Good Snorkeling in the Bahamas

[wdkester]

I would like to find a list of good Bahamas snorkeling sites in Way Point form. Or with coordinates, or at the very least a map accurate enough that I can create rough Way Points.

Most of what I find are very general; not enough info for me to take my boat there.

Anybody?

[MarkJ]

Ahhh those secret places! Ahhh, I know!

My fave site I snorkelwd multiple times per day, the light, tide always different. But I wont tell you where... or even a hint of which movie was shot there

I always find the best locations become known the closer you get. Drop into an area and have a chat to cruisers and they will tell you about the secret spots.

A couple so close to the anchorage opposite Georgetown.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by wdkester

I would like to find a list of good Bahamas snorkeling sites in Way Point form. Or with coordinates, or at the very least a map accurate enough that I can create rough Way Points.

Most of what I find are very general; not enough info for me to take my boat there.

Anybody?

To start in Bimini The Sapona wreck is a lot of fun and a simple and fun dive.

Degrees/Minutes N 25 39.076
W 79 17.615


The Bimini Road dive is fun for kids and adults alike if you do a little reading about it first.

Precision: Approximate


Latitude: 25° 46' N
Longitude: 79° 16.715' W

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

...

My fave site I snorkelwd multiple times per day, the light, tide always different. But I wont tell you where... or even a hint of which movie was shot there

....

Dont have to be 007 to figure that one out!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Dont have to be 007 to figure that one out!

"My dear girl, don't flatter yourself. What I did this evening was for Queen and country. You don't think it gave me any pleasure, do you?"

[belizesailor]

Warderick Wells is not only a great spot to hang out, but good snorkeling around too. Specific guides published by the Park here:

http://exumapark.org/ExumaParkGuides...0/Default.aspx

[Stu Jackson]

Uhm, WADR, how about Google? Or a cruising guide?

[Cormorant]

The Sea Aquarium near O'Brien's Cay is worth a look.
24 19' 35.24"N 76 33' 26.16"W

[Canibul]

Isn't this kind of like asking which part of the swimming pool has the clearest water?

[reed1v]

No one is going to divulge their favorite spots unspoiled by millions of tourists. Kind of like one's favorite Caribbean bar. Why spoil a good thing by letting the hordes of noisy tourists swamp it. Best advice: shallow lagoons among uninhabited islands. Unfortunately these are also places the drug runners tend to stop over.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

...My fave site I snorkelwd multiple times per day, the light, tide always different. But I wont tell you where... or even a hint of which movie was shot there...

Thunderball Grotto (Staniel Cay):
Latitude: 24°10'32.43" x Longitude: -76°26'38.18"
The James Bond movie “Thunderball” was filmed here; as well as “Never Say Never Again”, “Splash”, and “Into the Blue”.

The smallest (centre) of 3 islets, off Staniel Cay

http://www.cruisersforum.com/attachm...taniel-med.jpg

http://www.cruisersforum.com/attachm...9grotto-bg.jpg

http://www.cruisersforum.com/attachm...el_cay-med.jpg

[reed1v]

Of course, you will have to compete with about 10,000 tourists visiting that Cay from all the mega tour liners that anchor offshore. Might as well be in a bathing suit in the middle of Times Square. Not to mention the stench of diesel exhausts and sewerage adding to the tropical ambiance.

[Cormorant]

The key to Thunderball grotto is to go at slack high. All the guide books, and all conventional wisdom, say go at slack low. Hence the big crowds and murky, stirred-up water every slack low. We went at slack high and had the place to ourselves. You just have to hold your breath for all of 5 seconds to swim through the entrance.

[Scaramanga F25]

You are not asking me where I grab MY large lobsters, are you?

[Squanderbucks]

On the Little Bahama Bank - especially the Abaco chain - just pick about anywhere you want from Walkers Cay on down to Little Harbour on the offshore reefs or "heads" between them and the islands and you can't go wrong. All depends on how far you are from a town or marina to determine how much traffic the spots encounter. My favorite areas are of the Grand Cays, Strangers Cay, Moraine Cay, Spanish Cay on down to about Green Turtle. Depending on the size and your of your boat, exploring the reefs takes some planning but most all areas are accessible through moderate to large breaks in the reef other than the main channels.

Pick a depth to snorkel - 6ft to 35ft. Especially around the reefs different divers in the same group can pick the depth they want. Those that need to stay shallow can cruise the tops of the reef that may just be barely under the water while those interested in deeper stuff can "work" the sides.
A lot of the coral south of Green Turtle is made up of broken off and dead elk and staghorn and dead from runoff from the more densely inhabited islands. Still there are areas that most would enjoy.