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Dive Review of Aqua Cat Cruises in
Bahamas/Nassau

Aqua Cat Cruises: "Aqua Cat", Nov, 2020,

by John Miller, TX, US (Contributor Contributor 19 reports with 5 Helpful votes). Report 11505.

Photos Submitted with this Report


Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 3 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments Due to weather we missed several dive opportunities mid-week to end of the trip. Captain tried to find some spots but we only got one dive on Thursday and none on Friday - the night dive Wednesday was cancelled as well (that was the only night dive I had planned on making and missed out) so lesson is do them when you can.

I have handled worse seas and currents, but with a few less experienced divers on the trip the Captain made the right decision and made every effort to find us a protective cove to try and dive. They run a top-notch dive boat operation and with over 5400 logged dives I can attest to that. I would dive with them again just for that reason, but for the fact that every dive site was disappointing to my wife and I for the money spent. I am sure had there not been the threat of storms the Captain would have taken us to better locations.

Being the last diver up on one dive in rough seas with a camera, I was disappointed to find no one on the dive deck to assist me. Their diver check out/in was two boards on two different tables where divers were to move their tag to be off the boat or on the boat. Most divers, including myself, would forget. So when I came up as the last diver expecting someone on the dive deck you can see my concern. Would the boat have left if my tag showed I was on the boat? There was never anyone asking dive time and depth like on most dive boats as a means of accountability and that was a surprise.

But the main thing on this trip was the fact that at least 6 divers and 2 crew tested positive for COVID within days of the trip. At least two divers showed up with symptoms on the first day even though having acquired the Bahamas Health Dept VISA for COVID. Social distancing on a boat is impossible, especially with games like Twister being played after dinner and no one but food service staff wearing masks. Travel during COVID is a gamble as there are absolutely no procedures that will adequately protect you in crowed airports, hotels, or dive boats.
Websites Aqua Cat Cruises   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Wakaobi, Figi, Roatan, Tobago, Cozumel, Cayman, Philappines, Belize, Truk, Turk & Caicos, Tabago, St Croix
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather rainy Seas choppy, currents
Water Temp 79-81°F / 26-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 50-75 Ft/ 15-23 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions None
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 2 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Nice camera table with air. Crew always placed our cameras in freshwater tanks as we came back from dive and took care in passing them to us for the dive. Plenty of charging stations.
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Subscriber's Comments

By Ms Lynda Durfee in VA, US at Sep 25, 2021 17:13 EST  
Really stinks that symptomatic divers were allowed to board. I hope they were cabinmates! I share your concern about no crew on deck when you surfaced.
By report author: John Miller in TX, US at Sep 25, 2021 18:00 EST  
No they weren't cabin mates thank goodness. Their symptoms didn't appear until second day of trip. Such is the virus. We've learned a lot about it since this time last year. Bahamas is still on the high risk list. Hope it is better next spring as we have a return trip on the Aqua Cat scheduled for early May.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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