Trip Report - New Providence Island
Having just returned from a one week trip to New Providence Island. I thought I
would share my thoughts before they sink into the blue-green sea of
forgetfulness.
We stayed at the South Ocean Beach and Golf Resort and dived with Stuart Cove,
literally right next door to the hotel. I booked in advance from their Fort
Lauderdale office and got 4 2tank dives for $52.00 each with an additional
2tank dive added on site at $60.00. Had I waited until I arrived I would have
paid $70.00 per 2tank dive.
SOUTH OCEAN BEACH & GOLF RESORT
My guess is that this was a first class hotel before they built Paradise
Island and Cable Beach. Now due to several changes in management they have
sunk to second class status. Fortunately some of the signs of greatness are
still to be had in the mature landscaping, well appointed rooms, and lovely
architecture. The beachfront rooms are wonderful and roomy. My wife felt they
had a "Hemmingwayesque" feeling.
Food was another matter - poorly done and expensive. $8.00 for a continental
breakfast in the morning. $4.00 for a beer and $70.00+ for a nice dinner for
two. Were I to go back I would bring a bunch of muffins and a small coffeemaker.
I would also buy some decent rum at the airport and mix my own rum punches thank
you very much.
Overall I still enjoyed the hotel for its beautiful beach and first class
rooms. By all means get a beachfront room. They are currently renovating the
main hotel which sits back from the beach and is on a golf course. By the
way the hotel is currently managed by a consultant from Toronto who hates
hot weather and detests the beach. He came down to come up with a business
plan and the GM quit on the day he arrived, leaving him as manager until he
hires a replacement. So he ists in the hotel restuarant and smokes cigarettes.
Anybody interested in a job?
STUART COVE DIVE SHOP
First let me disclose my biases - I am a travel diver with an interest
in reef ecology. I like in a competent operation and divermasters who
are both knowledgable and friendly. Although the technical aspect of Stuart
Cove's was excellent (great boats, a full-service dive shop, well located
relative to dive sites), the divemasters were mediochre. For example on the day
after Hurricane Lily came through, the seas were extremely rough. A divemaster
on another boat brought one of their dogs aboard who leaped into the water when
divers were surfacing, entangling himself in their hoses. I would not have
wanted to deal with rough seas and a large dog ensnared in my hoses.
However, chosing the right divemaster is important and I finally settled
on a guy I liked. At least he asked where we had been and tried to chose a site
that would be new to most of us. He also avoided any stupid maneuver like
bringing a dog along in rough weather. These guys are very friendly with eels
and sharks are everywhere at some sites.
For the entertainment oriented, Stuart Cove was one of the main sets for the
movie flipper and there are abandoned buidlings all around the lagoon which were
built for the movie. They run a van around to all the big hotels and will
transport you to and from the shop.
So would I do this trip again? Yeah, I think so. Good diving, a very
relaxed, beachy hotel, and a quiet, romantic atmosphere. We booked through
Apple Tours and although the trip seemed like a steal, when you added the
expense of food, it was comparable to the price of, say, a Club Med (without
counting the diving of course).
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Dave Inman