Page 242 - The British Big Four

he No Name Wreck stretches out over a huge area of some 300 an underwater amphitheater. Once the divers settle onto the sandy

T feet in width, and almost 800 feet in length. On the site are bottom, the dive boat above lowers a bait box into the water. The
four anchors, three propellers, and a pile of anchor chain. Since the bait attracts anywhere from one to two dozen caribbean reef sharks,

location is exposed to the prevailing winds it should only be dived creating a safe, close encounter with these seven to 10-foot sharks.

in good weather. It is also a good site for beginner divers as well
as snorkelers. A large steel freighter, name unknown, sits at 25’ on
onception Island – 85 minutes by boat. Its wall dives are among
CConception Island’s South Hampton Reef, among beautiful coral. the best in the Bahamas, starting in just 45 feet of water. This is

This ‘flattened’ very extensive wreck area has much detail, good one of the rare places where 200-foot visibility is not only possible,

fish life and is great for snorkeling, too. Conception Island’s South but is the norm. Conception Island Wall begins in 14 meters/45 feet

Hampton Reef is the place for wreck searching, both historic and of water and drops off to infinite depths. Visibility typically ranges

modern. More than 200 vessels have been lost there! The Conqueror from 46 meters - 61 meters/150 - 200 feet and the entire wall is

sits at 25’ depth on the south shore of Rum Cay. The site includes decorated with stunning sponge and coral formations. Conception

lots of hardware, cannon balls, 2 cannons, anchors, chain, shaft, and Island offers wall dives with drop-offs just as staggering as the more

engine from this first steam engine equipped war sailing vessel of famous Bahamas dive site of the Tongue of the Ocean, off New Prov-

the British Navy. idence Island. The wall top, crowned with coral heads, is at roughly

S harks Shark Reef is located in just 30 feet of water on the lee 40 feet. From there, it plunges down well over a mile into the deep
side of the island. Divers kneel in the sand in front of high-pro- blue abyss. Teeming with sea life, visibility off Conception Island is
strikingly clear, and routinely in the 150- to 200-foot range. The Wall

file coral heads, and the dive master brings down a bait box. Con- has forests of elkhorn coral, sea turtles, blue parrot fish, caribbean

trolled pandemonium ensues while a dozen or so caribbean reef reef shark, manta ray, angelfish, sting rays and more.

sharks tear into the proffered bait. The dive that set the standard

for shark encounters around the world. The site consists of a sandy

bottom surrounded by high mounds of coral, creating something of