Dive Review of Cape Eleuthera Institute in
Bahamas

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Cape Eleuthera Institute: "Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas", Jun, 2016, by Mary K Wicksten, TX, US ( Contributor 17 reports with 8 Helpful votes). Report 8952.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	The Cape Eleuthera Institute and adjacent school are very eco-conscious. I was there for a scientific project, not recreational diving so did not visit any notable dive sites. Diving along Abaco Sound is very easy. I helped clean algae off a coral restoration and "nursery" area. Very pretty small reef, little disturbance by people, no surf but no big fish either. Snorkeling over seaweed and seagrass meadows. Housing at the Institute in comfortable and breezy apartments. The Institute and school used the same cafeteria that emphasized healthy stuff--lots of veggies, tough meat, some bread, monotonous sauces and no dessert or alcohol. (A small store within walking distance did a great business selling alcohol, ice cream and chocolate). You had to tote your own water bottle over to the cafeteria to get drinking water. Be very careful to check on the latest conditions on the island before you come here. I got a map showing a big resort near the Institute, but it went bankrupt and was abandoned years ago. There is a small dive shop but it was closed. I'm told that one can charter a boat from them but I never saw anybody there. If you're looking for a snorkeling "thrill dive" in one of the passes, be aware that the channel at Cape Eleuthera is very shallow--it's easy to be scraped. Even worse, it empties into a boat basin where the fishermen clean their catch. Visibility is poor and bull sharks jump for food. (No lie! I saw it!) Note that there are two airports on Eleuthera, so be sure you end up at the correct one or you can expect one heck of a taxi bill. Renting a car is expensive and probably not worthwhile. Also note that the shuttle plane does NOT have access to a jetway. I saw a hapless handicapped lady being shoved up the stairs from the rear while someone pulled her arms from above. As is common at small outer island airports, flights can be delayed or cancelled (my inbound flight was delayed by 2 hours but at least I heard no complaints about missing luggage).
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Galapagos, western Mexico, California, Hawaii, Fiji, Palau, Yap, Australia, New Guinea, Florida springs
Closest Airport	S. Eleuthera	Getting There	Miami to Nassau to S. Eleuthera (small shuttle plane on last leg)
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	75-70°F / 24-21°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	40-50 Ft/ 12-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	We helped to clean a coral "nursery", so we had to be very careful not to bump anything.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	no
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	I was at the Cape Eleuthera Institute for a project involving snorkeling in an inland saline pond--strictly of interest to biologists, I'm sure. Easy diving, good place to experiment with a new camera. No rinse bucket on boat. I got in a dive from a small boat to help clean coral growth racks. Sea floor was clean white sand. Nearby reef had notches, passageways and overhangs. Lots of small fish including fairy basslets, jawfishes, glassy gobies, etc.,no lionfish here but many reported elsewhere. A few curious barracuda. Small but healthy coral, black coral in underhangs. Snorkeling on extensive seaweed and seagrass flats off the Institute proper, some reef balls, a shallow shipwreck but watch out for unexpectedly strong current around boat slips.

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Dive Review of Cape Eleuthera Institute in Bahamas

Cape Eleuthera Institute: "Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas", Jun, 2016,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Cape Eleuthera Institute in
Bahamas