The Bahamas lie off the east cost of Florida. With over seven hundred islands, cays and rock formations that cover about 5,400 square miles, and are home to millions of acres of pristine living reefs, the Bahamas is not just one destination.
These islands dot the edges of what are referred to as Banks (vast areas of shallow water).The Banks consist of white sand and grass in 10 to 30 feet of water. The edges of the banks are lined with cays, rocks, reefs, and wrecks. Then it drops off to a water depth of 200 to 2000 feet. Around the edges the water is clear and the bank takes on an aquamarine color. In calm conditions you feel that you are in a the world largest swimming pool.
The northern most bank is called the Little Bahama Bank. On it’s southern edge lies the island of Grand Bahama. Between the Bahamas and Florida runs the Gulfstream. A major ocean current that flows north along the western edge of the Little Bahama Bank. The Port of West End is on Grand Bahama island and is 60 miles east of Palm Beach Florida. Heading North lie Indian Cay, Wood Cay, and Sandy Cay. As the islands disappear behind, the last little piece of land Memory Rock rise up.
North of Memory Rock offers beautiful healthy reefs, ancient ship wrecks, and emerald waters. White Sand Ridge, popular for its dolphin encounters, is an area 35 miles north of West End. Experience dolphin encounters south of West End at Freeport, Lucaya, Grand Bahama, Bimini, Cat Cay, South Riding rock, and Orange Cay.
World class scuba diving has built an outstanding reputation for the islands of the Bahamas. Its water’s are blessed with drop-offs, coral gardens, shallow shoals, blue holes, ancient wrecks and an incredible variety and abundance of fish and invertebrate life.
With visibility averaging over 100 feet and water temperatures from 75 degrees to over 85, you can fulfill your scuba diving fantasy year round. Whether you are a novice or advance diver, there are thousands of dive sites to suit every diving wish. The dramatic blue color variations of the water in the Bahama Banks will take your breath away and beckon you to take the plunge.
For close encounters on the wild side, there are numerous areas in the islands for fantastic shark diving, such as Tiger sharks, Hammerhead sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, Bull sharks, Nurse sharks, Blacktip sharks and Lemon sharks. The Bahamas has one of the most diverse shark populations in the world.
If you have a dream to swim with dolphins, the Bahamas is definitely the place for you. Hundreds of wild Atlantic spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins call these islands their home.
