Blackbeard's

There are 2 identical 65 ft (20m) liveaboards running under the Blackbeard's name: Morning Star and Sea Explorer. They are the choice for those seeking a low budget, no frills way to dive the best sites in the Bahamas.

If you are looking for private cabins, a dedicated dining room and champagne in a hot tub, this is not the choice for you. With Blackbeard's you are less of a VIP guest and feel like more like a team player on board a weeklong adventure. You will still dive 3 or 4 times a day at all the same sites as those on more expensive liveaboards, but pay only a fraction of the price. Accommodations are dorm-style upper and lower bunks, either single and double beds with air-conditioning and privacy curtains. Showers are shared and you are encouraged not to leave the water running too long. Meals are served buffet style but most guests will fill their plates, then find a quiet spot to sit inside or on deck and enjoy your meals 'picnic style'. There are 3 such meals per day plus snacks, tea and coffee and a fruit hammock for you to grab a bite whenever the mood takes you.

Up to 22 (normally fewer) fun-loving divers can join these cruises which are popular among adventurers from young newbie solo divers to groups of senior diving veterans who are young-at-heart. The dive deck, where equipment is stored, is at the stern where you stride off into the water and exit the water via a ladder. There are also 2 dinghies, mostly for land visits. There is a strong emphasis on non-diving activities too including sailing, halyard swinging, free-diving, fishing, stargazing, island visits, beach bonfires and swimming with pigs.

You will get to know the fun-loving young crew as friends, unlike luxury liveaboards where they are seen but not heard. They all join in the activities and are happy to keep the rum punch flowing in the evening! Indeed all meals and non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks are included in the price. So if you are looking to experience a Bahamas liveaboard with no frills, and without breaking the bank, Blackbeard's could be the answer. As the operator says: Nothing fancy but we get the job done!

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Notes: The dives offered on Blackbeard's are unescorted. The instructor on board will give you a detailed briefing. A guide will be in the water for the check dive, first night dive, all drift dives and the shark feed! If required crew members can act as guides if available.

Dive experience: All Open Water-certified divers may join these Bahamas liveaboard trips.

Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, hot drinks, alcoholic drinks, dives (as detailed in the safaris above), experienced English-speaking instructor, tanks (including some 15L tanks), weights and weightbelts, shore excursions, all taxes.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment rental (US$ 160 per week), dive computer (US$ 50 per week), scuba insurance, port and park fees (US$ 205) payable in advance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash or credit card).

Optional extras: Transfers to the boat from the airport/hotel/port (US$ 18 one way), torch (US$ 30 per week), toiletries and towels (please bring 2 of your own) Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.

How to get there: Nassau Harbour Club Marina on East Bay Street is the main departure port for Blackbeard's. This is 30-40 minutes from Nassau International Airport. Return flights from Nassau to the USA are treated as domestic flights, which makes life easier for your onward journey as you can make "domestic" rather than "international" connections. For more details, including airlines, see our Bahamas travel information section.
Arrival/Boarding/Departure: You should aim to arrive Nassau either on Friday or on Saturday morning. Boarding at Nassau Harbour Club Marina is at 12:00 hrs on Saturday for an early afternoon departure to the site of the first dives. Return to port is on Thursday and you will dine on board in port. Check out is on Friday morning at 09:00 hrs. The crew can help you with transfers you to the airport or nearby hotels, if booked in advance. The last dive of the trip will be at around 14.00 hrs on the second last day of the trip. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.

Non-diver rate: There is no discount for non-divers.

Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): Single travelers may request a double bed at no additional cost but these are only subject to availability. Priority will be given to couples.

Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 10 guests and 1 additional person can join the cruise free of charge (total 11+ guests).

Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 20 guests and 2 additional people can join the cruise free of charge (total 22).

Nassau, Exumas, Eleuthera (7 Days / 6 Nights - 19 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving

Dive sites and activities: Nassau: Lost Blue Hole, Periwinkle Reef, Exuma Cays: Up Jumped The Devil, Dog Rocks, Lobster No Lobster, Barracuda Shoals, Amberjack Reef, Austin Smith Wreck, Blacktip Wall, Hammerhead Gulch, Jeep Reef, Pillar Wall, Parrotfish Reef, The Washing Machine, Danger Reef; Ray's Reef, Whale Tail; Eleuthera: Jake's Hole, Monolith, Hole In The Wall

Day 1
Whether you arrive on the Friday or the Saturday morning you need to be at Nassau Harbour Club Marina by 12:00 noon for boarding. The tour leader will welcome you onboard, assign you a bed and explain in detail the liveaboard boat features and the plans for the coming days. A welcome lunch will be served on day 1 just before the boat departs. During the long summer days a check dive may be offered on day 1. Alternatively, after a good night's sleep, the diving will commence the next day.

Days 2-6
Expect up to 3-4 dives a day on some of the most amazing dive sites that the Bahamas has to offer. You will be diving all around the Exuma Sound, an abyss that drops over 4,000 feet to the ocean floor. The Exuma Cays are known for their wonderful reef dives due to the protection they receive from the Land and Sea Park sanctions so you can experience truly virgin diving. Because of these laws, there are miles of undersea gardens in which coral, sponges and fish abound. Turtles, rays and sharks are seen regularly on most dive sites. Sometimes your itinerary may include diving Eleuthera but that is weather dependent. Depths normally range from 20 feet to 120 feet. There are swift drifts between the cays as well as the famous Blue Hole. Caribbean reef sharks and nurse sharks frequent many of the sites. You will normally experience 1 shark feed on each trip. The Exumas are home to just a few wreck dives and the Austin Smith wreck will be on your cruise.
3 complete meals are served daily, plus snacks. You can expect typical American fare: baked chicken, pork loin, lasagna and meatballs, with all the sides and dessert too. Meals are served buffet and eaten picnic style. There is always a hammock of fresh fruit for those between meals snacks as well as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A selection of beverages is always on hand from soft drinks and lemonade to beer, wine and rum punch. You can expect many other activities in addition to diving including fishing, island visits and beach barbecues.
The last night of the trip will be spent in Nassau where you can explore the big island with your new buddies. Dinner on Thursday is served on board at the dock.

Day 7
After a continental breakfast, you will disembark. If you have pre-arranged a transfer to the airport or local hotel this will be arranged for you.

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[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].

There are 18 dorm-style bunks with air-conditioning, all on the lower deck. 4 double bunks and 8 single bunks in the dormitory. 6 larger single bunks in the saloon.

All the staterooms have: No. of bathrooms / showers - 3 / 1 - no hot water

Customer reviews:

"Easily the best operator Ive ever been a part of. After 375 dives in my career, best professionals I've ever been associated with. Impeccable accuracy on every dive. Thato was an amazing dive master. She was as by-the-book diving professionalism. Ian was exceptional at conducting a great dive service with the sharks. Karen was an excellent help everywhere. Captain Jim was a perfect leader and exceptional host on his rig." - Smith Sinclair, USA, 29 July 2020 ...