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Andros Island Deep Blue Holes Expedition
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Dive the stunning and technically challenging blue holes of Andros Island with explorer Brian Kakuk on the R/V Tiburon
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| The amazing north Passage of Stargate Blue Hole. Photo by Wes C. Skiles |
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In December of 2011 Bahamas blue hole explorer Brian Kakuk will partner with the Captain and Crew of the R/V Tiburon for two, 7 day trips to the deep blue holes of southern Andros Island. This area possesses some of the most beautiful and technically challenging underwater caves in the world. Many of these sites have been explored by famed explorers George Benjamin (the original explorer of many of the off shore blue holes), Sheck Exley, Tom Mount, Rob Palmer and other legends of cave diving.
The trip will depart from Nassau, Bahamas for an 8 hour over-night cruise to the South Bight area of South Andros Island. There we will begin diving the famous south bight fracture system which includes SB (South Bight) 1 through 5, including Benjamin's Blue Hole and Exley's Boiling Hole. The strong currents in the bight and in the blue holes will require that we time the tides to allow the best visibility and safe conditions. This means doing longer dives every 12 hours on the tides (except for inland dives).
After a day or two in this area, we can move south to the String of Pearls fracture system (weather permitting) first explored by Rob Palmer and friends back in the early 90's. Sites here include 4 Sharks Blue Hole, which holds one of the largest caverns in the country. Also in this area is the massive Lusca's Breath Blue Hole explored to a depth of 316 feet by Palmer and Malone in the 90's. Atlantis Blue Hole will be on our agenda as well, with its stunning reef rimmed entrance filled with fish, lobsters and crabs. Brian Kakuk explored Atlantis to a depth of 416 feet back in the 90's and there is was still more cave left to explore.
The grand finale will be to move to the dock in Driggs Hill and dive the world famous Stargate Blue Hole in the Bluffs area of South Andros. This cave is massive inland fracture blue hole (see picture left) with beautiful formations, massive passages and depths of more than 330 feet in some areas (this cave can also be dived easily without going below 120 feet though). We will use the R/V Tiburon as our dive base here and we will take trucks and vans to the dive site where local land owners will assist us in lower our equipment 15 feet down (and then back up!) to the water of Stargate.
Dates
First Trip
December 5th the Tiburon will depart Nassau for an overnight passage to South Andros.
December 11th the Tiburon will arrive back in Nassau for turn over (first trip guests depart and second trip guests arrive)
Second Trip
December 11th the Tiburon will depart Nassau for an overnight passage to South Andros.
December 17th, the Tiburon will arrive back in Nassau for departing guests.
Trip details
This live aboard expedition is being sold as an exclusive all inclusive trip. Tanks, air, nitrox, trimix, sofnolime for CCR is all included. The R/V Tiburon has full gas mixing capabilities with booster pumps, compressor, wide dive deck and platform and Avon chase boat. The trip will be 5 days of diving, with one day of travel each way from Nassau.
Meals are served in the air conditioned main salon with plenty of room for all guests to enjoy the fantastic food. Price also includes all meals, berthing, diving, drinks (non alcoholic), land transportation on Andros Island.
The R/V Tiburon also houses a professional video editing studio where photos and video can be efficiently processed after your dives (See photo left).
Prices
Prices are based on how many spaces are sold on each trip. We are selling each trip as an 8 passenger trip. Group rates are available.
Price for 8 passenger trip: $5250 per person Minimum of 6 guests to run the trip. Call for Group pricing.
If you are interested please contact Brian Kakuk at bahamacave@aol.com or (242) 359-6128.
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| The video studio on the bridge of the R/V Tiburon |
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| Jill Heinerth in the entrance to Stargate. Photo by Jill Heinerth |
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