I still remember it like it was yesterday: The week I spent in the Bahamas to not only dive with Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas but also to earn my PADI Advanced Open Water (AOW) certification. I was excited for the chance to experience everything Stuart Cove’s offered—a beautiful location on New Providence Island, accessible diving—including shark encounters, unique movie set wrecks, dramatic vertical walls, rich coral reefs—and being a large, full-service operator offering comprehensive PADI training, top-of-the-line rental gear and extraordinary customer service. I would have everything at my fintips!
Courtesy of Stuart Cove’s Dive BahamasStuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas is a PADI 5 Star Dive Center with the perfect training playground both on land and underwater.
By the end of the week diving with the team at Stuart Cove’s, I had the time of my life as well as my Advanced Open Water certification. And that’s because Stuart Cove’s has a stellar reputation as a dive operation that offers exciting underwater adventures from its fleet of dive and snorkel boats and second-to-none dive training in the Bahamas.
New Providence Island—home to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas—is truly a “Training Playground,” with one of the best “backyards” in the entire Caribbean. Stuart Cove’s state-of-the-art dive facility is located in Coral Harbour. Their dock is just minutes from more than 35 exceptional dive sites. Depending on the certification you’re working on, Stuart Cove’s dive instructors can take you to shallow reefs, wrecks, deep walls and several shark dive sites. From PADI Discover Scuba to Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water and Divemaster as well as various specialty courses, such as Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver and Wreck Diver, Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas has an expansive training catalog. And maybe best of all: For many certifications, such as Open Water, they offer the option to complete your eLearning at home before you arrive, though you can also choose to complete the coursework on-island. Either way, an instructor will review your coursework and if the certification requires it, you’ll take a short quiz. Then you’ll make the ocean dives to acquire your certification. The training packages include dive equipment rental gear (BC, mask, fins, snorkel, regulator, tanks and weights) and complimentary transfers from your hotel or cruise ship. I’m speaking from experience—Stuart Cove’s professional instructors make it easy, fun and safe!
Here's a sampling of the most popular courses you can take at Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas.
Courtesy of Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas (left), David M. Benz (right)Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas offers a unique distinctive specialty for Open Water divers to learn the proper behavior for diving with sharks.
1. Shark Awareness Diver Distinctive Specialty
When you’re in the Bahamas, sharks are a common sight on many dives. The Shark Awareness specialty course, which includes two shark dives, teaches proper behavior for diving with them. The course will help you to contribute to the conservation of sharks and to dispel misconceptions about these magnificent animals.
2. Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver
This is one of the most popular PADI specialty courses. Enriched air— nitrox or EANx—contains less nitrogen than regular air. For a diver, breathing less nitrogen means you can enjoy longer dives and shorter surface intervals. You’ll learn how to analyze a tank, fill out an enriched air log, set your dive computer for nitrox and make two ocean dives. In a destination like the Bahamas, where walls, reefs, wrecks and sharks are often all part of the same dive day, nitrox lets you spend more time exploring an incredible amount of underwater scenery while making the most of every dive.
3. Advanced Open Water Diver (AOW)
My favorite part about getting my AOW certification was getting to choose three “electives” in addition to the required Deep Diving and Underwater Navigation. I chose Fish ID, Wreck and Shark Conservation (perfect for preparing for a Shark Adventure Tour or if you’re a serious underwater photographer, the Shark Shooter Adventure), but other options include Boat, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Search & Recovery and Underwater Naturalist, and more. Stuart Cove’s Advanced Open Water certification expands on the skills you learned during your Open Water course and gives you the confidence to try new things while diving.
David M. BenzStuart Cove’s is often referred to as “Underwater Hollywood”.
4. Wreck Diver
The Wreck Diver course promises adventure while learning responsible wreck diving practices, such as how to avoid common hazards, equipment considerations and wreck penetration techniques. The ultimate bonus: The wrecks lying just offshore New Providence, many of which the dive operation’s founder, Stuart Cove, was instrumental in sinking and creating, include Ray of Hope, the coast guard cutter Yellow Elder, the Willaurie freighter, Lady Rosa and Anthony Bell. The sunken fleet also includes wrecks used in Hollywood-produced films, such as Tears of Allah from the 007 thriller “Never Say Never Again” and the Vulcan Bomber from “Thunderball.” Discover why Stuart Cove’s is often referred to as “Underwater Hollywood”!
If you are looking to take your diving to the next level, Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas has one of the most diverse and thrilling underwater training grounds in the entire Caribbean, and the professional team of PADI instructors to help you get there. Whether you’re just starting on your scuba continuing education journey or a seasoned pro seeking more advanced challenges, Stuart Cove’s “ocean backyard” off New Providence Island offers the perfect setting—calm and warm waters, excellent visibility, and diverse and unique underwater training sites. Added to all those advantages are Stuart Cove’s experienced instructors, full-service facility, and the stress-free experience of having all the logistics taken care of by the team. There is no better place to unlock new scuba diving skills and adventure!
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