Info on diving in Bermuda?

We're heading to Bermuda for a week, probably in March.

Does anyone have any recommendations on dive shops and dive sites in
the area? I've heard that most sites are "easy," but I'm more
interested in things to see, e.g., coral, fish, etc. I have a Rescue
Diver cert with NAUI, and I'm used to the poor vis and currents of the
St Lawrence River. I've never dived down south, so this should be
interesting.

Thanks.

---
Mike from Ottawa

"Mike from Ottawa" <mev@tika_CANOE_.ca> wrote in message
news:ktk600t8gah08ou8puklrihalb0c5rmade@4ax.com...
> We're heading to Bermuda for a week, probably in March.
>
> Does anyone have any recommendations on dive shops and dive sites in
> the area? I've heard that most sites are "easy," but I'm more
> interested in things to see, e.g., coral, fish, etc. I have a Rescue
> Diver cert with NAUI, and I'm used to the poor vis and currents of the
> St Lawrence River. I've never dived down south, so this should be
> interesting.
>


Mike,

Bermuda is getting a little too far north for coral. What you will probably
be diving is a lot of old wrecks. There's lots of shallow reefs around the
Islands (Bermuda is actually comprised of many small islands connected by
causeways.) that have gathered in many unwary ships over the past ~300
years. Because they are shallow, they are easy dives but that also means
that waves and current have taken their toll. I understand that there are
some more advanced dives around the Islands but your standard dive operator
isn't going to take you to any of them.

My advice, enjoy a couple of dives and then rent scooters and tool around
the Islands. They are lovely and very relaxing. Now that Bermuda has
become a corporate tax heaven, they aren't so reliant on tourism. That
means less tourists/crowds. Just be careful on those mopeds. The streets
of Bermuda are narrow, hilly, winding, are lined by fieldstone walls with no
sidewalks, and everyone drives on the wrong side of the road!


suds

in article 8TiNb.64982$nG3.20001@twister.socal.rr.com, suds at
sorry_spammer@yahoo.com wrote on 14/1/04 4:53 pm:

> "Mike from Ottawa" <mev@tika_CANOE_.ca> wrote in message
> news:ktk600t8gah08ou8puklrihalb0c5rmade@4ax.com...
>> We're heading to Bermuda for a week, probably in March.
>>
>> Does anyone have any recommendations on dive shops and dive sites in
>> the area? I've heard that most sites are "easy," but I'm more
>> interested in things to see, e.g., coral, fish, etc. I have a Rescue
>> Diver cert with NAUI, and I'm used to the poor vis and currents of the
>> St Lawrence River. I've never dived down south, so this should be
>> interesting.
>>
>
>
> Mike,
>
> Bermuda is getting a little too far north for coral.


There are coral reefs at the southend of the island. Bermuda says that the
coral is the most northerly you will find in the Atlantic. Dove the reef a
couple of years ago and it was lush but rather void of colour -- no yellows,
oranges and reds. I used the dive shop at Grotto Bay Hotel. Too far for
most cruise ship visitors to sign up (and those that did when I was there
were pretty good). They will take you to some good sites depending on
weather because most of those sites are a long way from the dock. I have
posted before about the caves of Bermuda. They are a neat dive if you can
get permission and a guide

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 15:16:02 GMT, Stephen Weir & Associates
<sweir5492@rogers.com> wrote:

<snip>
>>
>> Bermuda is getting a little too far north for coral.

Yes, I've been there once, before I started diving. Did some
snorkelling, but, as you've said, there isn't much colour in the
coral.

>There are coral reefs at the southend of the island. Bermuda says that the
>coral is the most northerly you will find in the Atlantic. Dove the reef a
>couple of years ago and it was lush but rather void of colour -- no yellows,
>oranges and reds. I used the dive shop at Grotto Bay Hotel. Too far for
>most cruise ship visitors to sign up (and those that did when I was there
>were pretty good). They will take you to some good sites depending on
>weather because most of those sites are a long way from the dock. I have
>posted before about the caves of Bermuda. They are a neat dive if you can
>get permission and a guide

I found your old post, and I sent an e-mail to Scuba Look. Thanks.

Do you have any more info on the cave diving with a guide? I couldn't
really find anything via Google.

---
Mike from Ottawa