Page 127 - The British Big Four

onita Wreck - The Bonita, also known as Bonvita, was once uti- averns – One of the unique aspects of Abacos diving is the intri-
cate cavern systems. Off Marsh Harbour, a site called the Cata-
B Clized by the British to evacuate soldiers from Dunkirk and was
later used as a houseboat. Brendal, the owner of Brendal’s Dive comb features shimmering shafts of light that percolate through

shop, purchased the vessel in order to sink her as a dive site and the ceiling of the cavern. At Coral Caverns off Green Turtle Cay, look

fish haven. She now rests in 60 feet of water and is used as a feeding for thick concentrations of glass minnows hiding beneath ledges

station for groupers. and being stalked by tarpon, horse-eyed jacks and grouper. There

S harks – Most of the diving off Great Abaco is in the Fowl Cays are numerous sinkhole-type blue holes that dot the island. These
Undersea Preserve. The protected marine life here predictably sites are generally bell-shaped underwater pits that reach depths
of 80 feet to more than 330 feet, and may contain cave passages

attracts predators, and a shark feed now brings a dozen or more that extend off of the walls or floors. These sinks are where the term

Caribbean reef sharks to a frozen conglomerate of fish heads. “blue hole” actually comes from, as the water appears to be incred-

S hark Rodeo at Walker’s Cay – This famous shark dive is known for ibly blue when observed from the air. This may or may not be the
the large number of sharks that come to the feeding. The chum- case underwater! The walls of the blue holes are usually heavily dec-
orated with massive columns or stalactites, giving divers a glimpse

sicle (a frozen block of chum) is dropped while divers wait off of a into the island’s geologic architecture. These sites are typically con-

large sandy bottom in about 11 metres/35 feet of water surrounded sidered cavern dives as sunlight can be seen from anywhere during

by coral reefs. Normally, more than 100 reef and blacktip sharks ar- the dive. Nancy’s Blue Hole, located in the shallow, clear waters of a

rive shortly thereafter and the rodeo truly begins. Walker’s Cay fea- mangrove swamp near Cooper’s Town, has the largest speleothem

tures one of the most unique shark dives in the Bahamas. Groups columns found in the Bahamas. The water in Far Side Blue Hole (aka

of up to 150 sharks gather at the sound of the dive boat’s engines Magical Blue Hole) is so clear that divers feel as though they are

in a coral arena to feed on the bait, while divers mingle with them. floating in air. The entrance of this blue hole, when viewed from the

bottom, is a stunning emerald window that looks up and out into

Bahamian pine forest that creates a surreal halo around the edges

of the hole.