Card Sharks

These past few days it's been mighty windy and the raging sea has been crashing down on the rocky shore. Most guests have been relaxing in the lodge by the fire, but no amount of surge could keep our card-playing friends from taking their Bavarian gambling to the waters. Lars, Tom, Phillip and divemaster Claudius take  'Card Sharks' to a whole new level by slapping around cards, coins and downing Kaliks in the water by the dock. Check it out.

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Bahamas Beachside Wedding

Nick and Jessica came to Small Hope Bay Lodge in February to celebrate their wedding. While they were here they also became open water certified divers! Congratulations to them on both accounts. 

Check out this video of the ceremony!

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Goofy Divemasters

It is always a treat to have divemaster Tony on the dock or out in the dive boat. It is never a dull moment when he is dancing or signing or just goofing around. Check out this video of some memorable moments from Tony's time at the Small Hope Bay Lodge Dive Center

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Small Hope Bay Lodge's Positive Impact on Young Diver

Gabriella is a young girl who came to Small Hope Bay Lodge last summer with her parents. Both mom and dad were divers and being that she was 10 years old she decided it was time she became a Junior Open water Diver. Ella worked hard during her stay and within a short time she was certified! She was able to go on many dives with her parents including two dives to Shark Emporium.  This dive was particularly fun for her. It was her first time seeing sharks and diving with them was something she was curious about and something that had a big impact on her life. 

When Ella returned home she took part in an educational program done by the organization PeaceFirst. While the fundamental lessons of the activities she took part in would be very beneficial to children of her age, Ella was quite dismayed by the misrepresentation the activity made about sharks, which she had come to love so much. The activity painted sharks as vicious and likely to harm/kill people. Below is her response to these activities. Ella took it upon herself to voice her opinions to the organization and in turn they have decided to change their curriculum. 

Ella is aware, as many of us are, that shark populations are facing more trouble than ever before. As well she can appreciate that as apex predators they are extremely beneficial to our ocean's ecosystems. Many factors are contributing to their declining numbers, however humans are at the top of that list. The motivation behind Ella's mission to change the curriculum at PeaceFirst is simply that we need more people to care and stand-up for sharks. If everyone knew the truth about sharks, that they are not blood-thirsty, man eating machines, but instead beautiful, curious and impressive creatures, ones that are vital to the survival of our seas, they might, like Ella take a stand and protect them. 

We are very proud of the work Ella has done. Being courageous enough to stand up for what you believe in at such a young age is quite impressive. May we all learn from Ella's experience and do our best to advocate for those who can not advocate for themselves. 

Please read Ella's letter to PeaceFirst below and well as the response she received from them.

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Dive with Sharks in the Bahamas

Small Hope Bay Lodge Shark Observation Dive

Divers and snorkelers can enjoy a thrill of a lifetime while learning about some of the most misunderstood creatures in the ocean. Our shark observation dive allow divers and snorkelers to view sharks up close, in their own habitat and witness the beauty and majesty of these incredible fish. 

At Small Hope Bay Lodge the objective of the shark encounter is to raise awareness, evoke a sense of responsibility and to have fun! Our shark encounter provides the sharks with a small amount of supplemental food on an irregular basis, not making the sharks dependent on us as a food source, yet still allows us to experience the thrill of being up close and personal with one of the ocean's top predators. 

As the boat approaches the site, we can see the sharks begin to gather. An average of a dozen Caribbean reef shark at a time show up for a frozen chum ball feed. The chum ball, composed of frozen fish parts, hangs suspended on a fixed line 40 feet below the surface. Divers kneel off to the side on the sandy bottom at a depth of 60 feet. Other than providing them a free meal, to which they help themselves, we do not interfere with the sharks or molest them in any way. 

Join us for an experience of a lifetime! 

Check out the the Small Hope Sharks Experience Here

Learn more about these incredible creatures below...

 



          cSharks have roamed our oceans since before the time of dinosaurs, but their long reign at the top of the ocean food chain may be ending. The onset of industrial fishing over the past 60 years has drastically depleted their populations. Of the shark and ray species assessed by scientists for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 30 percent are threatened or near-threatened with extinction. There are many threats facing sharks today that include by-catch, where sharks are killed when other seafood is being targeted, recreational fishing, sharks being used for ingredients in cosmetics or health supplements, destruction of habitat and more. Shark fins  are now among the most expensive sea food product in the world. In general sharks are slow growing, late to mature and over long lifetimes will produce few offspring.This leaves them quite vulnerable to over exploitation and slow to recover from depletion. Being that sharks are a top predator within the ocean their depletion presents risks for the entire ocean ecosystem. A decline in the population of Tiger Sharks in a certain area will directly effect the population of sea grass beds. With nothing there to prey on the sea turtle population they will flourish and in turn deplete the vital sea grass beds, which would be an important and devastating loss of habitat.

 How can you help

Visit these sites to see how you can get involved and help preserve the world's shark populations. Keep fun and educational programs such as the Small Hope shark observation dive going by helping to conserve our ocean's sharks!

PADI Shark Conservation

Shark Conservation Society 

The Shark Alliance

Shark Angels, 10 Ways to Save Sharks

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A Few Words About Small Hope Bay Lodge

Have you heard what people are saying about SHBL.......

Patrick and Leon, long time repeat guests came back twice in 2012 for some diving, relaxing and socializing. Cocktail hour is always fun when these guys are around!  

 The Milward family came to celebrate the wedding of  Isaiah and Marie. While here they also learned to dive, went fishing and danced the night away after the happy couple said 'I Do' 

Lynn and Paul came all the way from the land down under to enjoy a relaxing honeymoon at Small Hope. During their stay they logged some truly incredible dives and had fun goofing off on the dock. Everyone is looking forward to their return trip! 

Small Hope Bay Lodge is a special place where special people come to escape reality and enjoy some time away for the hustle and bustle of life. Whether you are a diver, fisherman, relaxer or social butterfly you will fit right in. Thank you to everyone for all the kind words about Small Hope. 

Our fearless leader Jeffrey Birch has always said "When you are at Small Hope, you are family"! 

At Small Hope Bay Lodge we have the biggest, strangest, craziest, most amazing family you could ever imagine. Thank you to all of our absolutely incredible guests who are now permanent members of that family. We look forward to seeing you all again and can't wait to meet the members still to come, I'm sure they will be as wonderfully unique and amazing as the rest!






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New Years at Small Hope Bay Lodge

Another year has come and gone and as we said goodbye to 2012 everyone at SHBL welcomed in 2013 with quite a celebration. The festivities at the lodge included a terrific feast prepared by our beloved culinary team. The main course was delicious, but oh the desserts! Renauldo decided to break his record this year and prepare a grand total of 53 desserts, quite fitting as we welcomed in Small Hope's 53rd year or operation. 

 





After dinner the traditional hat making commenced and everyone's creativity came out as they made New Years hats of all shapes, sizes and colors. The night was filled with singing, dancing, Alec's bang bang shots and of course everyone got up for the electric slide! Before we knew it, midnight was here. The decorations were removed from the tree and everyone followed it out to the beach. At the stroke of 12 the tree was tossed in the fire and we all said farewell to 2012! Family, friends, guests and staff all threw in their hats and made their wishes for what they hope the new year will hold. 

It was a wonderful night and a New Years Eve that will not soon be forgotten!

Check out our video to see how to ring in the new year at Small Hope Bay Lodge!

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Jonathan Bird's Blue World Comes to SHBL

Jonathan Bird's Blue World is an Emmy Award winning underwater adventure series. Hosted by the charismatic underwater cinematographer Jonathan Bird, this show explores all areas of our world's oceans. Jonathan and his crew travel the globe filming marine animals small and large, from the tropical waters of the Caribbean to the frozen waters of Antarctica. Episodes focus not only on the marine life that live in these incredible places but also on marine research and the scientists involved, underwater exploration of ship wrecks and caves and shedding some light on the recent discoveries within the oceans. Jonathan Bird's Blue World is both educational and exciting and perfect for viewers of any age. The Oceanic Research Group is the principle partner in the production of the show along with Jonathan Bird Productions and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.  The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation funds inspired scientific research and innovative educational programs to encourage conservation and practices for sustainable marine environments.


Back in 2010 Jonathan brought his team down to Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros Island in the Bahamas to explore the underwater caves systems that exist within the many Blue Holes on the island. Jonathan, along with cameraman Tim and Mike Hornby of SHBL packed up their gear and headed for the Guardian, an inland Blue Hole with an extensive cave system.  Jonathan and Tim both had an incredible time filming in the cave and got some great footage for the first episode of their third season.



It has been nearly two years since the film crew has been here at the lodge but early in December they were back again and eager to start filming for their fourth season. This time Jonathan, Cameraman Tim and tech diver Todd came to Andros hoping to dive the incredible Stargate Blue Hole located on South Andros. This blue hole took the team through sulfur layers and past large stalactite and flow stone formations. It is a beautiful dive and no doubt gave the crew some amazing footage. We are all eager to watch Small Hope Bay Lodge on the episode which should air summer 2013. 

 All of us here on Andros Island would like to send out a big thanks to Jonathan and his team. It was great to have the Blue World crew back and we look forward to their next trip. Perhaps they will explore the Ocean Blue Hole next. 

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Andros Island Is The Place For Celebrations!

When a special time, a special place and the special people in our lives come together, it's a celebration. Recently Small Hope Bay Lodge was honored to share in the celebration of Julia DeNamur and Sean Bishop's wedding ceremony. 

The bride and groom, wanting no muss or fuss decided that a beachside wedding would be the perfect way to say "I do", and Small Hope Bay Lodge with it's relaxed and carefree atmosphere  was exactly what they were looking for. 


Sean and Julia arrived at the lodge a few days before the ceremony to relax and enjoy their island paradise. They 
went biking, diving, beach combing and even enjoyed a relaxing massage by the beach. The folks arrived a few days later and before they knew it the big day was upon them. 

A simple and intimate celebration was what they were looking for and it is exactly what they got.  The ceremony was beautiful and even had Sean tearing up after they said "I do". A lovely reception followed with the parents and their new found friends from Small Hope. To top off a perfect day the bride and groom gave a wishing lantern to every couple in the resort to release off the dock. Everyone made their wish and watched as their lantern was taken up and away, a truly beautiful sight. 

 Small Hope Bay Lodge was very honored to be able to share this special day with Sean and Julia. From all of us here we would like to wish them all the best for the future and the happiest of lives together. As a return trip has already been scheduled we are very excited to see everyone back again next year for Thanksgiving! 

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Diving at Dawn

At Small Hope Bay Lodge we have many different dives sites. Walls, caverns, wrecks, blue holes, shallow reefs, there are so many to choose from. One particular site is called 'Over The Wall' and SHBL has been running this dive since the early 60's. 




The wall begins where the ocean floor ends - a vertical drop-off where the continental shelf plummets to the Tongue of the Ocean 6,000 feet below. The Andros Wall begins around 70 to 90 feet, and that's where we set anchor. At this site divers take the plunge and experience one of life's most exhilarating feelings, plummeting down to an ice age shore line at a depth of 185 feet



This week at Small Hope Bay, Fred Calhoun and Peter Donahue are back for yet another visit. These two have been coming to Small Hope for many years and have put their own spin on our signature wall dive. Fred and Peter prefer to do the dive at dawn. 

As they make their way out to the site the sun is just beginning to rise, the ocean is perfectly still and a more beautiful view out on the water would be difficult to find. 

The divers gear up, jump in, descend and have a spectacular dive gazing down at the depths of the Tongue of the Ocean. A shark cruises past to say good morning while their sitting on the ledge at 185ft. As the divers make their ascent over the top of the wall the sun is rising and lighting up the reef before them. Already it has been an amazing day and it is not even 8am yet. 


Back on the boat the Fred and Peter, and the rest of the group enjoy some juice while deciding what to have for breakfast once back at the lodge. 

Watch the video below of our Over the Wall dive at dawn and see for yourself what a truly amazing experience it is!

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A Great Day of Diving in The Bahamas

 

We Saw a Manta Ray!

 The day started out great when our dive staff and a few of our guests were treated to an amazing sighting out on the dock. While gearing up to go and dive our signature "Over the Wall" dive a manta ray came cruising by to say good morning.

 

We Went Over the Wall! 

If the manta ray sighting wasn't enough our divers then had an awesome time diving Over the Wall. There is nothing like nitrogen narcosis while sitting on an ancient beach and looking down at the 6000ft drop of the tongue of the ocean! A curious reef shark decided to join us at 185' to check out the view. A truly magnificent dive!

 

Plane Wreck! 

To top it all off our divers were lucky enough to be the first to officially dive our brand new site "The Landing Strip". This is a project that the staff of Small Hope Bay Lodge worked hard on this summer and it is great to see the guests enjoying it. Everyone got a little goofy and posed for some great pictures with the wreck! 

 

 

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News from Small Hope.................

A big HELLO to everyone out there!!

So what has been happening at Small Hope lately???

We have had Chris, Fred and Pete from Massachusetts back for some fun in the sun and early morning Over the Wall dive, it was great seeing them again.

Peter, Chris & Fred on the ledge

Bill and Jean are back for a visit from Canada. They have been coming since the 60's! Watch a video of Bill and Jean chatting with Jeff.

Jeff, Jean and Bill

We have had a lovely beach wedding. A big congratulations to Lewis and Maria from Chicago!

Lewis & Maria with Reverend Hamilton 

Dive intern Kate has started her rescue diver training with Small Hope Dive Master Joe. Good luck Kate and have fun!!

Joe & Kate

The dive staff have been busy, with 3 dives a day, going to all your favorite sites

Hope to see you all soon!!!

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Bonefishing, Diving and Fun at Small Hope Bay Lodge

Ryan and Angela Dunne, along with their friend Christian, joined us here at Small Hope Bay Lodge for a week of bonefishing, bonding and a whole lot of fun. Ryan, Angela and Chris were here for the New Year's Eve festivities and they made friends with people from all over the world!

Ryan swears that this was just supposed to be a relaxing vacation but he, the avid fisherman, just "happened" to schedule his vacation at one of the best places in the world to bonefish and Ryan and Chris made sure to book a guide and head out to the flats in search of the gray ghost. They returned with happy fly rods, having landed a few fish each.

Ryan and Angela took advantage of our beginning diving course, the Discover Scuba Diving resort course. They both went out to the open water under the supervision of instructors and got to experience the Andros Barrier Reef from 40 ft. At Brad's Mountain, both of them had close encounters with our resident reef sharks.

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