of columns, stalagmites and stalactites. The passage winds around and between formations that rival anything in Mexico, walls are covered in Flowstone. Swimming slow and easy the time still goes way too fast and it is time to turn the dive. We exit and do our safety stop without any problems.
It is a short drive back to Unexso to change tanks and have lunch. (If I go back there I will bring two sets and pack a picnic for the beach.) After lunch we planned a second dive at Mermaid’s this time we took a smaller passage that goes through the most densely forested passage I have ever seen, flowstone, columns everything. We made a couple of lads of this area then made our exit. I wish I had more time to dive but as I was on a company trip I was very limited. I can highly recommend a trip and the Unexso facility is great. Please get hold of Christina for your next trio to Grand Bahamas and treat yourself to a great dive and a great guide.


Curt Schuster

Wow! For those of us short on funds, this sounds like an excellent alternative to a trip to Mexico.

[curtschu]

Especailly if you have a friend with a boat in South Florida.

[jforder]

We met Christina last year at Ben's Cavern (it's a national park on Grand Bahama). I was diving with Ben Cook, out of Xanadu. He also took me on a tour of Mermaids, and I couldn't agree more about the beauty of this system. Ben has since relocated back to the states (Ft. Lauderdale area, I believe), but he still runs trips over to guide the caves there. Nice thing is a boat leaves from Ft. Lauderdale to Freeport -- $100 roundtrip -- no weight restrictions (bring your gear).
Safe diving,
John

[Jay]

Nice report and good info on Ben and Christie!!!

Anyone want to put a trip together????

[akcaver]

i think im going this summer

jforder- tell me more about this boat!

[jforder]

seems price is up to $159 (sorry, I was going by what our dive partners told us in august). Still not bad, considering it's round trip.

http://www.onedaycruise.com/discover...se-pricing.htm

[kljones]

If you get a chance for another trip there, you can actually do a traverse from Mermaid's Lair to Owl Hole. If the ladder is back in Owl Hole, it is about a 2780 foot traverse. If not, you're talking over a mile and stage tanks. I go there 2-3 times a year and Christina was actually one of my instructors. There are other caves, especially out on Sweetings Caye on the extreme east end of the island. These caves as well as Owl Hole and Mermaid's lair have all been explored by Rob Palmer. Ben's Cavern is another great dive there also.

[RHolmesJr]

I hear you on that Curt. I was in GB in December and unfortunately Christina was out of the country on holiday, therefore I was limited to only a " cavern tour ", yet my guide Fred at Grand Bahama Scuba ( great guy) did a slightly more complex dive at Mermaids. It is by far one of the most beautiful caves I have ever been in. It is unbelievable how brittle the limestone is there. I had a falling chunk of the ceiling hit me in the head dislodged by only our exhaust bubbles.

[curtschu]

If you would like to help Christina put the ladder back she needs some help. Give her a call a Unexso if anyone is planning on going soon.