Page 120 - The British Big Four

must-see site is Coral Caverns off Green Turtle Cay: It features reefs is an ornate, extinct coral base with a healthy top growth of

A a series of dramatically tall coral formations that create a cata- Star and Elkhorn corals. The base reef has been etched out by tidal
comb of twisting alleyways and expansive swim-throughs. Farther flow to form a maze of interconnecting tunnels and cathedral-like

south, Great Guana Cay offers miles of spectacular dune-lined caverns. Professional dive services are a given in the Abacos. Walk-

beaches with near shore reefs - the most spectacular of which are er’s Cay, the northernmost island, has been an Out Islands of the

located along its northernmost shore. Bahamas diving tradition for decades. In addition to myriad mazes

of shallow and complex caverns, an abundance of fish and some
F rom north to south, the Abacos stretch more than 120 miles, deeper sloping walls.
from Walker’s Cay to Hole in the Wall. Sheltered harbors make
this region popular for yachtsmen, and lately many North Ameri- reat Abaco might be the largest and most talked about of the
chain, but it’s the maze of cays and islands that thread through
Gcans have discovered this is a great place to have a holiday home.
Still, the pace is laid-back and the scenery quaint. Don’t expect the Caribbean Sea that make the Abacos Islands the dive paradise

high-rises or shopping malls here, because the Abacos are all about that they are. Throughout the Abacos is a series of national pre-

a more leisurely way of life. There are several islands where dive serves and parks, including Fowl Cay National Preserve and Pelican

adventure is easily arranged, including Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Cays National Land and Sea Park. The larger of the two Pelican Cays’

and Green Turtle Cay. Directly exposed to the Atlantic, the reefs of parks protects an extensive area of shallow reefs and mangroves

the Abaco take a different form from much of the Bahamas. Many harboring an array of marine life. Because fishing is strictly con-

sites are relatively shallow, 60 feet or less. Subjected to slightly trolled, the reefs are abundant with sea turtles and groupers.

cooler temperatures during the winter, they are just on the edge of

what hard corals require to survive. The general form of the fringing