Customer Reviews

The Dive Sites of the Bahamas

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Amazon description of this book said it included "locations" of the dive sites. The Author furthers states the book includes "access and location" of the dive sites. Wrong and wrong. It's a good book for general information of the Bahamas and has some nice pictures but worthless as a guide to the dive sites. It is very safe to assume a purchaser of the book is a scuba diver and has plans to use it for that purpose. The advertising for this book should include a statement "Coordinates Not Included". While this book has some nice pictures and good general information about the Bahamas, most of the information is freely available on the internet. I purchased the book for the detail. Location of a dive site to me means how to get there and that would include GPS coordinates, at least. There are no compass bearings either. "East Of Treasure Reef", or "The Next Mooring East From Site 3 Along The Inner Reef System" doesn't cut it.

Any avid diver has heard of the wonderful diving just 2 miles off the south tip of the west end. And then you go driving around in your boat forever looking for it, stopping occasionally to stick your face in the water. 2 hours later and plenty pissed, you give up.

GPS does away with all this. Dive bouy or no, you hit your spot first time every time. In fact with WAAS you can easily come within 15 feet of the mark with no problem. It borders on criminal to put out a dive book that has no GPS coordinates, and my printing of this book has none. Save your money until Lawson Wood gets a clue.

This is a great book to pick up if you're even thinking of going to the Bahamas. Great pictures, comprehensive dive site reviews PLUS the book is loaded with lots of extras that make it one of the best dive books I've seen. Pages of fishID info with color photos, dive medicine, travel tips -- all in a very attractive package.

The title says "Dive Sites of the Bahamas" and it delivers. Specific descriptions, exact locations, and details on the dive site (depth, currents, visibility, etc.)

My only wish would be for more. Essential for anyone planning a dive trip or cruise to the Bahamas.

Although lacking GPS coordinates, the book gives a good feel for dive sites throughout the entire Bahamas chain. I especially like the star rating of each site as I'm a snorkeler and my husband, a diver, so we know which sites will be good for both of us. There is an updated version of this book titled 'Dive the Bahamas' 2008 available but don't bother buying it as there isn't much different besides the cover picture. It is literally word for word, page for page, the same. It seems that Wood could have at least added GPS coordinates to the updated version, especially if he was going to retitle it and present it as a brand new book.