Fourth largest island in the Bahamas Group, and located only 50 miles off the coast of Palm Beach in Florida, Grand Bahamas is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Bahamas. The majority of the development and tourism have occurred in the Southern part of the island, where areas such as Port Lucaya and Silver Point have grown substantially over the past few years.
The scuba diving in Grand Bahamas also tends to be focussed around these main tourist areas in the south and west, and tend to be split between the shallow reef areas, and the walls which tend to slope off at a shallow gradient, but continue to great depths. There are also a small number of dive sites further out to the north of the island, although these are not accessible via day boats, due to the greater distances involved.
Outside the normal scuba related activities however, Grand Bahamas does offer some quite unique experiences, which ensure it still has a strong attraction to even the most experienced of divers. For many, the opportunities to get up close and personal with dolphins and sharks prove to be an irresistible attraction.
The past few years have seen the growth of an innovative program by the Underwater Explorers Society (UNEXSO), a large dive operation located at Sanctuary Bay. Here, you are able to see the Dolphins or even dive and swim with them in the open water. Whilst your dive boat heads for the open water, it is accompanied by two large bottlenose dolphins, which swim alongside the boat, occasionally leaping clear of the water. Once you arrive at the site, the divers quickly settle in a small semi-circle in approximately 15 metres of water. These are genuinely unique opportunities to interact with the Dolphins, and doing it in such close proximity is one of the truly great experiences that scuba diving has to offer. Indeed if you are travelling to the Bahamas, this is something that should be put on the 'to do' list.
Equally amazing, if slightly more daunting, is the Shark Feed Experience, where divers will sit in a circle at approximately 15 metres depth, as the trainer slowly starts to pull fish out from the containers. Slowly, groups of upwards of 20 Caribbean Reef Sharks appear, and begin to circle the food. All the while paying very little attention to their captivated audience. Both of these experiences are difficult to replicate elsewhere, and more importantly create vital information as to the nature and behaviour of these awesome creatures.
There are also a number of wreck dives in the waters surrounding Grand Bahamas Island, including the Poppa Doc and the Jose Tugboat, however it is the Theo's Wreck for which Grand Bahamas is best known. This 238 foot Norwegian freighter was intentionally sunk in 1982 to act as a dive site. She now rests in 100 feet of water, lying on her port side. Widely considered as one of the best wreck dives in the Bahamas, it is certainly one of the most popular. Nowadays, over 20 years after it was originally sunk, Theo's Wreck is encrusted in coral and has become a home to a large number of fish including Barracudas, Parrotfish and some Morays.
Outside of the more visited dive sites, others such as Sea Hunt Reef, Buddha Heads and Lucayan Caverns all offer good diving opportunities. Overall, the diving in the Grand Bahamas has some decent diving on offer, however the opportunities for the encounters with the dolphins and sharks will ensure it will be a memorable trip even for the most experienced of divers.
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