Miami or Grand Bahama?

Hi newsgroupers,

we are 15 divers planning a trip to walkers cay, bahamas for one week in
march 2004. Our flight goes through
Miami so we want to stay there two or three days there for sightseeing and
also diving. Otherwise our diveshop
here in Austria recommends to spend these two days at Grand Bahama diving
with sharks and dolphins.

What would you recommend, Miami or Grand Bahama?

Any advice regarding divesites and accommodation for both destinations is
appreciated!

Thanks a lot,

greetings from Vienna

Fritz

"Fritz Koller" <kubicek@aon.at> wrote:

>Hi newsgroupers,
>
>we are 15 divers planning a trip to walkers cay, bahamas for one week in
>march 2004. Our flight goes through
>Miami so we want to stay there two or three days there for sightseeing and
>also diving. Otherwise our diveshop
>here in Austria recommends to spend these two days at Grand Bahama diving
>with sharks and dolphins.
>
>What would you recommend, Miami or Grand Bahama?
>
>Any advice regarding divesites and accommodation for both destinations is
>appreciated!

In March the water will be cooler still at both locations. I would
say which you pick would depend on what you wanted to do out of the
water. Do you want nightclubs - gambling - restaurants type thing, or
do you want more natural park destinations like the Everglades? And
also whether you've been to the US and Florida before. There's not
that much sightseeing to be done in Grand Bahama IMHO. If I was
going to pick a 'sightseeing' location in the Bahamas, it would be
Nassau or Paradise Island.

I don't think much of the 'dive with dolphins' program on Grand
Bahama. If you wanted to do that I'd recommend that you take the
seaplane from Miami to Bimini and do a dolphin trip with wild dolphins
there. There's good diving there too.


grandma Rosalie

Depends on your age group. If younger, then I would definitely
recommend South Beach...the sights are amazing, and you can't help but have
a good time. If older, then skip Miami. I'm not a huge fan of diving in and
around Miami. Now if you're going to the Keys...that's a different story.

Holo


"Fritz Koller" <kubicek@aon.at> wrote in message
news:4181deac$0$31414$91cee783@newsreader02.highwa y.telekom.at...
> Hi newsgroupers,
>
> we are 15 divers planning a trip to walkers cay, bahamas for one week in
> march 2004. Our flight goes through
> Miami so we want to stay there two or three days there for sightseeing and
> also diving. Otherwise our diveshop
> here in Austria recommends to spend these two days at Grand Bahama diving
> with sharks and dolphins.
>
> What would you recommend, Miami or Grand Bahama?
>
> Any advice regarding divesites and accommodation for both destinations is
> appreciated!
>
> Thanks a lot,
>
> greetings from Vienna
>
> Fritz
>
>

"Fritz Koller" <kubicek@aon.at> pounded away at his keyboard resulting
in:
:we are 15 divers planning a trip to walkers cay, bahamas for one week in
:march 2004. Our flight goes through
:Miami so we want to stay there two or three days there for sightseeing and
:also diving. Otherwise our diveshop
:here in Austria recommends to spend these two days at Grand Bahama diving
:with sharks and dolphins.
:
:What would you recommend, Miami or Grand Bahama?
:
:Any advice regarding divesites and accommodation for both destinations is
:appreciated!

If I were one of those 15 divers, I would want to stay in Florida for
a couple of days and not do any diving at all. The week in Walkers
Cay would be sufficient.

I would also rent a car and go to Disney World.

I would also try to avoid the you all Spring Break.

But I'm not one of the 15 divers so my advice is to ask them.

Dan Bracuk
Is it my imagination, or do Buffalo Wings taste like chicken?
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/


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Triple check your plans with Walkers... they are currently closed with
many of the boats, rooms and docks damaged from the hurricanes. They
SHOULD be back and running by then but make sure you have some type of
insurance in case they are not... If they are not open, go to Bimini and
dive with Bill and Nowdlas Bimini Underseas. Make sure they take you to
the Cat dive sites (Tuna Alley, Nodules, etc)

GB is pretty much back to normal and will be 100% by Christmas (At most
of the resorts.. some will be closed until Feb but all should be 100% by
March)

IF you have never seen Miami's south beach... spend at least one night
there... diving is "B" compared to Grand Bahamas but the rest of the
adventure is worth it.... OR, do a couple nights in the keys (1 hour S
of miami) and a night in Miami.

Fritz Koller wrote:
> Hi newsgroupers,
>
> we are 15 divers planning a trip to walkers cay, bahamas for one week in
> march 2004. Our flight goes through
> Miami so we want to stay there two or three days there for sightseeing and
> also diving. Otherwise our diveshop
> here in Austria recommends to spend these two days at Grand Bahama diving
> with sharks and dolphins.
>
> What would you recommend, Miami or Grand Bahama?
>
> Any advice regarding divesites and accommodation for both destinations is
> appreciated!
>
> Thanks a lot,
>
> greetings from Vienna
>
> Fritz
>
>

"Fritz Koller" <kubicek@aon.at> wrote in message
news:4181deac$0$31414$91cee783@newsreader02.highwa y.telekom.at...
> Hi newsgroupers,
>
> we are 15 divers planning a trip to walkers cay, bahamas for one week in
> march 2004. Our flight goes through
> Miami so we want to stay there two or three days there for sightseeing and
> also diving. Otherwise our diveshop
> here in Austria recommends to spend these two days at Grand Bahama diving
> with sharks and dolphins.
>
> What would you recommend, Miami or Grand Bahama?

I'd pass on Grand Bahama in a heartbeat and enjoy Miami for a few days,
though not diving there. You will have an enormously good time in Miami. The
nightlife is fantastic, the food fabulous, if you are into it there are
plenty of tourist traps and there are still lots of water activities without
diving. And the Keys are an hour to 2 hours down the road if you want to
take a look at them.

I admit to being a bit prejudiced, but I really like Miami for a place to
visit.

"Ramone Cila" <dontw@nt.spam> wrote:
> "Fritz Koller" <kubicek@aon.at> wrote:

> > Hi newsgroupers,
> >
> > we are 15 divers planning a trip to walkers cay, bahamas for one week in
> > march 2004. Our flight goes through
> > Miami so we want to stay there two or three days there for sightseeing and
> > also diving. Otherwise our diveshop
> > here in Austria recommends to spend these two days at Grand Bahama diving
> > with sharks and dolphins.
> >
> > What would you recommend, Miami or Grand Bahama?
>
> I'd pass on Grand Bahama in a heartbeat and enjoy Miami for a few days,
> though not diving there. You will have an enormously good time in Miami. The
> nightlife is fantastic, the food fabulous, if you are into it there are
> plenty of tourist traps and there are still lots of water activities without
> diving. And the Keys are an hour to 2 hours down the road if you want to
> take a look at them.
>
> I admit to being a bit prejudiced, but I really like Miami for a place to
> visit.

Miami *is* fantastic to visit (I lived and dove there for 5 years and
recently visited again and did some diving). There are some cool wrecks to
see off of Miami (http://www.rjdiving.com/) but the better diving overall is
in Key Largo which includes diving at Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
(http://www.floridastateparks.org/pennekamp). Fantastic reefs and some great
wrecks, specifically the Spiegel Grove (http://www.spiegelgrove.com/).

There are some shops in Miami (try http://www.southbeachdivers.com) that
provide shuttle service to/from Key Largo to do a 2-tank boat trip.
Something like this may give you the ability to enjoy South Beach and Miami
but also get a bit of great diving in.

If no diving, then there's always the Everglades or Disney World to visit.
Florida is a great place, much better than the Bahamas (in my humble
opinion). Have a great trip!

~Rayne

Hello,

first I want to thank you all for answering. Most propable
we will stay in Miami, so each of our group can do whatever
he wants. As for me, I´d like to visit the everglades and also
do some diving in the Keys (Key Largo).

Any recommendations regarding tour operators for the everglades?

Bye,
Fritz



"Rayne" <rayne@pacbell.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:5bbc1e65.0411010817.59757f5a@posting.google.c om...
> "Ramone Cila" <dontw@nt.spam> wrote:
> > "Fritz Koller" <kubicek@aon.at> wrote:
>
> > > Hi newsgroupers,
> > >
> > > we are 15 divers planning a trip to walkers cay, bahamas for one week
in
> > > march 2004. Our flight goes through
> > > Miami so we want to stay there two or three days there for sightseeing
and
> > > also diving. Otherwise our diveshop
> > > here in Austria recommends to spend these two days at Grand Bahama
diving
> > > with sharks and dolphins.
> > >
> > > What would you recommend, Miami or Grand Bahama?
> >
> > I'd pass on Grand Bahama in a heartbeat and enjoy Miami for a few days,
> > though not diving there. You will have an enormously good time in Miami.
The
> > nightlife is fantastic, the food fabulous, if you are into it there are
> > plenty of tourist traps and there are still lots of water activities
without
> > diving. And the Keys are an hour to 2 hours down the road if you want
to
> > take a look at them.
> >
> > I admit to being a bit prejudiced, but I really like Miami for a place
to
> > visit.
>
> Miami *is* fantastic to visit (I lived and dove there for 5 years and
> recently visited again and did some diving). There are some cool wrecks to
> see off of Miami (http://www.rjdiving.com/) but the better diving overall
is
> in Key Largo which includes diving at Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
> (http://www.floridastateparks.org/pennekamp). Fantastic reefs and some
great
> wrecks, specifically the Spiegel Grove (http://www.spiegelgrove.com/).
>
> There are some shops in Miami (try http://www.southbeachdivers.com) that
> provide shuttle service to/from Key Largo to do a 2-tank boat trip.
> Something like this may give you the ability to enjoy South Beach and
Miami
> but also get a bit of great diving in.
>
> If no diving, then there's always the Everglades or Disney World to visit.
> Florida is a great place, much better than the Bahamas (in my humble
> opinion). Have a great trip!
>
> ~Rayne

"Fritz Koller" wrote

> Most propable
> we will stay in Miami, so each of our group can do whatever
> he wants. As for me, I´d like to visit the everglades . . .
> Any recommendations regarding tour operators for the everglades?

Good idea. There are several operators that will give you a decent tour of
part of the Everglades. Which you use depends on your preferences and on
who is open when you're here. From Miami, heading west on Tamiami Tral, NW
7th Street. You're approaching the Everglades when you pass Krome Avenue.
You can't miss it. There's a large gas station on your left called Dade
Corners and a large Indian casino and hotel on the right. By all means,
stop in Dade Corners. In one form or another, it's been there a very long
time. Gas up the car and grab a large bottled water and, perhaps a
sandwhich, while you're there.

From there on west, you're in the Everglades. There are a couple of places
on the left side of the highway. I forget the current names, they change
from time to time. I remember them as Coopertown and Frog City. I don't
think that's the current name for either. Both have some kind of tour of
the Everglades. Both used to be, and probably still are, good. If you want
a real feel for what it's like to travel in the Everglades, look for a small
airboat. The big ones, designed for multiple rows of tourists, are OK, but
they're not what we really use for access. The experience of riding on a
real airboat is quite different. As you head west, there are also
operations on the right side of the road. To the best of my knowledge,
these are all operated by Seminole or Mikosukee Indians. They should be
good too, but I've got less experience with them. Eventually, you'll come
to the Mikosukee reservation, complete with it's own tourist attractions.
I've not spent much time there, but it's probably worth a stop and the few
bucks it'll cost to see what they have to offer.

Just past the Mikosukee reservation, you come to Shark Valley, the
northermost part of the Everglades National Park. This is worth a stop for
sure. If you like such things, rent a bicycle from them and tour the 12
mile or so loop into the Glades. Keep your eyes open for deer, otter, a
wide variety of birds and, of course, alligators. You may encounter a snake
or so as well. Leave them all alone. They are not domesticated and you can
anger them if you try. If you behave, you're quite safe. If you don't like
peddling, take the tram ride. You get to see the same stuff, but also get a
guide to tell you about what you're seeing. There's an observation tower at
the far part of the loop. From there, you get a very good view of, and feel
for, the Everglades.

Another alternative is to head north to Fort Lauderdale. Take Hollywood
Boulevard west, past where it turns into Pines Boulevard and out past US 27.
The road dead ends into the entrance to Holloday Park. They have a store
and used to have a small zoo. They also have an airboat ride out to a
traditional Seminole village and an alligator wrestling show. It's worth
seeing too.

Lee