It’s time to start thinking about an easy, exciting, mid-winter getaway. If your idea of a good time is focusing on photography in a fun, laidback atmosphere then this is the trip for you!
Join Ikelite owners, staff, and Ambassadors for a week of cruising one of our favorite Caribbean locations on one of our favorite liveaboard dive yachts. We’re heading out to shoot the latest gear, capture amazing photos and video, and – most importantly – enjoy a week of inspiring company!
We are opening this trip to only a small handful of the greater Ikelite community and we would love to have you join us! This isn’t a photo trip full of stuffy seminars and intimidating tech talk (though we can do that!). You will have plenty of one-on-one photo advice with more than half of the boat filled with Ikelite pros.
Dates
January 28 – February 4, 2023
The coral mounds in this area of the Bahamas are large and full of life. The Bahamas are home to the world's deepest saltwater blue hole, as well as lively walls that start as shallow as 40 feet.
Diving and Adventure
If you get excited when something big swims by, you will be in heaven. Bahamas diving is full of multiple species of sharks, rays, turtles, and more. We particularly enjoy coming across the pre-historic loggerhead turtles that roam the reefs.
The Exumas are a chain of islands south and east of the capital of the Bahamas, Nassau. The geography of the ocean floor is beautiful and varied with walls and blue holes. Many sites feature stunning coral mounds or pillars growing out of the sandy bottom and teeming with life.
Water temperature in early February in the Bahamas is a bit colder which will provide us with the fantastic 100+ foot visibility that makes underwater photographers cry for joy.
If you enjoy island hopping, the Exumas have a cay for every day of the year. We love to do short shore excursions for extra adventure and photo opportunities in-between dives. Typical breaks include secluded beaches, cavern snorkels, bird watching, and even swimming pigs.
Big Major Cay or "Pig Island" is home to the famous swimming pigs. We're not sure exactly where they came from, but there are about 20 pigs and piglets who are very welcoming to visitors!
About Aqua Cat
The Aqua Cat is a luxurious and spacious yacht custom-built for diving. But you can find that anywhere these days. We specifically love diving with All Star Liveaboards because of their crews. Their exceptional staff members are always personable, attentive, and focused on making sure you have a good time. We leave every cruise with at least a couple new friends-for-life among the crew!
If you decide you really don't want to hang out with us, there's plenty of room to hide on this 102-foot tri-level catamaran.
To give you an idea of the size of the boat, the main salon is large enough to comfortably serve 24 guests at one time for dining buffet style... with the other half of the room to spare for sofas and lounging! The upper sun deck and bar is perfect for sunbathing, reading, and enjoying an (included) rum drink at the end a day of diving. The dive deck is larger than some homes with a central, covered camera table plus a charging station, toilet, and two showers to rinse off and warm up after the dive.
If you’re anything like us, you get hungry in between dives. No worries. The trip includes three enormous buffets a day plus snacks, rum drinks, vodka, beer, and wine (alcohol post-diving only). Just remember- most people don’t go on a liveaboard to lose weight.
Get answers to all of your cruise questions on the Aqua Cat FAQ.
The dive deck features a charging station plus a massive protected camera table to stow your photo gear in-between dives. And you can't miss with a photo expert gearing up on either side of you!
Sample Itinerary
Actual itinerary is weather dependent and tailored to best diving available on each trip.Saturday:
6:00pm board. Check in, dinner, unpack, orientation and safety briefing.Sunday:
Depart before first light; offering 4 daytime dives and 1 night dive today.Monday through Wednesday:
4 daytime dives and 1 night dive per day/night in the Exuma Cays and/or Eleuthera. Shore excursions are offered daily.Thursday:
4 daytime dives Captain’s Dinner with photo and video presentations; awards presented during dessert.Friday:
2 daytime dives.Return to Nassau 2:00-5:00pm depending on weather and travel distance.
6:00pm Farewell Cocktail Party.
Port night in Nassau! Dinner on your own. The evening is yours to enjoy in Nassau.
Saturday:
Disembark vessel by 9:00am.
Love photographing those cute little turtles? We have found some loggerheads as big as a VW Beetle in the Bahamas.
Rates
$3,195.00 per person based on double occupancyplus $340.00 per person VAT & Bahamas taxes
Included
- Accommodations
- All meals and snacks (except dinner Friday night)
- All beverages (soda, rum drinks, vodka, beer and wine)
- All shore excursions
- Tanks and weight belts
Not Included
- Dive and snorkel gear (available for rent)
- Bahamas taxes and fees
- Crew gratuity (15% recommended)
- Dinner Friday night
- Airfare to Nassau
- Nitrox ($150.00 per person per trip payable on board)
- Transfers to and from the Aqua Cat (transfers may be arranged for $18.00 per transfer)
Shark Capital of the World? There are at least 40 species of sharks in the Bahamas. We can't promise you'll see them all, but we commonly see blacktip reef sharks, nurse sharks, silky sharks, and hammerheads on our trips to the Exumas.
Additional Reading
Tropical Reef Underwater Camera Settings
Protecting the Natural Resources of the Bahamas with Bahamas Girl
