Exuma Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
- Charles Davis
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Is Exuma scuba diving and snorkeling on your mind right now? Warm, clear waters, great visibility, and a variety of dive sites are calling you.
Scuba diving and snorkeling are an important part of many people’s lives. Whether you are a warm-water diver looking for abundant marine life in crystal-clear water, a drift diver thrilled by a high-speed wall dive, or a wreck diver touching history from a forgotten time, diving is a part of who you are. Dive sites with few divers await.
Discover Underwater Wonders in the Bahamas
Many people right now are reconsidering travel plans. Situations in many parts of the world are unsettling, and the tourism industry is being severely impacted worldwide. Frankly, things are uncertain, and prices are going up, especially on long-haul flights. Airlines in Asia are warning they are cutting back on flights, which will make diving in some of the most popular destinations difficult to get to and more expensive. Planning a vacation right now is becoming more difficult.
Maybe you should be thinking closer to home—or at least a calmer destination. The Bahamas is a great choice. In previous articles, we discussed the main islands and Eleuthera. Flights from the US are short, and some parts of the Bahamas are accessible by ferry from Florida. Exuma is another great diving destination in the Bahamas. It's very low-key and offers great diving. Divers who have experienced diving here will give you mixed reviews on whether diving from a resort or a liveaboard is best. It's like debating what brand of car is best—it's all personal preference.
The Bahamas has a little over 700 islands and 2,400 cays. Over half of the islands are in the Exuma chain, with over 365 islands. The Exuma island chain is divided into three major areas: Great Exuma, Little Exuma, and the Exuma Cays. They are renowned for their vibrant marine life and crystal-clear waters. The waters are teeming with tropical fish, sea turtles, and pelagic species. Dive sites feature magnificent coral reefs, numerous shipwrecks, wall diving, drifts, caves, movie locations (who doesn’t love the diving scenes in James Bond movies?), and blue holes. A little something for everyone.
Diving Great Exuma and Little Exuma
The diving and snorkeling are great at Great Exuma and Little Exuma. While generally listed as two destinations, you should consider them as one. These two islands are located at the southernmost part of the Exuma Archipelago and are the furthest from Nassau. They are connected by a bridge. Georgetown, the capital of the Exuma district, is located here, and the international airport is just outside of town. Georgetown has a booming population of about 2,500. It is considered a major hub for the international yachting and cruising community. Cruise ships do call here at times. Scuba diving and snorkeling are also a highlight. One of the big draws for many people is that it is laid-back and still authentically Bahamian.
Moriah Harbour National Park: This marine area starts just south of Georgetown and extends to Little Exuma. While there is some shore diving here, snorkeling is more common. Just about anywhere in the park is a great place to head into the waters and enjoy the coral reefs and marine life. Kayaking, paddleboarding, and kiting are also very popular.
Stocking Island: Stocking Island is a short distance from Georgetown by ferry. It is a natural area known for its great beaches, clear calm waters, hiking trails, and secluded areas. Georgetown mostly closes on Sundays, and it's said that most of its residents head to Stocking Island to enjoy a day off. There are several great dive sites here, such as:
Angelfish Blue Hole: This blue hole is in an enclosed bay, starting at around 30 feet and dropping to 90 feet.
Sting Ray Reef: A shallow reef off the north end of the island on the Atlantic Ocean side. Conditions are more subject to weather and current conditions. There are abundant soft and hard coral colonies and a robust Atlantic reef fish population.
Blue Ade AKA Mystery Cave: This is a blue hole located on the island. A surprise to many is that it is salt water. The site is great for snorkeling and diving. The cave is actually connected to the ocean. Exploration has shown that at around 70 feet, there is a tunnel that leads to the ocean a mile away.
Exuma Cays.
The islands of the Exumas Archipelago excluding Great Exuma and Little Exuma are generally lumped together as the Exuma Cays. Most of these islands and cays are unpopulated, and there are no major cities or even large towns. Staniel Cay is one of the “major” destinations, which has under 200 full-time residents. The cays attract a fair number of boaters, with the northern cays only 70 miles from Nassau. There are numerous anchorages and small inlets where visiting boaters can stop to enjoy the area. There are also a few full-service marinas. Private pilots also frequent the area, which is served by a small international airport on Staniel Cay and a few private airports. You can even find some landing sites that are more landing strips than airports, some even on a beach. Seaplanes are also common. Another draw for pilots is that the tourism department will pay toward your fuel, and there are no landing fees.
The dive sites in the Exuma Cays are legendary, especially around Staniel Cay.
Thunderball Grotto: This legendary site was featured in two James Bond movies, Thunderball and Never Say Never Again. It is great for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Exumas Land and Sea Park: Often credited as being one of the most pristine diving locations in the western hemisphere, this 176-square-mile marine protected area is a must-dive destination. There are many moored dive sites within the park, providing the diver with a vast variety of diving experiences. This park is also visited by dive boats from Great Exuma on extended day trips.
The Musician: Located off the coast of Rudder Cut Cay, the highlight of this dive site is a life-sized statue of a mermaid near a baby grand piano. Great photo opportunity—sit on the bench and play the piano. Rudder Cut Cay and ten other nearby cays are owned by David Copperfield. If you are traveling with 23 of your friends and not on a tight budget, you might consider renting here. The cays contain 5 homes designed to sleep 24 guests. Only one group can rent the estate at a time. Rumors have it that the estate is available for a price starting at $55,000 a night.
The Sea Aquarium: Near Little Halls Cay, this dive site is calm and the home of thousands of reef fish and other marine life. The cay itself is owned by another celebrity, Johnny Depp.
Photos taken by Sophie & Andrew Laird (ProShot & Tidal Co-Founders) all around The Exuma Cays
Liveaboard Scuba Diving
The Bahamas is a great place for a liveaboard. The Bahamas is home to two major fleets: the Aggressor Fleet with two liveaboards and the All Star Fleet with four. Both fleets sail from Nassau. The Aggressor Fleet primarily sails in the main islands with some sailings to Exuma, while the All Star liveaboards sail to Exuma. All Star has two styles of vessels: two luxury tri-level cats and two Blackbeard’s "low frills, high fun" sailing liveaboards. Blackbeard’s could best be described as mobile diving hostels. The accommodation is bunk beds in shared rooms. Personally, about half of my travels include hostels. All of the All Star vessels are highly rated.
I think this quote from one of the itineraries from All Star Cruises says it best:
*We’ll be diving up and down the Exuma Sound, an abyss that drops over 4,000 feet to the ocean floor! While the Northern Exuma Cays are only 30 miles from Nassau, land-based dive operators are too far away to dive this area. The Exuma Cays are known for their wonderful reef dives due to the protection they receive from the Land & Sea Park sanctions, so you can experience truly virgin diving. Because of these laws, there are miles of undersea gardens in which coral, sponges, and fish abound. Turtles, rays, and sharks are seen regularly on most dive sites. Goliath grouper truly are gargantuan in the Exumas! Sometimes we dive Eleuthera, but that is also weather-dependent. Our specific itinerary varies with the winds to obtain maximum visibility for diving. The depths normally range from 20′ to 120′. There are swift drifts between the cays as well as a blue hole that divers will love!*
The major areas, including most of the sites listed in this article, can be visited on a liveaboard. It is also a more pocketbook-friendly option.
Getting to Exuma
We have briefly touched upon the different options for getting to Exuma. Great Exuma Airport has direct flights from Nassau and a couple of US cities. Staniel Cay Airport also has connections to Nassau and a couple of US cities. There is no scheduled air service between the two airports. Private pilots and small charter flights have other options.
The liveaboards sail from Nassau, which is served by many major airports from the US and other countries.
Exuma presents a unique dive experience just out your back door. Give it a try.
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