Bahamas is the a great place to go scuba diving. In the 1700’s, New Providence Island was known far and wide as a place frequented by pirates, a place where the lines that separated men and women were all but nonexistent, and a place where true freedom rang. Many people hoping to escape imprisonment, poverty, and death traveled to New Providence Island, located in the Bahamas, from the New World to make a new life for themselves. Today, the adventurous spirit that guided these immigrants to seek a new life is still alive and well in the region. And people still flock to this area in search of their own kind of sunken treasure. No, it’s not gold, but treasure of a natural variety that attracts numerous scuba divers to the Bahamas.
One of the most popular scuba diving spots in the whole Bahamas region is located on New Providence Island at Nassau. Here tourists creep along the outcrops and caves of sheer vertical walls, explore historical wrecks of all sorts, find inspiration in the beautiful coral reefs, and play with the sharks of the Bahamas.
Nassau, Bahamas, is the government seat of New Providence Island and is home to nearly half of the nation’s population. There are numerous casinos, luxury resorts, golf courses, and premier shopping centers to be found in the area. While all of this attracts a good bit of visitors, it is scuba diving that is responsible for drawing in the true adventurers.
The main reason why scuba diving is so popular in Nassau and the Bahamas as a whole is that the experiences are so varied. There is literally something for everyone in the Bahamas no matter whether you are just beginning scuba diving or have been scuba diving for decades. From shallow coral gardens teeming with life to sheer, vertical drop offs, there is something to delight every diver who visits Nassau.
The marine life that you will experience while scuba diving in the Bahamas is just as varied as the geography you will encounter. Everything from the tiny gobie to the awe-inspiring hammerhead shark can be seen as well as sea fans, gorgonians, colorful sponges, black coral trees, and hard corals in all varieties.
Scuba diving in Nassau, Bahamas, is also ideal for beginners due to the crystal clear waters of the shallow depths. Visibility is great and the sun shines right down to the sandy patches of the most popular beginner dive spots. Here you will find multitudes of stingrays, goatfish, sea starts, lizard fish, flounder and finger-like garden eels.
If you grow tired of scuba diving in Nassau, there are numerous other islands in the Bahamas that offer unique and spellbinding scuba diving adventures. In fact, there are 2,400 of them and each offer a scuba diving experience that cannot be compared to the next. So why not choose the Bahamas as your next scuba diving destination? You might just be surprised by what you find in this breathtakingly beautiful, tropical region known for its free and adventurous spirit.
By: Layla Tusko
Posts Tagged ‘Wrecks’
Scuba Diving in the Bahamas
April 21st, 2010Scuba Diving – Scuba Diving in Costa Maya
March 28th, 2010
Costa Maya is home to some of the best scuba diving to be enjoyed anywhere in the world and is, as of yet, virtually undiscovered and unexplored by tourists. In fact, many of the scuba diving spots to be found in Costa Maya are just now being named. Popular dive spots are secluded, pristine, and not accustomed to visitors of the human variety, which makes for great scuba diving. Here you can experience Mexico’s ocean life at its finest and most natural.
Costa Maya located between the Mexico Riviera, on the north, and the Belize border, to the south. It is an extremely laid back community with small fishing villages making up the bulk of civilization. Simple accommodations combined with open-air dining provide visitors with the sensation of leaving the real world and stepping back in time to enjoy nature at its peak of perfection.
The majority of scuba diving in Costa Maya takes place along a reef that is protected by the Mexican government. This 25 mile tract of reef makes up part of the second largest coral reef in the world and was established as a National Park in 1996. It is home to an abundance of natural resources and exotic coral beauty. In addition to viewing awe-inspiring and diverse wildlife, divers to this area also frequent many of the caves and wrecks to be found in the waters surrounding Costa Maya.
The tract of reef that can be accessed by scuba diving in Costa Maya is actually two reefs that run parallel to the coast of Costa Maya. The first reef starts off at the surface of the water and gradually slopes down to 50 feet before turning into a sandy platform. At the end of the sandy platform, the second reef starts at 50 feet below the surface and then slopes gradually until it meets a dramatic, vertical drop off.
The marine life, that can be found by divers while scuba diving in Costa Maya, is indeed worth the government’s protection. Here divers are delighted by the antics of diverse marine life such as sponges, gorgonians, star corals, crabs, octopus, moray eels, turtles, and eagle rays. Scuba diving the vertical wall also reveals huge sponges, overhangs of stony coral and numerous caves fit for exploration.
On select days, you may also be able to hire a dive operation to take you out on a boat to enjoy a scuba diving excursion to the Chinchorro Bank. This bank is nearly 19 miles from the mainland of Costa Maya and is a large coral atoll that is home to several wrecks and lush coral reefs.
The protected nature of the reef of Costa Maya ensures that you will be able to experience a magical underwater environment at its most pristine. The lack of public attention in this area has ensured that the park has remained virtually untouched and, in some places, unseen by man. All which makes for a scuba diving experience of a lifetime.
By: Layla Tusko
Scuba Diving – Scuba Diving the Wrecks in Florida Keys
March 3rd, 2010
If it weren’t for the coral reef located in the Florida Keys, the United States would have nothing to offer as far as scuba diving and coral reefs are concerned. In addition to the living coral reef that has been a main scuba diving attraction of the Florida Keys for more than 35 years, numerous dive able wrecks are scattered throughout the waters providing exotic and breathtaking artificial reef habitats. Here is a brief overview of some of the wrecks you can visit while scuba diving in the Florida Keys:
Benwood – The Benwood is perhaps the oldest scuba diving wreck site to be found in the Florida Keys. This WWII ship was sunk in 1942 when it collided with another whip while dodging German U-boats near the coast of Florida. While the wreck is not intact (it was blown apart because it presented a boating hazard) it is home to a wide array of marine life. Scuba diving near the Benwood will bring you face to face with critters such as Pork fish, grunts, lobsters, moray eels, glassy sweepers, Sergeant Majors, Goatfish, and Christmas Tree Worms. Since the ship had run aground before it was blown up, the dive is a relatively shallow one and great for novice divers as well as advanced divers.
Cayman Salvage Master – This wreck that can be seen while scuba diving in the Florida Keys is a Cuban refugee vessel that was confiscated by the US government. The ship was tied up to a dock where she sank before she was re-floated. Then, during her burial voyage of 1985, she sank in about 90 feet of water coming to rest on her side. Recently, Hurricane Katrina righted the ship and now divers can swim along the hull and deck hoping to spy huge Jewfish and moray eels that reside in the open hatches of the wreck.
Duane – If you’re experienced at scuba diving, you might want to pay a visit to the wreck Duane while you’re in the Florida Keys area. This US Coast Guard Cutter was intentionally sunk in 120 feet of water in the year 1987. Due to the strong Gulf Stream current and depth associated with the wreck, only advanced divers are allowed to dive this site. The Duane is home to grunts, sponges, chubbs, jacks, barracuda, and numerous tropical fish.
In addition to these three wrecks that can be seen while scuba diving in the Florida Keys, there are several other wrecks in the area that have been intentionally sunk to become artificial reef habitats. Each offers a different experience and a unique look into how the ocean transforms a foreign object into a beautiful habitat where marine life can grow and thrive.
By: Layla Tusko
