iscover
our diversity-these are the key words
in understanding the nature of diving
The Bahamas. Within the boundaries of
this island nation, our closest oceanic
neighbor, divers have access to one of
the most varied and extensive rosters
of dive experiences available in any
single nation in this hemisphere. Lush
shallow and medium depth coral reefs,
vertical walls dripping with sponges
and gorgonians, a healthy population
of both tropical and pelagic fish, wrecks-both
modern and historic-labyrinthine coral
tunnels and caverns, blue holes leading
to elaborate submerged cave systems,
thrilling shark encounters, dependably
frequent exchanges with dolphins-both
wild and trained-it's an impressive list
that just seems to go on and on. The
Bahamas is a true multi-destination country,
offering a variety and diversity of dive
profiles, lifestyles and vacation options
that few can match. This is a land of
many faces; a thorough exploration is
the work of a lifetime. The Bahamas have
stood for years as one of the most popular
dive and vacation destinations in the
world. Given its tropical climate, superb
dive conditions and services and all-around
accessibility, it is easy to understand
why this should be so. Close proximity
allows The Bahamas to serve ideally as
either a quick getaway or as a destination
for extended periods of exploration and
leisure. While there are common threads
that run through life in these islands,
there is also a tremendous variety of
lifestyles. Atmospheres vary from the
honesty, the simple relaxation and basic,
natural concerns of the Out Islands,
to the casinos, shopping, nightlife and
the cosmopolitan sophistication of Nassau
or Freeport.
Underwater thrills, such as
wreck diving, can be found throughout the
islands of The Bahamas.
Impressions
of The Bahamas are easily dominated by images
of the sea-and though technically a part of
the Atlantic Ocean, the waters of The Bahamas
possess a distinctive life of their very own.
With virtually no runoff (nearly all rainfall
is absorbed by the porous limestone islands),
sedimentation is minimal, creating some of
the clearest tropical waters in the world.
Divers can expect visibility to run from 80
to 150 feet year-round, with the very best
visibility often found immediately after a
winter nor-easter has moved through. During
these periods, the sea can become flat calm
and visibility can exceed 150 to 200 feet.
Much
of the diversity of dive options offered
by The Bahamas is a direct result of the
huge area that this nation covers. With
its westernmost islands resting only 50
miles off the Florida coastline, The Bahamas
stretches southeast over 750 miles. Contained
within its boundaries are more than 100,000
square miles of water, dwarfing a land
mass of a mere 5,382 square miles. This
land mass is distributed between 25 islands
or island groups, more than 650 cays (pronounced "keys")
and some 2,400 islets and exposed rocks.
There are active, professional dive operations
on well over a dozen of these islands.
Areas beyond reach of day boats and land-based
operations are made accessible by a fleet
of high-quality liveaboards, departing
both from the United States and from strategic
jumping-off points within The Bahamas.
The Bahamas owes its very existence to
the ocean and its creatures. The archipelago
sits upon a platform of pure limestone
that was created by marine sediment deposited
over the millennia-the skeletal remains
of thousands upon thousands of generations
of both large and small marine creatures.
Over the years the water levels have varied
greatly, receding as much as 400 feet or
more during the ice ages. The evidence
of varying sea levels can be seen in the
different ledges along the drop-offs, each
indicating an ancient shoreline.
To the north is the Little Bahamas Bank, bordered by the Abacos and
Grand Bahama Island. To the south is the massive Great Bahamas Bank,
roughly shaped in the form of a U. The western branch is the base for
Bimini, the Berry Islands and Andros. The eastern branch gives us New
Providence, Eleuthera, the Exumas, Cat Island and Long Island. To the
southwest of the Great Bahamas Bank one finds the small Cay Sal Bank.
With only barely exposed rocks and dunes above water, underwater it
is ringed with fringing reefs and also offers splendid world-class
drop-offs and walls. There are also several islands to the south that
are the isolated peaks of undersea pinnacles. These include wall-diving
legends such as San Salvador, Rum Cay and Conception Island, as well
as Mayaguana, the Inaguas, Plana Cays and Hogsty Reef (the only Atlantic
atoll).
Whether
it's dolphin diving, relaxation or cruising
with the power of the wind, The Bahamas
has it all
The
highly productive shallow banks function
as huge juvenile nurseries, constantly replenishing
the piscine inhabitants of The Bahamas. The
deep waters of the Atlantic, the Gulf Stream
and the assorted rifts running through the
banks introduce pelagic species into the
formula. This combination creates a population
of fish much denser and more varied than
the Caribbean norm.
Transportation to and from the islands is made available by commercial
plane, cruise ship, live-aboard dive vessels or private plane or boat.
Standard commercial air service is provided by a number of airlines,
including the national carrier, Bahamasair. Departing from a full array
of conveniently located U.S. gateway cities, and utilizing Nassau and
Freeport as hubs, connections to the entire archipelago are made convenient.
Some of the Family Islands utilize my personal favorite means of travel,
smaller four to 12 passenger charter planes. These give an ideal birds-eye
view of the swirling shoals and isolated cays of the island chain.
This is flying heaven, and private pilots will find The Bahamas convenient
and comfortable. There are dozens of functional airstrips and casual
customs and immigration clearance points.
Welcome to The Bahamas, the island nation where you can have it all
and do it all or simply relax and do nothing at all. The following
pages will give you some big hints on the possibilities awaiting you.
Read, explore and enjoy.
