Diving, bars and exploring the abacos

[birojac]

Hello

This July will be our second trip to the Abacos. We stayed on Treasure Cay last year and will be in Hopetown this year with a group of 15. We have a cat and boat and a few villas for the group. Can anyone give me some great dive spots and maybe coordinates and also some great bars to visit in Hopetown and surrounding cays. Whats the shark situation like lately. I read in some other threads they're pretty agressive, any advice on how to avoid?

We're also looking to maybe rent some dive equipment in Hopetown to use off our boat, any suggestions for this and where to fill tanks?

Thanks so much!

[tillmantiger]

We'll be in Hope Town from June 30th-July 7th. Captain Jacks and On Da Beach are great bars to visit. Sea Spray and Harbour's Edge are also great places to eat and grab a drink.

The shark situation is what it is...much to do about nothing. In my experience swimming and snorkling on the Atlantic side and Tahiti beach, I have seen nothing larger than a small nurse shark. Use common sense and you will be fine.

Finally, we snorkle a good bit. I would suggest snorkling at Tahiti Beach, right off the rocks at the Methodist Church, and off the beach at Hope Town Harbor Lodge.

Have a great time layin' low in Abaco.

[Treasure Divers]

I suggest you dive with the local dive shop which is Froggies Dive Shop out of Hope Town as they know where all the best dive locations are, how to get there with the boat, and then which direction to go underwater (which is the had part to see the best).

[abacoowner]

For my money you can't beat The Abaco Inn. First, its the best food on the island, second, the bar has the best sunset view anywhere in Abaco! Great drinks, nice staff, good vibes!

[momshell]

We always enjoy Captain Jacks because you can drink and eat while watching the sun dip behind the Lighthouse.

[Charlotte Couple]

Hopetown Harbour Lodge has a great bar beside a beautiful beach, and you can get some good food there, too. They have a swimming pool the kids love, and a very nice shaded area with tables. The beach is gorgeous and uncrowded, and there is good snorkeling there, right off the beach. Great place to spend an afternoon.

With a boat, the best snorkeling/dive spots are Sandy Cay Reef, Fowl Cay, Mermaid Reef, and farther north, the reef off of Green Turtle Cay. Best bars, IMHO, are Pete's Pub (Little Harbour), Capn Jacks, HTHL, and Harbors Edge (Hope Town), Cracker P's (Lubbers Quarters Cay), Nippers and Grabbers (Great Guana Cay), Sapodilly's, Mangoes and Curlytails (Marsh Harbour),and Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar, and Pineapples (Green Turtle Cay).