Re: bahamas good place to learn
I would recommend doing the classroom and pool portions of your scuba training at home, and only do the final open water dives in the Bahamas. That way you don't waste a lot of your trip in classes. You'll have more time to learn the material properly. And if you have problems learning the skills in the pool (or physical problems with your ears), you've got more time to work through them. This is a common way to get certified, and I'm sure that Stuart Coves will honor a referral letter from your local dive shop.
I have dived with Stuart Coves, a couple of years ago. They were a pretty good organization. They are large and deal with a lot of divers every day. This isn't necessarily a good thing, as it means you may end up diving in a large group on a dive that's planned for the lowest common denominator. Though if you're a beginner completing your certification, you'll dive with an instructor and may feel more comfortable with other divers around rather than striking out with only your buddy in view. I was there with a group of ten people, and we got our own boat and had input in deciding where to dive.
The area has a lot of easy dives, so in this regard it's a good place to get certified. With OK (but not great) coral coverage, and a nice mix of fish and critters, you'll find lots to see. We did two dives on the exposed side of the island which isn't dived so much, and the reef was much better there. Visibility was good on most sites when we were there, 60-75 feet. I've got pictures from my trip online at
http://www.markrosenstein.com/gallery2/main.php/v/nassau/ if you want to see some of was there.
You will most likely see sharks. There are a lot of grey reef sharks in the area. They aren't dangerous. They'll cruise by you, 20-30 feet away just to check you out. Stuart Coves does special shark feeding dives which attract a lot of these sharks. I'm not a fan of feedings because it promotes more dangerous behavior from the sharks and you'll see them in an unnatural setting. And I wouldn't recommend going on a shark feeding dive for a beginner until you've done a few dives and find out how comfortable you are underwater. If you're nervous about diving in general, and more nervous about sharks, it could lead to panic.
There are turtles in the area, but not as many as in other parts of the Caribbean. You may see a hawksbill, or possibly a green turtle.
What aquarists call porcupine puffers, and divers call balloonfish, Diodon holocanthus, are fairly common throughout the Caribbean and Bahamas. You will likely see them. What divers call a porcupine fish, Diodon hystrix, is a much larger relative, and less frequently seen.
You won't see any clownfish, as they are only found in the south Pacific ocean. There are anemones there. Condylactis are the easiest ones to spot. Take a close look among the tentacles, and you're likely to see translucent blue-striped shrimp, which are Pederson's cleaner shrimp.
-Mark
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7723918#post7723918 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by puffer21
I was thinking about learning to dive at stuarts cove in the bahamas. They have a class where they send you the books and you do the academic traning at home. When you get there you take a test to see if you passed the academic and they go over the academic part. Then you do some pool class. then four open water dives. here are some of my questions about it.
1. Is this a good course?
2. Is this a good place?
3. Is the water clear?
4. What will I see?
I also have some questions on what you think i will see.
5. Do you think i will see sharks?
6. Do you think i will see turtles?
7. Do you think i will see porcupine puffers?
8. Do you think i will see anemones and clown fish?
Thanks for any help Puffer21
Statistically speaking, your in far more danger stepping into your bathroom than diving with sharks 
